How to Do the Two-Needle Cabled Cast On

One of the first things a beginning knitter needs to learn is how to cast on a row of yarn. This is the initial row of stitches that you'll continue to build off of as you knit your project. A row of yarn that is cast on will look the same on both sides.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Make a loop or slip knot on the left-hand needle. When doing this, you'll want to leave a tail of yarn that is at least 4 inches long. Pull the knot firm but not too tight, or your knitting stitches will be too tight to insert both needles into.

2. Insert the right-hand needle into the knot. Push the needle through the loop so it's behind the left needle, keeping them both diagonal and crossing each other.

3. Wrap the yarn around the right needle. You'll want to thread the yarn around the back of the right hand needle and then forward through the cross in both needles.

4. Pull both needles apart and twist the yarn on the right needle through the loop on the left needle. Pull the needles apart until you have one stitch on both needles. Transfer the stitch on the right needle back to the left by pushing the left needle through the loop on the right needle and gently pulling it off. You now have two stitches on the left needle.

5. Make the third stitch by putting the right needle in between the first and second stitch. Wrap the yarn around the needle again as you did in step 3. Then transfer it back onto the left needle again until you have three stitches on the left needle. You have now cast on a stitch.

6. Continue casting on until you have as many stitches in your row as you'd like. If the stitches are too tight, pull off the entire row and start over. For a beginning knitter, it could take two or three tries before completing a row with stitching that is loose enough to work with easily.