Cast On, Bind Off (17 page)
Authors: Leslie Ann Bestor
Bring the yarn to the back. From the front, insert the right-hand needle between the end-most 2 stitches, wrap the yarn around, and pull the new stitch through. Slip this new stitch (a knit stitch) to the left-hand needle knitwise.
Continue in this manner, alternating knit and purl stitches until you have the desired number of stitches cast on. The new stitch is always made by going between the 2 stitches closest to the tip of the left-hand needle.
Getting It Right
⢠Work stitches loosely to facilitate inserting the needle in between the stitches.
⢠To neaten the last stitch: Before transferring the last stitch to the left-hand needle, pass the yarn between the needle tips to the front of the work then slip the last stitch to the left-hand needle. This makes it neater and prevents the last stitch from slanting across the next-to-last stitch.
a.k.a. Estonian, Latvian
This cast on is very stretchy
and creates a good base for K1, P1 and K2, P2 ribbing. Because of this, it is often used for the cuffs of socks, mittens, and hats. It is like the Long-Tail Cast On (
page 25
) in construction; the difference is in the second stitch of each cast-on pair, where the yarn wraps in the reverse direction around the thumb. Nancy Bush suggests adding an extra strand or two of yarn on the thumb side to make a more pronounced and decorative edge.
CHARACTERISTICS
⢠Stretchy edge
⢠Decorative edge
GOOD FOR
⢠Tops of socks
⢠Cuffs that call for a slightly more pronounced edge
Make a slip knot, leaving a long tail (
page 13
), and place it on the needle. Hold the yarn and needle in the slingshot position.
Reach with the needle under and into the loop on the left thumb.
Go over the yarn on your left forefinger and bring that yarn through the thumb loop.
