Knitting Instructional: Backwards Loop Cast-on

Jeanne from Jimmy Beans Wool demonstrates how to do a backwards loop cast-on. This cast on is super basic and easy for beginners and also helpful when you need to cast on more stitches in the middle of your work.

How to do a Backward Loop Cast on

Jeanne shows one of the techniques for doing backward loop cast on. The backward loop cast on is the simplest cast on you can do and a method often taught to beginning knitters. It's a good cast on to use when you need to cast on in the middle or at the beginning or end of a row. For example, casting on over bound off stitches to make a buttonhole, to create integral plackets, and to add stitches for the underarm after you've moved your sleeve stitches to a waste yarn when knitting a top down sweater.

1. Start with a slip knot. See our instructional article Create a Slip Knot
2. Make a loop with the working yarn coming towards you.
3. Slid the loop onto the needle and snug it up gently.
4. Repeat until you have the number of stitches you need. But don't count the slip knot!

How simple!

Note: The draw back to the backward loop is that when you cast on a large number of stitches and begin knitting your first row, the yarn between the needles gets longer and longer. This causes wear on the yarn and sometimes creates knots before you get to the end. For anything longer that a scarf width we recommend using one of the other cast ons. Please see our video on How to do a Long Tail Cast On