Knitting - Long-tail cast-on

This is a well-known cast-on method and is usually the first a beginner learns. It’s worked by twisting the yarn around the fingers of your left hand.

This is a flexible cast-on, suitable for many stitch patterns. To keep your cast-on flexible, use a needle 2 sizes larger than the needles you will be using for the project.

	Wrap the yarn around the fingers of your left hand as shown, leaving a long tail, approximately 3 times the length of the knitted fabric being cast on (a 12-in-/ 30-cm-wide scarf would require approximately 1 yd/1 m for the tail).
	Change the position of the yarn on your thumb, and then insert the needle in the direction shown by the arrow.
	Pull the yarn from the index finger of your left hand out through the middle of the loop on your thumb.
	Drop the loop off your thumb, then pick up the yarn again and tighten the loop on the needle



	Pick up the yarn with your thumb as shown and tighten the loop, you’ve made the second stitch. Repeat steps 6 to 10 for each stitch to be cast on.
	Make the required number of stitches. The cast-on stitches count as the first row.

Holding the yarn and needles This method of knitting is called the Continental (or French) style and is recommended here because it allows for speedy knitting. It doesn’t matter if you hold the yarn another way, the important thing is that you're comfortable and knit with a regular rhythm and even tension.