Crochet cast on

This cast on is done with yarn, a knitting needle and a crochet hook. It serves one of two purposes. First, it can be used as a 'provisional' or temporary cast on. You would work the cast on with waste yarn, preferably a smooth cotton, and you would cut the waste yarn after casting on. You would now work the body of the garment up from this cast on. When done, pick out the last loop formed in the crochet process. Rip the rest of the crochet cast on off in one simple motion. You will be presented with are loops or open stitches along the bottom of the garment body piece from which you would work your edging down. Second, it is also known – in Montse Stanley's knitting techniques book – as the 'bind off cast on' because it is the only cast on which looks like a bind off row. That makes it a perfect choice for garments which may be designed without edgings, like scarves, shawls, afghans. Begin with this cast on, work slip stitches up the sides, an end with the bind off, and now all four edges would look identical. I also use it for garments – like garter stitch vests – with no edgings. It is not an appropriate cast on for ribbed edges because it is too loose. You need one knitting needle the size you will use for the garment body knitting. You need a crochet hook about the same size. If doing a provisional cast on, you need waste yarn about three times the width of the garment body piece. If using this cast on as the beginning to a piece of knitting, use the required yarn. Directions that follow are for right handed knitters. Make a slip knot in your yarn. Put it onto the crochet hook and hold in right hand. Hold the knitting needle in the left hand. Carry the yarn under the knitting needle and wrap around left index finger, as if to knit continental or as if to crochet. With left middle finger and thumb, hold tail of slip knot and knitting needle tight together. Take crochet hook OVER TOP of knitting needle and draw through a loop. Take yarn between knitting needle and crochet hook and around to back of knitting needle. Rep steps 6 and 7 until you are one st short of the number you need. Rep step 7. Put st from crochet hook onto knitting needle to finish. If working provisional cast on, cut thread and begin row 1 of garment piece with main yarn. If working this cast on as the beginning to a piece of knitting, begin row 1 of garment piece.