I have to cast on 100 stitches? Ah! No! 250 stitches!!! It makes me want to give up before I even start, I’ll probably lose count and have to start over again. There must be a better way.

Yes, there is, and we will show you an easy and practical way to cast on stitches. Even though we want to quietly work on a project there are always interruptions, the telephone, the TV, somebody at home asks you for something…. Don’t worry, with this technique you can cast on without having to start over and count your stitches over and over.

To start you have to calculate how much yarn you are going to need. When you have to cast on so many stitches and on top of that you miscalculate how much yarn you need, you’ll have to start over again. So, take your yarn and wrap it generously around your needle 10 times, 20 times, 50 times.

This will be a sample to help you calculate how much yarn you need. Unwrap the yarn and using this piece estimate the amount of yarn you need, in other words, use this length of yarn as a sample to cast on the stitches needed for the project. Do you have to cast on 100 stitches? Then wrap your yarn around 25 times, unwrap it and that will be the amount of yarn you need. Using this piece measure 4 equal lengths. Once you have done that you can start to cast on. Always leave a little bit extra so you will have a yarn tail once you cast on the stitches.

When you start to cast on you have to count and it’s easy to lose count and have to start over again. A really practical tip is to place stitch markers as you cast on so you don’t have keep counting. You can place one every 10 stitches, or 20 stitches….choose a number that is easy for you to remember and a multiple of the amount of stitches you need to cast on.

Now you can start your project without worrying about being interrupted, if the phone rings, or if you want to take a snack break. Don’t forget to show us your progress on social networks using the hashtag #weareknitters.