Video Tip: How to Do the Long-Tail Tubular Cast-On for 1x1 and 2x2 Ribbing

As a new knitter, I had only two cast-ons in my toolbox—the e-loop cast-on, which was quick and easy to make, but frustrating to knit, and the cable cast-on, which was slower, but solid and reliable. Eventually, I read about the long-tail cast-on in Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Without Tears. This was long before YouTube, so I spent an afternoon reading the instructions and making my hands look like the diagrams. I discovered that the long-tail cast-on is fast, fun, easy, and reliable. It became my go-to choice for most knits.

The e-loop cast-on is quick, but quickly becomes frustrating over a large number of stitches. Photo by Pamela K. Schultz

As I began knitting my own sweaters, though, I wondered why my cast-on edges never looked like the sweaters I saw in stores. My knits with ribbing had a clear horizontal line across the cast-on edge, while store-bought sweaters had a gorgeous edge that seemed impossible, with stitches that seemed to melt seamlessly from front to back.

The long-tail cast-on is quick and easy, but leaves a visible ridge when cast on just before working ribbing. Photo by Pamela K. Schultz

After asking around, I discovered that this is a common way to start a machine-knit garment. At the time, all the handknitting books in my library that mentioned a tubular edge required a tedious provisional cast-on. It turns out that what’s easy and fast on a knitting machine isn’t always what’s easy and fast by hand, and vice versa, but that’s a story for another day. I tried the provisional tubular cast-on method once, and decided it wasn't worth the effort. I chose to stick with my trusty long-tail cast-on, even if it wasn’t as pretty.

Many years later, I discovered the long-tail tubular cast-on, and I was hooked! Like the long-tail cast-on, all you need to get started is your yarn and needles. It works with knit one, purl one ribbing or knit two, purl two ribbing, and has quickly become my favorite cast-on for sweaters and hats.

See how to do the long-tail tubular cast-on. Video by Pamela K. Schultz

How to Work the Long-Tail Tubular Cast-On[PAYWALL]

1. The long-tail tubular cast-on starts just like the long-tail cast on. Measure out a tail that’s about three and a half times longer than the width of what you’re knitting.
2. Make a slipknot. Loop the tail over your left thumb, and the end connected to the ball of yarn over your left index finger. Grasp both ends in your other three fingers on your left hand.
3. Rotate the needle under both strands to pick up a loop from the thumb (tail), then rotate the needle back into a neutral position. As you do this, the working yarn over your index finger wraps over this loop, creating what looks like a purl bump.
4. Then, dip the needle under just the thumb (tail), the bring the working yarn on the index finger over the needle. As you return to the neutral position, the thumb tail will wrap around it to form what looks like a knit stitch.
5. Repeat these two steps until you have the correct number of stitches. Make sure that you do not twist the stitches on the needle.
6. Next, there are two foundation rows. Turn your work to do the first one: Knit one, slip one with yarn in front, all the way across. Repeat for the second side. (If you’ve cast on an odd number of stitches, this will be different. Simply knit the stitches that present as knit stitches, and slip with yarn in front the stitches that present as purl stitches.)

The long-tail tubular cast-on worked in 1x1 ribbing. Photo by Pamela K. Schultz

Knit Two, Purl Two Ribbing

If you wish to use this cast-on for knit two, purl two ribbing, you’ll need to rearrange your stitches on a third foundation row. You are essentially creating miniature cables. Here’s how to do it:

1. Complete steps 1–6 above.
2. Work the foundation row: in this example, the first stitch is a knit stitch. Knit it normally.
3. The next stitch is a purl stitch, and you want it to be a knit stitch. Slip the purl stitch off the needle, and hold it to the back of the work, either with a cable needle or by pinching it in your fingers.
4. Knit the next stitch.
5. Put the held purl stitch back on the needle and purl it.
6. Purl the next stitch.
7. Knit the next stitch. Repeat steps 3–6 until you have rearranged all the stitches on your needle.

Does your work start with a purl? Purl the first stitch, then slip and hold the next knit stitch to the front of the work, purl the next stitch, then place the knit stitch back on the needle, and knit it and the next knit stitch.

When you use the long-tail tubular cast-on to knit the Rakaia Pullover, you’ll have a luxurious sweater with a professional edge.

Other Considerations

Be sure to keep your cast-on from twisting as you work the initial set-up rows or rounds. When I first learned this cast-on, I was admonished to never do it with circular needles, as my stitches would twist. I quickly learned that as long as I paid attention to keeping the stitches straight on the needle, I could cast on as many stitches as I wanted.

If you have an odd number of stitches, or your work starts with a purl instead of a knit, simply remember that for the first two rows or rounds, you are knitting the knit stitches, and slipping the purl stitches, and adjust your sequence as necessary.

Tayler Harris’s Traverse Toque uses the long-tail tubular cast-on to beautiful effect.

Try It Yourself!

Tayler Harris has written two amazing patterns that use the long-tail tubular cast-on: the Traverse Toque and the Rakaia Pullover. Whichever one you choose, you can’t go wrong!

Further Reading

• Cabling Without a Cable Needle
• Zimmermann, Elizabeth. Knitting Without Tears. Simon & Schuster, 1995.

Subscribers can find the Traverse Toque and the Rakaia Pullover in the Farm & Fiber Knits Library.