Knit Like a Man - the Long-Tail Cast-On

David shows you how to cast on for your knitting with the long-tail method. So grab a needle and some yarn and let's get started!

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• crafts
• cast-on
• caston
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• craft
• yarn
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• demchuk
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[ddtoronto]

Deathmonkey: If you were a man you wouldn't talk.

[nadiapapineau]

This video is so helpful! Thanks so much! I cast on 7 different times with different videos until I found this one which is good enough quality that I can actually see what I am supposed to do!

Only one question, what do I do with the rest of the tail once I start knitting?

Thanks so much!

Nadia

[ddtoronto]

Hi Nadia--you cut what's left of the tail down to about 5 or 6 inches and then weave it into the work. My two comments directly above yours give some tips on how to do this. Good luck!

[ddtoronto]

The second approach I use, for garter stitch and, with a slight variation, for stockinette--is to again bring the yarn to the backside but this time to pull it up a few rows through the loops in the back, then weave it up and down through one row of loops and back through the loops on the row below, and then snip the end. Don't pull the tail tight. If you do this at the right tension, the tail will be almost unnoticeable.

There are other ways out there--just google 'weaving in yarn tails'.

[ddtoronto]

No, though I have to admit that would be a good one to do.

I have two approaches to weaving in tails. If the tail is attached to some ribbing--I move the tail to the backside of the work (if there isn't a backside, don't worry) and then, with a tapestry needle, I pull the yarn up through one column of stitches on the nearest rib, then pull it down through the other column and snip it. (This generally means moving the tip of the needle in a spirally fashion to get it through the columns.)

[ddtoronto]

The one situation where you definitely have to add extra length to the tail is when your yarn is bulky or unevenly spun. Heavier weight yarn and larger sized stitches tend to eat up more of the tail as you cast on. In that situation, I would try four times the width of the item.

And always remember you want to have at least five inches, and preferably six, left over so your tail can be woven in. It is obnoxious to try to weave in a tail that is three inches long.

[dogdemonboy]

yay...i knit(and im a male)

[Buck61]

another male who knits here...Been knitting for years.

[coraliechen]

Thank you so much. I get it. I have watched a few other videos and just not understood the thumb thing at the end. Your video is great. I can finally get started!

[FancyFancyName]

OH MY GOD. I've watched like three videos before this and I could not wrap my head around this cast on. Yours makes sense, man. Thanks so much!

[FionaJPark]

Thank you for this video. It was a breakthrough after trying top learn this method of casting on from diagrams.

[tangotonite]

cable cast on ?? do you know how to do this??

[tangotonite]

cable cast on

[BrooklynRagtag]

@mybloodyshadow Can you knit in a round? After the obligatory scarf, I learned how to knit in a round (which is actually easier, I think). If you can figure out how to knit two stitches together (which is exactly what it sounds like) then you can make hats, and from there you can make socks, or sweaters, or anything else that's basically made of tubes. There's also a million free patterns online. I say start with a basic beanie.

[BrooklynRagtag]

Thanks, dude! I always had to have my wife do this for me. Looking forward making myself a wool cap for the rest of winter.

[aaronbro6162]

hey im a guy who knits

[aaronbro6162]

hey this is really helpful ... thanks for the demonstration

[mybloodyshadow]

David, fellow man who wants to knit. MY issue is not in casting on, I'm trying to figure out what you do after you've casted on and established the length of the project. Like...how do I actually start turning it into something? All I know how to do right now is make one long ass piece of lovely material.