Knitting for Lefties: Casting On

As promised here's a mini knitting tutorial that I'm hoping would be help to any leftie who wish to learn the basics of knitting. Before anything else though, here's a bit of disclaimer -- I'm not an expert knitter.

What I know is partly based on what I remember was taught to us in home-economics back in grade school

(a long, long, long time ago) and partly what I am still learning from my son's playhouse nurturer.

 

Based on experience learning (and teaching) how to knit is best done in person through an actual demonstration.

I'll try to explain the steps the simplest way I can.

Here we go...

The first thing to know is how to "cast on". This simply means preparing the first row of stitches on the needle.

Step 1: Measure approximately half a meter of yarn (this length depends on how many stitches you plan to knit) and make a simple loop, called a slip knot.  

This would be your "tail yarn". Make sure that the tail is long enough to make all the stitches you need before you start. The other strand would be your "working yarn" (the one attached to the ball of yarn)

Step 2: Insert knitting needle through loop.

Step 3: Separate the 2 strands of yard with thumb and index finger

Step 4: Move left hand down to form a loop around the thumb and index finger

Step 5: Insert needle through the loop around the thumb

 Step 6: Insert needle through the loop around the index finger

 Step 7: Then insert needle back again through the loop around the thumb

 Step 8: Release fingers

 

Step 9: Pull yarn
Don't pull too tightly or else your stitches will be hard to work with. Your loops should be tight enough to stay on the needle but loose enough for the needle to slide through. You now have 2 stitches.

Repeat steps 2 through 9 to cast on more stitches that you'll need.