Casting On - Circular Cast On

This cast on may appear tricky, but it has a really unique and clever aspect to it. The yarn tail is used as something of a drawstring, gathering the cast on stitches into a circle so you don’t have to worry about joining them to work in the round.

First, position the yarn in your left hand as shown in the picture. The working yarn should be pinched between your first and middle finger. The yarn tail will wrap around your ring and pinky fingers with the yarn tail being held by your right hand.

*Using your right hand, insert the point of your needle (you can use double points or a circular) under the yarn across your ring and pinky fingers.

Pass the needle over the working yarn and draw a loop out from under the yarn you first slid your needle under.

Now pass the needle over the working yarn and draw a loop up as in a yarn over.

Repeat from * until you have cast on the required number of stitches. Note: If you need an even number of stitches, you will need to cast on the final stitch as a standard yarn over when you begin your first round of knitting.

Arrange the stitches on your double point needles, on either side of a long circular for Magic Loop, or on 2 circulars to begin knitting in the round.

Tug on the yarn tail to draw the stitches into a tighter circle. Begin knitting!