Long Tail cast-ons are one of my favourite ways of casting on stitches. It makes a slightly stretchy edging, looks very neat and I find it very quick to do - which allows me to get straight into the knitting. The only trouble is, I struggle to estimate the amount of yarn I need for the tail: often running short and having to frog and start again, or having a very long tail that feels like a waste of yarn and gets in the way (or even worse still, I start knitting with this and find out halfway through the row that I am using the tail and not the yarn from the ball!).
So I have developed a way of estimating how much yarn I will need for my Long Tail cast-on that solves all these problems, particularly when starting with a large number of stitches.
For this tutorial you will need the yarn and needles you will be knitting with, a tape measure and some stitch markers.
Equipment for a Long Tail cast-on: yarn, needles, tape measure and stitch markers
Step 1:
To begin with, regardless of the number of stitches I will need in the pattern, I cast on 20 stitches using a Long Tail cast-on. In the photos below I am using a chunky yarn and large (5.50mm) needles and there are now 20 stitches on the needle with a tail.
Long Tail cast-on of 20 stitches
Step 2:
I then slip all the stitches off the needle. I undo the stitches, whilst holding onto the first stitch cast on and the start of the tail, just below the last stitch cast on
Where to hold before unravelling the stitches
Step 3:
I then measure the length of tail needed in 20 stitches against a tape measure laid flat. In the photo below it comes to seven inches. I do not stretch the yarn as this may give the wrong amount of yarn needed in the next step. The yarn should be relaxed but straight as shown in the photo.
Step 4:
Finally I calculate how much yarn will be needed in the final cast on by dividing the number of stitches needed for my cast-on by 20 (the number in step 1).
So if I need 403 stitches in my cast on:
403 divided by 20 = 20.15
Then to work out the final yardage I times the answer above by the number of inches used in my 20 stitches (7 inches in this example) by the answer above:
7 times 20.15 = 142 (rounded up).
I then add 8 inches for a tail taking to the total yarn needed for my Long Tail to:
142 plus 8 = 150 inches.
I am then able to measure out 150 inches, make a slip knot here and start casting on.
Counting stitches
My other trick when casting on a lot of stitches is to use stitch markers to help me count. I will often cast on 50 stitches, count to makes sure the number is correct, then place a stitch marker. I then cast on another 50 stitches, count from the previous stitch marker and place another marker. I continue doing this until all stitches are cast on. On my first row I then remove the markers when I come to them. It saves me counting lots of stitches in one go (I frequently make mistakes or miss one doing this) and I am confident when I start knitting that I have the right number.
Long Tail cast-on with stitch marker used to mark every 50 stitches cast on.
I hope you found this tutorial helpful. This technique can also be used for other long tail cast-ons such as German Twisted cast-on.
Happy knitting,
Sarah x