Long Tail Cast On

The Long Tail Cast On uses two lengths of yarn—a long tail and the yarn coming from the ball.

The Setup

As an aid in the following tutorial, I’ve knotted together two different colours of yarn to help make things a little easier to see. The tail is orange and the yarn from the ball is pink.

Measure out a long tail. See Estimate Tail Length for Cast On.

Index finger on right hand holding yarn draped over needle for beginning of long tail cast on. Hold needle in right hand and hang yarn over the needle with the long tail strand in front of needle and the working yarn (attached to the ball) in back of needle. Hold in place on needle with forefinger. A slip knot may be used to hold yarn on needle, but I prefer to minimize the use of knots in my knitting.

Thumb and index finger pinched together and inserted between two strands of yarn draped over needle. Pinch thumb and forefinger on left hand together and insert them between the dangling strands.

Two strands of yarn draped over needle and held in fist with thumb and index finger between the strands. Grasp both strands with the remaining three fingers of left hand, holding them in your fist.

Thumb and index finger spread wide between two strands of yarn draped over needle. Spread thumb and forefinger to “part the curtains.”

Starting position for long tail cast on with yarn set up in left hand. Tilt wrist so left palm faces up. The yarn should be in a V-shape with the needle at the point of the V, the tail looped around the left thumb, and the yarn leading to the ball looped around the left forefinger.

The Cast On

Step 1:

Needle inserted into thumb loop with directional arrow. Insert needle into thumb loop from bottom to top.

Step 2:

Needle inserted into finger loop with directional arrow. Move needle behind near strand on finger from right to left, wrapping that strand around needle.

Step 3:

Needle pulling loop of yarn through thumb loop with directional arrow. Pass needle back through thumb loop from top to bottom and scoop towards yourself.

Step 4:

Thumb slipped behind dropped tail strand with directional arrow. Maintaining hold with left fingers, drop loop off thumb and reposition yarn around thumb by moving thumb behind strand from left to right.

Left hand set up for starting position for long tail cast on with stitches on needle in right hand. Returning thumb to start position (spreading thumb and finger apart) tightens loop at bottom of needle.

Repeat Cast On Steps 1 to 4 until the required number of stitches have been cast on, counting the slip knot as the first stitch. Now you’re ready to work a wrong side row.