[Nfb-krafters-korner] casting on

[Jo Taliaferro]

Hi, you brave soul!  I'm not sure I can help you with casting on but I
think I'm in your knitting league!  I didn't know there were so many ways
to cast on and bind off but I do know how to knit!  My mom and my aunt
taught me to cast on using my fingers and scrunching my left hand into
weird positions which people probably don't do any more.  I'm still
fighting with those booties I want to knit in the round and thought you'd
like some company in the "haven't done this for a while" club.  Let's do it
together and let the Designer knitters chuckle till we catch up!  I wish I
were more help to you but my only suggestion is that to cast on, you might
like using a needle one or two sizes bigger than what the pattern calls for
so that the stitches stay loose and you can count them more easily.  You
can also make a slip knot and put it on your lefthand needle and then do a
"knit" cast-on using the longer yarn which is attached to your ball or
skein of yarn.  Cut off the yarn that is now the tail and leave about 10
inches that will just hang out as you knit back and forth.  Once you get
the slip knot made, poke your righthand needle into it with yarn in back
and knit it as a regular stitch.  I tie a small knot in the tail of my
non-working yarn so as not to confuse it with the working ball of yarn.
Thoughts are just flying into my head right now but if you want your
righthand needle to be your "working" needle, the method I described will
get you started.   I use larger needles till my fingers get accustomed to
the motions again.  (Hint)"  When you begin your second row, the one after
you cast on, you will have the non-working tail at the bottom of your work
if using straight needles.  
Others will have suggestions and be able to help you, as well.
Jo Taliaferro


-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Lillie Pennington
Sent: Wednesday, December 25, 2013 8:41 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] casting on

Hello all,

I was hoping some of the knitters could help me. I have picked up some
knitting needles, yarn, and some reference books and am attempting to teach
myself to knit. I have some experience but haven't done it in over 2 years.


I am having trouble with casting on. The books I am using have a method
about using your left thumb and the tail to make stitches, and the other
method is using two needles to cast on. I remember before doing something
with my right hand and the working yarn, and really liked this method
although not exactly sure how to do it. I am having trouble finding some
directions and a method that I feel I can do. Any help would be
appreciated.

Thanks and have a very merry Christmas.

 

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