Say Hi & Get in Touch
We want to hear from you, check us out on social media.
Comments are closed.
This is the only way I knew how to cast on! Had no idea it was called the ‘slingshot’ method!
I just watched Your longtail cast on and have never seen that! LOL thanks so much!!
I learned how to do the longtail cast on the way you do it. I’ve tried the slingshot method, but it doesn’t feel very comfortable for me. I have seen people use it and cast on *very* quickly, but I never could.
Ellen – I agree with you. Maybe it’s because I’ve been doing it the other way for over 30 years, but I prefer the other way. I feel like I can get more even tension – but this way sure looks cooler!
🙂
S t a c i
I tried the other way and it felt too fumbly. When this video went up, I gave the slingshot a try. It’s my new favorite cast on. I guess it’s just a matter of what’s comfortable.
This is how I’ve been casting on for the majority of the 2 1/2 years that I’ve been knitting. I started out with the thumb cast on and graduated to this. Now I don’t even have to think about how to do it. It is huge fun for me.
How cool! Been doing this cast on forever, didn’t know it had such a fancy name. 🙂
I agree that I think the non-slingshot method of long-tail cast on produces better tension, but maybe that’s just me. I’m so used to doing it the other way that I get a nice, even tension. The sling-shot way isn’t as natural feeling to me, but I think it’s all what you get used to.
After watching all of the cast on methods, I tried a few times and came back to the videos, keep in mind I watch the backwards loop method last. After listening to what you said about this one not being the one to use. Guess what? it was the only one I knew how to do and have done this making tons of items. Well after hearing not the one to use, I went back to the long tail cast on and I did it!!! Wow, what a difference!! Thank you so much for all your videos Staci!
This is how my sister taught me to cast on and I love it. I am wondering if there is a formula for estimating how long of a tail to measure out for X amount of stitches. I have tried and tried to figure it out!
Hi Cindy – yes, you can figure out how long of a tail you need to leave by wrapping the yarn around the needle for each stitch. For example – if you’re casting-on 50, wrap the yarn around the needle 50 times (or 25 times and double the length) then make your slip knot there. It will always leave you with a little extra, but better a little extra than having to start over!
S t a c i
Hi Staci! That was the way I have been casting on the whole time i have been knitting
Does it matter if the long tail goes around your thumb or around your index finger?
More complex versions include all kinds of performance indicators that
is reminiscent of the 2 digit processor speed meter that
could be seen in the computers of the past. The significance of notebooks or laptops is increasingly growing in the modern life.
Thus, it should be unplugged from the power source.
Just a tip for figuring out more easily/quickly how long a tail you’ll need: For each ten stitches in the cast-on, wrap the yarn once around your palm. This will work for a medium-gauge yarn; for finer yarns you’ll need slightly less and for bulkier yarns slightly more yarn in the tail. But it’s faster than wrapping the yarn once for every stitch around your needle.
Also, this “slingshot” method of casting on is the only method I know (well, at least until I came here and watched your videos!) — I think it is/was the standard method taught in schools here in Sweden. I’ve never seen anyone use any other method.
I’ve been using this cast on forever as well, but I find that the yarn gets more and more twisted if I’m casting on a lot of stitches. The twisted yarn is the side attached to the yarn ball. Any suggestions?
Nell – when you work this CO, it is normal for the yarn to get twisted. Normally, it is the tail end that twists, and not the working yarn attached to the ball, so all you have to do is drop the tail every several stitches to let it untwist. I prefer to do my long-tail cast-on this way (link below), because it makes it easier to untwist the tail end, and I have better tension control for each stitch:
https://verypink.com/2010/03/13/video-long-tail-cast-on/
S t a c i