How to Do a Doubled Italian Cast On in Knitting

The doubled Italian cast on is stretchy and especially durable. It is a perfect cast on for knitted items that are going to get a lot of use like children's sweaters, socks, and hats. Any project that you are going to make that needs a lot of stretch and the ability to hold up to any kind of usage is a perfect match with this cast on method.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Pull out a tail of yarn that is six time the width of the project that you are going to cast on. Since the yarn in doubled for this cast one you will want to make sure that you have more than enough yarn.

2. Place the middle of the length of yarn between your middle and index finger.

3. Take the yarn over your index finger and around your thumb from front to back. Loop the yarn again around your thumb from front to back again. You want to make sure that the end of the yarn lays a few inches past your thumb. This will ensure that you have enough of an end to weave in after you are finished knitting.

4. Like with the single Italian cast on, you take the knitting needle up through the loop created around your thumb from bottom to top. This time make sure you catch both loops of yarn around your thumb.

5. Catch the yarn going around your index finger, wrapping the knitting needle around the yarn from front to back or in a counter clockwise motion.

6. Pull the yarn through the double loops around your thumb and let the loops slip off your thumb. You know have one stitch on the needle.

7. Tighten the stitch by pulling on both ends of the yarn.

8. Put the end of the yarn aside and work only with the doubled section that is created to create the two loops around your thumb.

9. Wrap the yarn around your thumb and index finger again and repeat the steps to add another stitch to the knitting needle. Continue until you have all the stitches you need for your knitting project.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do run out of the doubled section of yarn, you can add on. Take an extra ball of your yarn, or use the other end of the ball, and slip the end of the yarn though loop created by the bottom of the doubled yarn. This will create a new section of doubled yarn to work with. Then continue to cast on like normal.