Knitting Tips + Tricks: How to get a neat cast on edge

Have you ever noticed that your cast on edge does not look as neat as you would want to? Does it pull your knit, or does it look too tight? Well, this used to happen to me, and it drove me crazy! Especially when I was using garter stitch or another stitch different than ribbing, where that was far from the effect I was looking for. I wanted my knit to look like a rectangle or a square, not like some other geometric shape!

Here is a quick and easy tip that helped me achieve what I wanted: use a larger size needle when casting on! It is that simple! If the tension of the cast on is too tight, your knit will tend to pull at the edge. To avoid that extra tension, use a larger needle size only for the cast on. Switch to the original size when you start knitting. Let's say, for example, that you decided to start a project using our soft Puna Cotton with needles size 6US. Right before you begin, when you are going to cast on your stitches, switch to a needle size 8US. Do the cast on foundation row (using the 8US needle), and before you start to knit, switch back to the correct needle size (the 6US needles). This way, your knit won't pull!

Here are two pictures for you to see the difference. It is unbelievable! The swatch on the left was done using this technique. The swatch on the right was using the same needle for the entire project. Want a closer look? I place one swatch over the other. The difference is half an inch!

If you want neat looking edgings, try this technique now! Details make all the difference. Please use the hashtag #creatingmadesimple to show me your work. Have a lovely rest of the day!