Estonian Double Start Cast On
The Estonian Double-Start Cast-on is super stretchy long-tail cast-on, and is a great decorative edge for 2×2 ribbing. It also works well with garter stitch, and can be used for items like:
- Blankets
- Dishcloths
- Hats
- Scarves
You’ll need your project needles for this, and some yarn, of course!
Written Instructions
- Make a slip knot(this will be knit together with the adjacent stitch on your first row or round), and place it over your needle.
- Hold the needle in your right hand, and wrap the yarn on your left hand as if to do a standard long-tail cast-on.
(Drape the working yarn over your left forefinger, and the tail over your thumb. Pinch and hold with the remaining fingers.)- *Pull the needle down and slightly toward the right. This forms the yarn into a “V” shape, and makes a loop on your thumb.
- Working from left to right, push the needle through the loop, scooping the working yarn, and pull it through the loop on your thumb.
- Tighten the yarn.
- Wrap the yarn almost the same as before, but wrap the tail yarn counter-clockwise around your left thumb before gripping it in your remaining fingers.
- Flex your thumb outward, to form a “U” shape, and push the needle through that loop on the inside of your thumb, scooping the working yarn, and pulling it all the way through.
- Tighten the yarn.
As you repeat from *, you’ll see the stitches form in pairs, each pair coming out of a horizontal wrap. If you notice a single stitch without the pair, simply pull out your cast-on stitches, and try again, remembering to always alternate clockwise with counterclockwise loops.
