Cast On, Bind Off (9 page)

CHARACTERISTICS

• Edge is elastic and attractive

• First row begins with wrong side (private side) of work

GOOD FOR

• Any stitch pattern and any project

Measure out a tail of yarn using whatever method you prefer (
page 13
). Make a slip knot and place it on the needle. Hold the needle and working yarn in your right hand.

Wrap the tail end around your left thumb counterclockwise (yarn comes from needle to inside thumb and wraps around to outside of thumb). Using the other fingers of your left hand to grasp the tail, insert needle tip under the thumb loop.

Holding the needle with your left hand, use your right hand to wrap the working yarn around the needle.

Pass thumb loop over the needle tip and pull the strand to tighten the stitch.

Repeat steps 2–4 for the desired number of stitches.

a.k.a. Knitting On

This cast on is easy to remember
because it is so much like a regular knit stitch, making it a common way to teach beginners. The edge, which looks good from both sides, is fairly firm, though it can stretch out of shape.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Somewhat elastic

• Easy to pull out of shape

GOOD FOR

• Beginners

• Adding stitches at ends of rows