Casting on a large number of stitches #1
Casting on a large number of stitches can make many a knitter's heart sink, so today I'm sharing a top tip for making taking the pain out of this process.
The problem with long rows...
It's not so much the issue that it means long rows to knit - we all like to knit right? And having long rows often means there aren't that many of them to do, as in my Sea Holly Shawlette. No, the main hassle is getting the darned stitches cast on in the first place. Some people love to cast on, but some find it a pretty tedious process. With so many stitches on the needle it becomes really difficult to keep count, and keep recounting....... Then you need to count again just to be sure. Few things are more frustrating than knitting to the end of that very long first row to find you're one stitch out on your final count!!Well if that sound's a little too familiar, here's a simple tip that should take the grrr out of this process. It's also an opportunity to make use of your stitch markers.
Easy Counting
Basically, when casting on a large number of stitches you, place a stitch marker at regular intervals as you go. This makes things a whole lot easier by:
breaking up the task so it feels more manageable
eliminating the need to keep recounting all the stitches
making final counts a breeze to do
Casting on with stitch markers
Firstly gather your stitch markers (or safety pins if you don’t have any) and decide how many stitches will be in each interval. If you've loads to cast on you may opt for 50 stitch intervals, but it may suit you better to opt for 25 or 30. You can also choose your number based on what number of stitches you have to cast on. For example if you have 160 stitches to cast on, you may like to cast on in 4 stints of 40. It can be any number to suit you - just make sure it's easy to multiply or add together when you do your final count.
Then simply begin casting on, placing a stitch marker after every section. Recount the stitches in that section just the once (or thrice if you are OCD!) You can then move on with confidence that you won't have to recount those stitches again. Instead all you need to do is count in intervals, e.g. 25's, 40's, 50's or what ever.
Are we nearly there yet?
If you really don't enjoy casting on a large number of stitches, you don't need to do it all in one go! Feel you need a break? Just work up to your latest interval, put to one side and come back to it later. You'll easily be able to see where you got to and carry on from there. By the way, if you're looking for some 'fancy-pants' stitch markers, take a look at the beautiful ones by Atomic Knitting which are hand crafted here in Wales (I don’t get a commission for these btw - I just like to recommend them).
I hope that makes casting on a large number of stitches more do-able. Another way of making this easier is how you cast on, and I'll share tips about this here.