Knitting Course #6 * How to cast on in Rounds * English Subtitles

Knitting with eliZZZa on http://www.knitaholics.com/
This video teaches you how to cast on in rounds with a set of dpns (double pointed needles) for socks, sleeves and any tubular knitwork...

I get many request to show how to cast on with a set of double point needles (dpn's), which we call a "nadelspiel" in German...

Such a set consists of 4, 5 or 6 short needles with points at each side...

You divide your stitches on 3 or 4 needles and you knit with the 4th or 5th needle respectively...

It is not difficult to knit with a "nadelspiel" but it needs a little exercise.

Use it for knitting socks, hats and any tubular items.

When casting on the regular way, we often use double needles for more elasticity...

So the trick for casting on with a "nadelspiel": Just use a bigger needle size.

So for a yarn meant for needles 2 mm, I will cast on with 4 mm needles...

There is another trick: Cast on with 2 needles (half of the stitches each) only...

Leave a trail of approx. 3 times the width of the planned knitwork to the right.

Guide the yarn from front to back between your little finger and your ring finger to the back of your hand...

...wrap it 2 times over your digit and from bottom up over your thumb, forming an "8"..

Then hold the trail of the yarn between ring finger and little finger...

Planning 40 stitches for the round (4 x 10 stitches), we cast on 20 stitches each on 2 needles...

Now put your needle under the loop on your thumb and grab the working yarn pointing to your digit...

...pull the yarn through the loop on your thumb, slip the loop from your thumb...

...and tighten that stitch with your thumb, thus forming a new loop around your thumb.

Pull the first stitch tightly but not too much.

Now repeat those moves. Under the loop on your thumb, grabbing the working yarn pointing to your digit...

...pull the yarn through the loop on your thumb, slip the loop from the thumb and tighten the stitch...

Repeat those moves...

...until you have half of your planned stitches on one needle.

Now take the second needle into your right hand...

...try to ignore the first one. Continue to make stitches the same way with the 2nd needle.

Try to work the 1st stitch on the 2nd needle tightly and with very little distance to the 1st needle.

Work the same number of stitches on the 2nd needle.

Ready!

Now you got 2 x 20 stitches on 2 needles.

There is a front side with a neat cable border, and a wrong side with little knots.

Now put wrong side facing wrong side and start knitting in rounds on the right side.

With the 1st round we will divide the stitches to 4 needles.

Continue with the needles smaller size as recommended for your yarn.

Work 10 knit stitches on the 1st needle.

Knit stitches: Needle from front to back into the next stitch, grab the working thread pointing to your digit...

...pull the working thread through the stitch and slip the stitch to the right needle.

After 10 stitches continue working with needle #2.

Slide the 1st ten stitches to the middle of the 1st needle, so that they won't slip off.

The best trick is, always to concentrate on the recent working needle. Ignore the others!

Needle #3...

Needle #4...

1st round finished.

Don't worry about the very loose stitch at the beginning, it disappear while you continue knitting.

Just continue like that. You always knit on the right side.