Stitches

Do you do a casting stitch to start every knitting project?

I'm just confused at what the cast on is. I look up how to do a stitch and its never started without adding onto a row of already stitched yarn. Please help.

Public Comments

1. Yes, the cast-on is the first row of every knitting project. The beginning of the pattern should tell you how many stitches to cast on, but unless it specifies a certain type of cast-on, you should use the one you are most comfortable with. I almost always use the long-tail cast on to start my projects. Once you have the cast-on row on your needles, you can start with Row One of the pattern. Note: Once you are doing advanced knitting like sweaters, you may come across things like crochet cast-on and provisional cast on, but I would not worry about those just yet! Get very comfortable with more simple knitting and regular cast-on first.
2. No only when you first start.
3. Yes, you cast on the specified number of stitches before you start knitting. Here is a video that shows casting on very slowly. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3319901922819400872# When you're done knitting, you bind off. (Depending on where the pattern writer lives, they also call it casting off.) Here's another slow motion video to help you with that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7adQs1x7b8&feature=player_embedded
4. There are many ways to cast on. Which did your instructor show you? Review your notes. That is a basic... you can't get very far without knowing how to get stitches on the needle!! go to http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/learn-to-knit That is the only place with correct directions.