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Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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The Long Tail Tubular Cast On

September 22, 2014 10 Comments

The Long Tail Tubular Cast On at handsoccupied.com In this year’s reader survey, you might remember I had a lot of questions about your thoughts on knitting and crochet video tutorials. An overwhelming number of you (77%) said you’d love to see them, so I’m happy to say I’ve got TWO videos to launch the renewed Hands Occupied YouTube channel.* The videos show you how to make a long tail tubular cast on for a knitting project. The first video below shows how to do it right handed, and the second video shows the leftie version.

What’s a tubular cast on & when would I want to use it? 

There are a few ways to accomplish a tubular cast on. The method I use and demonstrate in the videos is called a long tail tubular cast on. Just like other long tail cast ons, it uses (go figure) a long tail. The big difference between a regular long tail cast on and the long tail tubular cast on is the way you wrap the yarn around the needle as you cast on. The videos are the easiest way to see those differences in action.

The tubular cast on is popular for a few reasons. It’s a little awkward to learn, but absolutely worth it because it results in a really clean looking edge that’s also super stretchy. This stretch makes it perfect for clothing that has to slide around the natural curves of the human body.

When you cast on tubular style (even if you use a different method than the long tail tubular cast on I’m sharing today), you’re creating knit and purl stitches from the point of casting on. Instead of casting on the same way for every single knitting project, which results in kind of a blunt edge that doesn’t blend right in with the rest of your knitting. The tubular cast on becomes essentially invisible once you start working your project.

Announcing the Fall Knit Along! The Remy Pullover at handsoccupied.com

This is the Remy Pullover, which we’re doing for the fall knit along. Check out this post for everything you need to know about the KAL, which starts October 1 . There’s still tons of time to get your yarn and join the fun! :) 

These videos & the knit along

Last week I announced that the fall knit along, which officially casts on next Wednesday, October 1. If you’re feeling eager to get started, you can think of these like pre-knit along homework. While you can do any kind of cast on you like in the upcoming KAL, I used the long tail tubular cast on (which the videos below demonstrate) so that the bottom, cast on edge of your sweaters will be plenty stretchy for fitting comfortably over your head and around your hips. For the eager among you, you can practice your long tail tubular cast ons and knit some gauge swatches in stockinette to get a jump start on the KAL. This is, of course, totally optional. :)

*I’ve had a YouTube account for awhile, but haven’t posted with much consistency in the past. Now, I plan on posting 2-3 videos a month, most of which will be about knitting and crochet!

How to do a long tail tubular cast on for right-handed knitters

How to do a long tail tubular cast on for left-handed knitters

—

If you’re here for the fall 2014 knit along, here are other posts in the series for easy navigation:

  1. Announcing the fall knit along! The Remy Pullover
  2. How to do a long tail tubular cast on (optional tutorial for the cast on I like for this pattern)
  3. Do the math, get the fit / Fall Knit Along Day 1
  4. Knit Along Tips, Tricks & An Official Schedule
  5. Knit Along Day 2: Sleeve time!
  6. Fall KAL Day 3: The Other Sleeve
  7. How to attach sleeves / KAL Day 4
  8. How to knit a raglan decrease / KAL Day 5
  9. How to knit the collar / KAL Day 6
  10. more coming soon!

Filed Under: Knit Along, Knitting, Knitting & Crochet Tagged With: fall2014kal, handsoccupiedkal, knit, knit along, Knitting, knitting tutorial, long tail cast on, long tail tubular cast on, sweater cast on, tubular cast on, video tutorial, youtube

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Lorna Clark

    October 6, 2014 at 10:29 am

    A refreshing site. I’ve been knitting since I was 12 or so. Now 64. I love finding new “blood”. See you again.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      October 6, 2014 at 10:49 am

      That’s great to hear! Thank you, Lorna! -Heidi :)

      Reply
  2. Ruth

    October 21, 2014 at 8:24 am

    I’m so happy that I found you, thank you so much, you’re very talented

    Reply
    • Heidi

      October 21, 2014 at 9:52 pm

      Thank you, Ruth! You are too kind – I have many talented aunts & grandmothers to thank for teaching me!

      Reply
  3. Roberta

    December 20, 2014 at 9:41 am

    Yay!
    In the past couple of weeks I have tried several methods for the tubular cast on, but for one reason or another, none of them really worked for me.
    Well, guess what: this one does! I’ve just finished my practice swatch, and tonight I can finally cast on for my sweater, thanks to you. It’s like you’re my sweater’s godmother.
    Thank you so much for sharing the info. :)

    Reply
    • Heidi

      December 21, 2014 at 9:26 am

      Yay! I’m so glad that worked! :D

      Reply
  4. Elaine

    January 9, 2015 at 9:05 am

    after watching several long tail tubular cast-on videos, I finally found yours and was successful…

    Thank you…I think the one thing that really helped was seeing that final “twist” at the end of each stitch, and then the many more stitches between them.

    If I was to offer any feedback, it would be to get all the discussion out of the way before you start showing how to do the actual cast on – so that we (the viewers) have a steady motion throughout…hope that makes sense…

    Get video tutorial and I really appreciate your work!

    Regards,
    Elaine

    Reply
  5. Rachel

    September 1, 2018 at 9:24 am

    Heidi thanks so much for this video! I wanted to try it for a pattern that recommended one of those insanely fast videos and that video just made my head hurt. I also really like your no-slip-knot trick; you’re a girl after my own heart (although we already knew that!)

    Reply
  6. Louise

    August 29, 2021 at 11:35 am

    I wish I had seen this before my last
    Sweater! Thank you so much😁
    I’ve tagged your site and will come
    Back to it. Thank you again 🙏.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      August 31, 2021 at 3:32 pm

      You’re so welcome, thank you for taking the time to comment. Turned my day around! :)

      Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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