DIY Network

Casting-On Tips Lily Chin answers some of the most common casting-on dilemmas. From "Knitty Gritty" episode DKNG-308

Casting on establishes the base row of a knitting project, so you owe it to yourself to do the best cast-on you can. But what happens if a problem arises at this very early stage of knitting? Here are Lily Chin's answers to some of the most common casting-on dilemmas.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

• How do you know how much yarn to reel off when you're using the long-tail cast-on? The rule of thumb is to use at least three times the width of your piece. For instance, for an 8"-wide scarf, you will need at least 24" of tail. Be sure to keep the tail on your thumb when using this cast on; since this part of the cast on uses a wee bit less yarn, you should then never run out.

• If you're casting on for a piece such as a sweater piece that will require seaming, add seaming to the tail as well (figure A). However long the seam will be, reel off 1.5 times its length for mattress seaming. For example, if a sweater back is being cast on and the seam to the underarm is going to be 12", reel off 18" of seaming yarn.

• In order to prevent accidentally knitting with the tail/seaming yarn, and to keep the seaming yarn clean and tidy without knotting up while working, use the free notched-plastic ties (not the covered-wire twist ties) that come with many types of bread. View these as free mini-bobbins, perfect to wrap seaming yarn onto (figure B).

• If, for whatever reason, you still run out of tail yarn as you're casting on, just turn the piece around as if to work the next row, then purl your sts on. That is, purl into the first st without taking that st off the left-hand ndl. Instead, place your new st that's on the right-hand ndl onto the left-hand ndl in order to gain a new st. * Now purl into this new first st and place this one onto the left-hand ndl as well. Repeat from the * until you get the number of sts needed.

• In the same way that you can purl stitches on, you can also knit them on. You can use this technique to cast on in pattern (figure C). That way, the pattern will go all the way down to the lower edges.

  To practice, place a slipknot onto left ndl. Purl into this slipknot and place new st from right ndl onto left ndl = 2 sts. * Knit into new first st (figure D) and place st from right ndl onto left ndl = one more st. Purl into new first st (figure E) and place st from right ndl onto left ndl = one more st. Rep from * until you get number of sts needed.

Next: Baby Blanket

RESOURCES :

Knit and Crochet With Beads
By Lily Chin
2004, Interweave Press
Interweave Press Inc.
Website: www.interweave.com

Aurora Bulky Yarn from Karabella Yarns
E-mail: info@karabellayarns.com
Website: www.karabellayarns.com

GUESTS :

Lily Chin
Author, knitting expert
Website: www.lilychinsignaturecollection.com