In knitting, casting on is a family of techniques for adding new stitches that do not depend on earlier stitches, i.e., stitches having an independent lower edge. In principle, casting on is the opposite of binding off, but the techniques involved are generally unrelated.

When casting on at the beginning, one end of the yarn must be secured to the knitting needle by knotting it, usually with a slip knot. This knot is unnecessary when casting on in the middle of the fabric (e.g., when making the uper edge of a buttonhole) since the yarn is already secured to the fabric. The original slip knot can also be pulled out (after a few rows have been knitted) without damaging the knitted fabric.

Once one loop has been secured around the needle, others can be added by several methods.

• Perhaps the most straightforward method is knitting on, in which a new bight is drawn through the previous loop and then added to the needle. However, this method is deprecated for giving an untidy edge.

• A closely related technique is the cable cast-on, in which a new night is drawn through the space between the two previous loops and then added to the needle. This edge is firm and has a neat, corded look; although it may be too bulky with thick yarns.

• An even simpler method is the single cast-on, which involves adding a series of half hitches to the needle. A common approach for adding several stitches in the middle of a knitted fabric, but its edge is dificult to make even.

• A common method is the double cast-on, in which all the loops are made with one yarn, while the other end (the dangling end from the original slip knot) is used to secure the base of each loop. Although popular, this method requires that the knitter estimate the length of the dangling yarn before the stitches are cast on; if the dangling yarn is too short, the knitter will run out of yarn with which to secure the stitches before the full number of stitches have been cast on. In that case, the knitter will have to pull everything out, re-position the slip knot to give a longer tail, and begin anew. Despite this shortcoming, a good all-around method for casting on.

• The tubular cast-on involves knitting onto a swatch knitted in a constrasting yarn with half as many stitches. Each knit stitch into the contrasting stitches is followed by a yarn-over to double the number of stitches. After several rows, a tuck is formed by knitting together the first and third rows, forming a tube through which elastic can be pulled. A neat edge, nicely suited for 1x1 ribbing.

• An elegant and versatile method is the invisible cast-on, which is usually done with an extra length of contrasting yarn. The invisible cast-on involves no knotting at all (except the initial slip knot). The contrasting thread can be pulled out later to allow the knitter to continue the knitting in the opposite direction. The invisible cast on is also the best method for double-knit fabrics, since the knitting has no boundary; the knitting is continuous from one side of the fabric to the other.

Casting on is sometimes done with two needles, or a needle of larger size; the extra length of yarn in each stitch gives the edge more flexibility.

Casting on can also be decorated with various stitch patterns, especially picots. The cast-on stitches can also be twisted clockwise or counterclockwise as they are added to the needle; this is commonly done for the single cast-on described above to give it a neater, more uniform look.

References

• (2002) Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book, updated ed., Sixth and Spring Books. ISBN 193154316X

• (1979) Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlework, Reader's Digest Association. ISBN 0895770598

Knitting