Casting On sans Hot Mess

Logic is the love of my life. (Besides my husband who is truly the love of my life).  When I first began my quest to learn how to knit, I took an essentially logical approach to it.  Obviously, you use the needles to tie the yarn together and voila!  You have a project.  Logic.

It wasn't until I got my yarn home, and my first pair of knitting needles (by the by, do yourself a favor and get a size 6, 7, or 8 needle.  These are the best size for worsted weight yarn), that I realized that I had no idea how to get the yarn to stay on the needle.  Enter:  Casting on.

There are several different ways to cast on.  You can find a list of them here.  I primarily use the Long Tail Cast on, which is generally the easiest for a few reason.  Number one: It goes quickly.  Number Two:  It stays put.  And lastly, Number 3: It is by far the easiest cast on method to maintain the correct amount of tension.  Before this post, I hadn't ever tried any of the other methods.  I now have tried...most of them.

The Wrap Cast On

The wrap cast on is essentially just wrapping the yarn around the needle from right to left.  Easy.  The huge problem with method is there is VERY little tension control, which is essential to obtaining the correct gauge for your project.  A photo:

The Knit Cast On
Once you know how to knit, this cast on method is relatively easy.  Basically, you create a slip-knot, which you can learn how to do here.  Then you knit a stitch, but instead of slipping the stitch off the needle, you slip it on to the left hand needle.  Nice, easy, but only if you know how to knit.


The Cable Cast On
This method seems a little excessive.  Is there really a need for a cable cast on?  I'm not a fan.  Therefore, I will not teach.


The Provincial Cast On
This method is BEAUTIFUL!  I was all excited to do it until I read the instructions.  Turns out, you have to crochet a chain and then cast it on.  There went that idea.  Shantel will tell you, it's no big deal, but for me, the non-crocheter, it proved impossible.


After trying all of these methods, my final recommendation is to please, please, stick with the long tail cast on.  Below is a great video teaching you how to do this type of cast on method.




Keep Calm and Knit On!

BHRD7YCU9A5Y

And so it begins...

Welcome! Candice and I decided to start this blog so that other like minded people who are committed to saving their sanity through anything creative could join us on our journey.  We've chosen to learn how to knit to accomplish this monumental feat.  Between working retail, meaning no weekends off.... Ever.... And kids, and a family and trying to hav a social life we needed something that would challenge us and give a sense of completion.  When you feel like life is out of control, you can pick up some yarn and a pair of needles and create something.  After awhile this thing that you have created out of basically nothing is done!  When your life has no discernible pattern to it there is no way to feel accomplished.  When you don't have weekends off and your days change all the time it is very hard to have that "thank goodness I made it through the week, now it's the weekend and I get to relax" feeling.  Knitting gives us this feeling.  Looking at that hat, scarf, pair of socks shows us that we can complete something.  It satisfies our souls.   So join us on this journey to learn to knit and retain what sanity we can.  It may get a bit bumpy along the way but hopefully it is enjoyable for you, the reader, as you watch us grow and stretch our skills! --Shantel