Casting on with a hook and a needle
The crochet cast-on method creates a really neat edge that resembles a chain cast-off edge. Because of this, this cast-on method is sometimes known as the cast-off cast-on method.
If you already crochet, then you should find this method fairly straightforward; if you don’t crochet, be brave because this is a really useful cast-on method.
The following explanations and images are for those who knit left-handed, that is, your working hand is your left hand (regardless of which hand you use to hold the yarn) and the stitches move from your right-hand needle to your left-hand needle as you knit. If you knit right-handed, then go to this blog post: Crochet cast-on method – a right-handed knitting tutorial.
Make a slipknot and place it on the crochet hook; hold the crochet hook in your left hand. Wrap the yarn around your right hand as if to crochet and hold a knitting needle in the same hand. Place the knitting needle over the ball end of the yarn.
Pass your crochet hook over the knitting needle.
Grab the yarn with the hook (move the hook back under the yarn, then forward over it), so the yarn is round the hook.
Pull the yarn through the loop on the hook, thus creating a stitch on the knitting needle.
Pass the yarn backwards between the hook and needle; this is the tricky bit, but once you know what you’re doing it’ll be fine!
You’re ready to cast on your second stitch. So, repeat the following: pass your crochet hook over the knitting needle; grab the yarn with the hook; pull the yarn through the loop on the hook and pass the yarn backwards between the hook and needle.
Carry on casting on stitches in this manner until you have one stitch fewer than required. For example, if you want 10 stitches, you need to cast on nine.
Transfer the stitch on the crochet hook to the needle. This is really important; if you don’t do this your cast on edge will unravel!
You now have the correct number of stitches, with a beautiful cast-on edge.
When should you use a crochet cast-on?
- Edges where you want to add a crochet edging.
- Edges where you want to add a fringe.
- When you want the cast-on and cast-off edges to match.
I’m a left-handed knitter and crocheted. This is the first time I’ve seen this addressed. I’ve always tried to interpret patterns as I go. I’ve come across left lean and right lean stitches and didn’t know what to do. If I should switch them because of left-handedness.
Hi Laura, this is such a good question for left-handed knitters.
For knitting right-handed the usual right-leaning decrease is k2tog, whereas when knitting left-handed, k2tog makes a left-leaning decrease. Likewise, when knitting right-handed ssk or k2tog tbl will make left-leaning decreases, whereas when knitting left-handed they will make right-leaning decreases.
Most patterns will specify the decrease to be used instead of the direction in which it leans. In this case you don’t need to change the pattern because you will be knitting a mirror image of the piece, e.g. left front instead of right front.
That’s quite a brief answer; I’ve made a note to write a blog post or two about this!
Great to see something tutorial for us lefties! Thank you. Could I ask one question ? I am left handed but was taught to knit right handed.I can manage that but if I only have one tool in my hand, it has to be the left hand. So – if I use the crochet cast on with my left hand, will there be a problem in where the yarn is lying for me to then knit right handed?
I so hope that makes sense.
I think understand your question, but let me know if not. I think you are saying that you can knit right-handed because you have a knitting needle in each hand. When you use the crochet cast-on method, you will have a knitting needle in one hand and the crochet hook in the other, so I think you need to try the right-handed version (hook in right hand, needle in left). If this is difficult because you are used to crocheting left-handed (just one crochet hook in your left hand), try the left-handed version, with a needle in your right hand. If you do this, when you knit the first row right-handed, the cast-on stitches will sit twisted on your needle. All you need to do is knit into the back of the loops, then they will all sit untwisted for your next row.
Thank you. I also knit right handed but crochet left so this has helped me immensely. I had been trying to do it right handed but was struggling.
Excellent! I’m glad it helped, Margaret!
Made sense to me. My problem exactly.
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