English cast-on demonstration

[Shatallion]

How about showing the very FIRST part of making the knots 'n stuff?

[ILoveSnowballTheBird]

ya i agree i really need to no how to make a loop thing

[weblore]

I tried this and compared it to the twisted german cast on. It it EXACTLY the same cast on, just worked a different way to produce the same result. I personally think doing it the twisted german method is easier because you only use one hand and less movements.

[naogannet]

Yes, it's identical structurally. Some people prefer one and some the other.

[weblore]

It looks elegant the way you do it, though :)

[naogannet]

Aw, thanks!

[melonscoffer123]

it is not done in england or in any of the english knitting books or mags

[naogannet]

I believe you haven't encountered it in England.

However, that doesn't mean it isn't English in origin and either fallen out of favor or not in common use. Alternatively, it might just have been named English for no good reason; it wouldn't have been the first time I'd seen something like that. (For instance, Americans call a particular type of fried potatoes, French fries. They're not French.)

(see next comment for more)

[naogannet]

I can say that all the books I've seen that give this cast on a name call it English. I can also say that I know of at least one person who learned it in England, though it wasn't given a name.

[melonscoffer123]

this is not something anyone i know does in england to cast on

[museofink]

I have never seen this done. Doesn't that not only cast on but also produce one knit stitch while you are at it so all you have to do is work on the second row?

[naogannet]

Sorry about the late response!

Yes, that's correct. It's like any long-tail cast-on in that regard. It's structurally identical to the Twisted German or Old Norwegian cast-on; it's only the hand motions that are different.