The long-tail cast-on is the most common cast-on method. It produces a neat and sturdy, and quite stretchy edge. This cast-on is relatively quick and simple to do, once you get the hang of it.
It is also known as double, two-strand, Continental, slingshot cast-on.
You can use this cast-on for just about any knitting project. If your pattern doesn’t suggest a specific cast-on for you to use, you can safely go with the long-tail cast-on.
This cast-on has a right and wrong side. When you’ll turn the needle to begin knitting, you will see purl bumps. Typically, your first row after the cast-on is a right-side row, and if you don’t mind the purl bumps – then simply begin knitting. If you are knitting garter stitch, the purl bumps will blend in with the pattern.
If you don’t like the look of those bumps on the right side of your work, especially, if you are knitting stockinette stitch (knitting on the right side, purling on the wrong side), you can start your knitting from the wrong-side row, meaning your first row will be a wrong-side row, and the second – a right-side row.
The advantages of the long-tail cast-on:
- Has a good amount of stretch.
- Is firm.
- Looks neat.
- Is relatively quick and easy to do.
The disadvantages of the long-tail cast-on:
- Not stretchy enough. When you need a very stretchy edge it is better to use the German twisted cast-on.
- Estimating how much yarn you are going to use before you begin casting on stitches.
The long-tail cast-on uses one needle and two strands of yarn – yarn from the tail end and from the ball. This means, that before you begin casting on stitches for your project, you need to measure out how much yarn you will need.
There are several variations of this cast-on, and in this tutorial I will demonstrate my preferred technique – the slingshot method without a slipknot.
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LONG-TAIL CAST-ON TUTORIAL
The cast-on itself can be divided into three parts: positioning your hand and yarn into a slingshot position, casting-on the first stitch, and casting-on the following stitches.
Follow the steps below to learn how to do the long-tail cast-on.
Slingshot position
Step 1: Measure out the necessary yarn.
Measuring out the length of the tail will save you from the frustration of having not enough yarn to finish the cast on or having a way too long tail.
The length of the tail depends on how many stitches you need to cast on for your project. The easiest way to determine the required length is to wrap the yarn around the needle until the number of wraps equals the number of stitches you need to cast on. Then simply mark that length of yarn and add a 10-15cm (4-6 inches) for the weaving in later. This is the length of your tail end.
Step 2: Wrap the tail end around your left index finger.
Step 3: Drape it over your left thumb.
Step 4: Secure both strands with the three remaining fingers.
Casting-on the first stitch
Step 5: Place the needle on the strand between the index finger and the thumb.
Step 6: Move the needle down and under the strand towards you to make a loop.
Place your right index finger on top of the stitch to secure it.
Casting-on the following stitches
Step 7: Now you have two loops connected to your needle – one around your thumb and one around your index finger.
You’ll return to this position after each stitch.
Step 8: Insert the needle through the loop on your thumb from below.
Step 9: Grab the yarn on your index finger from right to left.
Step 10: Pull the yarn through the loop on your thumb.
Step 11: Pull the thumb out of the loop and place it under the strand to both tighten the stitch and return to the starting position.
Repeat steps 7-11 until you have enough stitches for your project.
Tips
Don’t tighten the stitches too much, they should move freely on the needle, but they shouldn’t slide around.
Try to space out the stitches evenly on the needle, this will come with practice.
If your cast-on is too tight or you need a looser edge for your project use a needle that is one or even two sizes larger only to cast on stitches. Once you have the required number of stitches, switch to the needles you plan to knit with.
