Figure 8 Cast On Go!
Since my Top Down Bonnet uses the elusive Figure 8 cast on, I’ve been getting a lot of mail asking about it. It is kind of confusing; I didn’t understand it myself for a long time. It’s like magic, though, and once you get it, you’ll be a very happy little knitter. I’ve taken what I hope are very clear photos and will explain how I do this seamless cast on below, and I’ll link to it from the pattern page so that if you need it, you’ll know where to find it. Each photo is clickable for a popup enlargement for serious detail.
*When a pattern calls for 40 sts. to be cast on, you’ll have 20 sts. on each needle.*
Here we go. First, get your dpns and some yarn. You’ll need 3 needles to start. Hold 2 next to each other in your left hand and catch the tail of yarn with your left thumb on the front of the bottom needle, as shown below. In one motion, bring the yarn front to back between the needles, *up and over from behind the top needle, down the front of the top needle and between the needles again, from front to back, around the bottom needle, back to front, up, then then between the needles, front to back*. Now you’ve got 2 sts. on the needles. Repeat between *s to cast on more sts. The photo below shows 6 sts. on the needles.
In the photo below, I’ve got all the stitches I want on the needles. Notice that the last cast on stitch leaves the ball end of the yarn going between the needles from front to back, with the last loop over the bottom needle.
Grab the ball end of yarn and start to knit. You’ll see that the cast on stitches on the top needle present themselves properly for knitting: the right hand side is in front of the needle. Knit this row through the front of the loop as usual.
When done with the first row, you’ll see that things have loosened up considerably on the bottom row.
Flip your knitting around 180 degrees so that the ball end of yarn is on the right hand side and those loose stitches are facing up for knitting. Leave that yarn tail hanging in front of the bottom needle as shown.
I like to tighten up those loose stitches now, so that that center row of stitches perfectly matches the surrounding rows in tension. Start from the left and give each stitch a good yank with your needle tip, just like if you were tightening your shoelaces from the bottom up. Work your way across to the tail end, which is the last strand you pull.
Now you can knit across this row, but since the stitches in this row will present themselves with the right hand side of the stitch behind the needle, you’ll need to knit these through the back of the loop to straighten them out. This is the only row you’ll need to worry about this on.
Tada! You can now split these stitches between 3 or 4 needles as you usually would when knitting in the round. You can allow that yarn tail that was hanging out in the front to fall behind the needles now.
ETA: Kelly Sue, that lust-object of mine, made a Flickr group for Hello Yarn. Go add your photos of projects made from my yarn and patterns!
melissa wrote:
thank you for the tutorial! you make it look so easy.
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 2:29 pm | Permalink
Kelly sue wrote:
Holy crap. Wow.
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 2:32 pm | Permalink
maryse wrote:
that is a thing of beauty. thanks!
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 2:49 pm | Permalink
Carol wrote:
Great instructions! LOL I’m about to start a new Top Down Bonnet (with the suggested yarn & needles thanks), cause the kid’s gotta have it
It is easy, once you do it. Your instructions are the best best I’ve seen!
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 2:53 pm | Permalink
Jess wrote:
Neat-o! Thanks for the tutorial.
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 4:29 pm | Permalink
Jenna wrote:
Hm! I never thought of going back and tightening up the second set of stitches. Instead I get frustrated with how loose it looks and find another way. Good tip!
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 4:45 pm | Permalink
Lisa wrote:
What a great tutorial! Thanks for taking the time to put that together!
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 4:49 pm | Permalink
Romi wrote:
Dude! I totally *heart* that cast-on! I used it for a top-down hoodie. I posted a tutorial on my blog too:
http://tinyurl.com/yltdam
Though mine was on a soap sack.
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 5:17 pm | Permalink
Arleta wrote:
Neat. I’ve used that cast-on before, but it took me forever to figure it out.
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 7:21 pm | Permalink
ann wrote:
Oh man! I just muddled my way through Lost the other night, trying to make that cast-on work. I wish I had seen this first!
Thanks though… next time will certainly be easier, and perhaps correct.
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 8:37 pm | Permalink
Julia wrote:
Nice tutorial! I use the Turkish cast on, which is basically the same means to the end. It’s detailed in VK fall 2005. I use it on all my toe up socks!
Posted on 27-Oct-06 at 11:24 pm | Permalink
Pat wrote:
Great Tutorial with wonderful clear photos - THANKS!!!
Posted on 28-Oct-06 at 8:24 am | Permalink
Sara wrote:
Thanks a million for this tutorial. I’ve tried to do this before but gave up as instructions were as clear as mud to me. Yours are as clear as anything and I’m on my way to try it out now….
Posted on 28-Oct-06 at 3:39 pm | Permalink
m wrote:
omg A…are those your nails so pretty and girlie??? wow…I think you need some rockin’ nail polish, though….
how are ya?
Posted on 28-Oct-06 at 8:15 pm | Permalink
Cathy wrote:
I THINK I GET IT NOW! Thank you so much for a great tutorial. I’ve attempted this cast on a few times without success, I will be trying it again!
Posted on 29-Oct-06 at 9:29 am | Permalink
bc in dc wrote:
This ROCKED. Thank you SO much!
Posted on 29-Oct-06 at 10:42 am | Permalink
beth wrote:
That was great and the photos were so helpful. I never could understand it before. I have to go cast on some toe up socks before I forget…
Posted on 29-Oct-06 at 7:20 pm | Permalink
Wendy wrote:
I used to be a big provisional cast on girl (for toe up socks with short row toes) but I really didn’t like always having to have 1) waste yarn and, 2) a proper crochet hook. I wanted to have my needles and my yarn and just start. So I worked at the figure 8 till I got it and it is amazing!
Posted on 29-Oct-06 at 10:24 pm | Permalink
Stacey wrote:
Great instructions! It’s funny how you can see 4 or 5 tut’s for the same thing, and somehow, one person writes the instructions in such a way that it just clicks! Thank you!!
Posted on 30-Oct-06 at 11:51 am | Permalink
Susann wrote:
Thanks so much, I never understood it before! I had given up on toe-up socks, but might now try it again.
Posted on 30-Oct-06 at 12:24 pm | Permalink
vanessa wrote:
the only thing i do differently is start with a slip knot, then just slip it off at the end.
Posted on 30-Oct-06 at 3:26 pm | Permalink
Amy wrote:
I wanted to try my hand at toe up socks, and this was the only cast on I could find as an alternative to the provisional cast on. At the time, it seemed too complicated for my tired brain to figure out. Your pictures and tutorial make it crystal clear! Thanks!
Posted on 31-Oct-06 at 4:24 pm | Permalink
Maartje wrote:
WOW, that`s great inspiration for my next knitwork! Thanks
Posted on 02-Nov-06 at 5:38 pm | Permalink
rhoda wrote:
oh my gosh. I’m SO glad I stumbled upon this post!! I’ve been needing to learn how to do the figure 8 cast on for socks and viola, here you appeared! thanks!
Posted on 06-Nov-06 at 3:52 pm | Permalink
Carson wrote:
Hi
Just wanted to say thanks for the top down bonnet pattern!..the shape is fab and taught me a LOT about shaping. I ended up modifying the ear though as I thought it a tad large.
Have posted my FO in the flikr group.
So many cute versions of the bonnet there!
Posted on 08-Nov-06 at 11:25 pm | Permalink
Haley wrote:
Thanks for the great tutorial. This was my first time every trying the figure 8 and your tutorial made it easy. I just started one of the top down anime bonnets. I’m very excited!
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 11:28 am | Permalink
Iiris wrote:
Hi! I´m knitting a Totoro bonnet but I need a little help. I would be really happy if you could help me. I´m a Finn girl and I have never been taught English knitting terms. So could you tell me what does SSK mean?
Thank you so much for this great instruction!
Posted on 28-Aug-07 at 12:17 pm | Permalink
lazy wrote:
Thanks, great tutorial. I now never have to fear toe up sock patterns
Lazy, Copenhagen
Posted on 08-Sep-07 at 8:00 am | Permalink
lucy wrote:
Best tutorial ever! I understand now! I’ve never been able to get how that works!Thanks!!
Posted on 12-Sep-07 at 4:57 am | Permalink
Julie wrote:
Thanks a ton! I was just trolling the internet for a baby hat pattern in sportweight yarn (to match the hat I’m making a pregnant friend for Christmas) and found your Top Down Bonnet. I’d never heard of figure 8 cast on, but I get it!
Posted on 05-Oct-07 at 12:58 pm | Permalink
Linda wrote:
I get the figure eight cast on but what I don’t get is after you have cast on and knit the first row what do you do? divide onto three needles? leave it on two and knit with the third one. Help!
Posted on 20-Oct-07 at 7:22 pm | Permalink
Michelle wrote:
Thank you so much for these very informative and thorough instructions! I had been wandering in confusion, unable to knit any hats from the Hip Knit Hats book using this method. After reading your very detailed insturctions, I’m ready to get my holidays presents knitted in just a few nights! Knit on!
Posted on 19-Dec-07 at 8:18 pm | Permalink
melistress wrote:
Your tutorial is great…it still took me 1 1/2 hours to get cast on but at least I understood what you were trying to tell us. Thanks!
Posted on 17-Jan-08 at 12:38 am | Permalink
Nikki wrote:
Thank you for such a great tutorial!!! I wanted to learn another way to do toe up socks and the first tutorial I found on the figure 8 was lacking a little but with your pictures and instructions and my scrap yarn and dpns I’m all set now!
thank you!!
Posted on 04-Feb-08 at 9:33 pm | Permalink
Bridget wrote:
WoW!! I can’t wait to try to make the hat!
Posted on 07-Feb-08 at 1:43 pm | Permalink