Prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed and take a peek at our roundup of methods so you can master cast-ons and feel confident in your skillset. This quick guide will run through some of the most popular techniques for casting on, as well as some of their more popular names.
Uses: This method is a good choice for beginners because it is quick and easy. It’s also a stretchy cast on, making it good for sweaters and socks. You can also use it on lace projects and with other patterns where you don’t want the cast on edge to detract attention from the knitting.Also known as: loop cast on, e-wrap cast on, single cast on
Uses: Knit cast on is a good choice for all sorts of projects. It is relatively stretchy and easy to form.Also known as: knitted cast on, knitting on
Uses: This cast-on method forms a firmer edge that is nice and even and looks like a cable. It isn’t stretchy, so don’t use it for hats or the bottoms of sweaters if you need them to be able to stretch.Also known as: No known aliases.
Uses: The long-tail cast-on also counts as a row of knitting, which is nice. It is not as stretchy as some methods, but it’s not too firm, either. It is a good all-purpose, middle-of-the-road cast-on method. Also known as: double cast-on, continental cast on, slingshot, two-strand, Y cast on
Uses: The provisional cast-on is useful when knitting the border onto a garment or joining two pieces of knitting to work the rest in the round. Also known as: No known aliases.
Uses: Knitters rave about this cast-on method for socks because it is both stretchy and neat.Also known as: twisted German cast on, old Norwegian cast-on
Uses: It’s great for girly projects like the Little Girl’s Sundress, but can easily be added to any project that needs a little something special. Also known as: frilled edging cast on, Picot cast on, Picot hem
