Lots of people like the Long Tail CO and with good reason – it’s easy to do once you learn and it looks good!
Running out of yarn
The one thing that troubles many people though is running out of yarn. There’s an easy way around this though!
Use 2 Yarns to avoid running out of yarn
This sounds a lot more complicated than it is.
Setup 1: Do a slip knot using 2 balls of the same yarn. Take one strand of the yarn and drape it around your thumb. Take the other strand and drape it around your index finger. As you can see – you don’t have a tail to run out of the yarn and you don’t need to estimate how much yarn you need!
IMPORTANT: This slip knot does NOT count as a cast on stitch. This is different than a regular Long Tail Cast On.
Setup 2: Cast on as many stitches as you need. Remember not to count the slip knot.
You’re done! Now just knit normally!
I used 2 colors of yarn so it was easier to follow along. You can use 1 or 2 colors – it’s up to you! If you use 2 colors, keep in mind that the yarn over your thumb will be the color at the bottom.
I’m excited to try this!
def give it a try! it’s an easy one. i kick myself thinking of the times when i was sweating it out or that i’d run out of yarn and have to start over.
Thanks for explaining this method. I always worry when I have a lot of cast on stitches using the long tail method. Now, no more worries thanks to you!
It’s such an easy thing to do, once you’re in the know (aren’t all the best tricks like that?).
Glad you found it helpful!
Super! Wish I had known this last night. Oh well, filed for next time. Thanks. Bc
Fortunately, there’s always a next time!
this is so clear, thanx so much … for some reason I could not “get” how to do this, I think I didn’t clue in on cut one of the yarns, I thought it would unravel. So then you have a tail both at the beginning and end of the cast on?
Awesome!
Yes that’s correct. You will have one more end to weave in.
Just tried this, it worked like a charm! Thank you so much!!!