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A cast on is a technique in knitting for creating the very first stitches of a project. A cable cast on creates a firm, beautiful edge that can be also be used to add stitches in the middle of a project.

The cable cast on is similar to the knit stitch, so it is a great skill for experienced knitters to learn. (Beginning knitters may want to learn the backwards loop cast on instead.) Keep reading to learn how to use this cast on.

  1. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
    Make a slipknot .
    • Make a loop in the yarn.
    • Make another loop and pull it through this loop.
    • Pull the slipknot tight.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
    Pull out the right needle. Now you will have two stitches on your left needle.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
  10. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
  11. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
    You should have three stitches.
  12. Watermark wikiHow to Knit a Cable Cast On
    Repeat steps 7-11 until you created the appropriate number of cast on stitches, lightly tightening the stitches as you go along.
    • You can make a small sample square of one inch to determine the number of stitches you should have.
    • The number of stitches depends on the size of yarn you are using. For instance, a bulky or sport weight yarn will have fewer stitches than a fingering weight yarn.
    • Another factor is tension or how tight or loose your stitches are when you knit.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can you prevent your knitting from curling at the bottom?
    Gregory Patrick
    Knitting Specialist
    Gregory Patrick is a knitter who runs the popular blog Madman Knitting. He is also the author of the book "Mad Man Knitting or The Waiter and the Fly". He has been knitting and writing about knitting for over 10 years.
    Knitting Specialist
    Expert Answer
    You need not worry about curling at the bottom while knitting. After you finish knitting, you can block it. You should wet it and pin it flat to a blocking mat, then let it dry to get rid of curling.
  • Question
    How do you knit in the round?
    Gregory Patrick
    Knitting Specialist
    Gregory Patrick is a knitter who runs the popular blog Madman Knitting. He is also the author of the book "Mad Man Knitting or The Waiter and the Fly". He has been knitting and writing about knitting for over 10 years.
    Knitting Specialist
    Expert Answer
    You have to use circular needles or a set of 4 or 5 double-pointed knitting needles to knit in the round. You can cast on the stitches as you do with straight knitting needles. After casting on, you should join the first stitch with the last stitch and begin your project working in the round instead of knitting back and forth.
  • Question
    How do I cable cast on to the end of my knitting?
    Michele
    Top Answerer
    Cable cast on is perfect when you need to add stitches to a pattern. Simply insert your needle between the last two stitches and pull through a stitch, then place it on your needle just as you did when you first did the cable cast on.
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      Tips

      • If you are short on yarn, then the cable cast on is good as it uses less yarn than the long tail method.
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      Warnings

      • The cable cast on takes longer than other methods and some find it tricky, but can be worth it for the firm edge.
      • This is not for beginner knitters––don't use it until you've mastered the knit stitch. A better cast on for beginners is the backwards loop method.
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      Things You'll Need

      • Knitting needles
      • Knitting yarn

      References

      1. Videos provided by WOOLANDTHEGANG

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