# Best cast on for hats



## Bluejaygirl5 (Aug 23, 2015)

I am knitting a helix hat and love it. But the cast on edge of the brim
Spoils it. I have only used one type of cast on my entire life. The regular
One where you make a knit type stitch and put it back onto the left needle.

I have read the cable cast creates a nice edging, but not stretchy.

My question..is it ok for hats? Has anyone used it?

Thanks!


----------



## Bobbie K (Apr 5, 2011)

I wonder if a crochet chain would work?


----------



## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

The problem with any cast on is that if it is done too tightly then there will be no stretch. I use cable cast on most of the time, and never have a problem with stretch.


----------



## knit4ES (Aug 24, 2015)

Okay, it's a weird name... but I like the chinese waitress cast on...
If you do it carefully not too tightly, it is a very nice edge...
ETA: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/07/chinese-waitress-cast-on-tutorial/
you will find tutorials and videos too


----------



## Bluejaygirl5 (Aug 23, 2015)

That 's good to hear. I will try it with my next one.
Thx!


----------



## Bluejaygirl5 (Aug 23, 2015)

Fascinating! Who knew,there were so many cast on methods!
Thank you all!!


----------



## krestiekrew (Aug 24, 2012)

What's a helix hat?


----------



## MzKnitCro (May 29, 2012)

Knitwit used the crochet cast on for her dishtowel. It looks nice. I am going to try it on a hat to see how it looks.



Bobbie K said:


> I wonder if a crochet chain would work?


----------



## Cimmanon (Oct 10, 2011)

I just learned this tubular cast-on last week, it is the best ever hat cast on!






Although, I didn't find that half the length was enough for the tail.


----------



## imalulu (May 19, 2013)

I use a regular long tail cast on , but I use a needle two sizes larger than I knit the cuff/ribbing on. If I use a size 8 for the "main" part of the hat and 6 for the ribbing....then I cast on with the 8 and knit the ribbing on 6, nice and stretchy.


----------



## GrumpyGramma (Oct 20, 2014)

How does the cast on spoils the hat? Is it a matter of appearance, stretchiness, something else? With more cast ons than Carter has pills (lol that's an oldie! but I'll leave it) there should be one that you'd love.


----------



## k1p1granny (Feb 9, 2016)

knit4ES said:


> Okay, it's a weird name... but I like the chinese waitress cast on...
> If you do it carefully not too tightly, it is a very nice edge...
> ETA: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/07/chinese-waitress-cast-on-tutorial/
> you will find tutorials and videos too


Just tried that cast on. I love it. Thanks.


----------



## Bluejaygirl5 (Aug 23, 2015)

One of the most fun and easiest knitting techniques! Search on you tube.
I just love it!!! I just learned a week ago or so. If you love stripes on hats, you will love this because there is no Jogging.


----------



## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

krestiekrew said:


> What's a helix hat?


These are: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#query=helix&view=captioned_thumbs&pc=hat&sort=best


----------



## laceluvr (Feb 16, 2012)

Bluejaygirl5 said:


> I am knitting a helix hat and love it. But the cast on edge of the brim
> Spoils it. I have only used one type of cast on my entire life. The regular
> One where you make a knit type stitch and put it back onto the left needle.
> 
> ...


Why not try to learn the Long Tail CO? This video shows you how to do it slowly & more than once. It explains the advantages of it in detail. It also shows you how to determine your tail length so you don't waste or run out of yarn.


----------



## k1p1granny (Feb 9, 2016)

knit4ES said:


> Okay, it's a weird name... but I like the chinese waitress cast on...
> If you do it carefully not too tightly, it is a very nice edge...
> ETA: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/07/chinese-waitress-cast-on-tutorial/
> you will find tutorials and videos too


Could you tell me please if you use this cast on for a blanket how would you cast off so both ends look the same?
Thanks


----------



## MMWRay (Dec 2, 2016)

Any cast on done too tightly will not stretch enough. Space your cast on stitches at least as far apart as you expect your regular knit stitches to be and use the larger needle as imalulu recommends.


----------



## MMWRay (Dec 2, 2016)

Any cast on done too tightly will not stretch enough. Space your cast on stitches at least as far apart as you expect your regular knit stitches to be and use the larger needle as imalulu recommends.


----------



## Sherryc (Nov 17, 2014)

I use the long tail cast on method for hats. Works okay for me. It's stretchy enough but not too stretchy.


----------



## Bluejaygirl5 (Aug 23, 2015)

Here is a pix of one I am making. On you tube pepperly shows it beautifully
How to make it without tangling yarn.


----------



## Bluejaygirl5 (Aug 23, 2015)

imalulu said:


> I use a regular long tail cast on , but I use a needle two sizes larger than I knit the cuff/ribbing on. If I use a size 8 for the "main" part of the hat and 6 for the ribbing....then I cast on with the 8 and knit the ribbing on 6, nice and stretchy.


Great tip. Thank you!


----------



## Beachgirl1000 (Sep 29, 2015)

knit4ES said:


> Okay, it's a weird name... but I like the chinese waitress cast on...
> If you do it carefully not too tightly, it is a very nice edge...
> ETA: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/07/chinese-waitress-cast-on-tutorial/
> you will find tutorials and videos too


I like it, too. It does make a lovely edge.


----------



## DesertPurl (Feb 28, 2015)

Here is a link for the Chinese Waitress BIND OFF....it is not a perfect match to the CW cast on (with crochet hook), but it is close and really pretty.






This is my favorite list of cast on and bind offs.

https://sites.google.com/site/oftroysgoldenapples/


----------



## KateLyn11 (Jul 19, 2014)

Here are a couple of pictures of a hat started with a long tail cast on, one partially stretched and one "at rest". It is a very stretchy cast on.


----------



## knit4ES (Aug 24, 2015)

k1p1granny said:


> Could you tell me please if you use this cast on for a blanket how would you cast off so both ends look the same?
> Thanks


 There is a matching bind off... google it, also look at the Icelandic bind off.


----------



## katm13 (Jan 22, 2011)

STRETCHY CAST ON FOR RIBBING ON A HAT

For a 2 x 2 rib cast on in multiples of 5 instead of 4. I used a regular longtail cast on. 1st row is K1, K2 tog, P2. That reduces each group of 5 stitches to 4 .2nd row and beyond K2, P2 rib. Nifty little technique.



Here's tip #2 used to cast on Ribbing 

No matter what your cast on number of stitches add an extra stitch for EACH knit stitch. IE: If asked to cast on 43 in all c/o 65 On the first row ONLY knit two together purl 1 that of course would be for k1 p1 rib. It puts extra yarn into the cast on and keeps it stretchy. It works I use it all the time, I was tired of not having enough stretch to my hats, I found this tip and love it.
It's easier to count a few extra stitches then to try and remember a different cast on method.


----------



## mac.worrall (Jun 24, 2011)

I always use the cable cast on: it is quite stretchy enough.


----------



## PattiP65 (Nov 22, 2012)

The best cast on I have found is the backwards loop. And it is the easiest!


----------



## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

Twisted German cast on. Its a longtail cast on with a twist. Flexible, with a nice stretch. It has become my go to cast for a lot of items, hats, top down socks, etc.


----------



## kendknitter (Jul 3, 2016)

knit4ES said:


> Okay, it's a weird name... but I like the chinese waitress cast on...
> If you do it carefully not too tightly, it is a very nice edge...
> ETA: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/07/chinese-waitress-cast-on-tutorial/
> you will find tutorials and videos too


That's my favorite cast-on too! It's both stretchy AND pretty. BTW, this YouTube video shows how to do it with a crochet hook, which I love, and shows both English and Continental methods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ragBNdHwjg8.


----------



## Nanamel14 (Aug 4, 2016)

knit4ES said:


> Okay, it's a weird name... but I like the chinese waitress cast on...
> If you do it carefully not too tightly, it is a very nice edge...
> ETA: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/07/chinese-waitress-cast-on-tutorial/
> you will find tutorials and videos too


Thank you, I will go and learn :sm24: :sm24:


----------



## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

Bluejaygirl5 said:


> Here is a pix of one I am making. On you tube pepperly shows it beautifully
> How to make it without tangling yarn.


I hadn't seen that person's videos. Thank you. https://www.youtube.com/user/elsteffo


----------



## May (Jan 18, 2011)

Thank you imalulu ...
Long tail cast on is ideal for hat, when knitting from the rim to the top.
It also works great for top down socks.
This cast on gives and stretches, does not ever bind.



imalulu said:


> I use a regular long tail cast on , but I use a needle two sizes larger than I knit the cuff/ribbing on. If I use a size 8 for the "main" part of the hat and 6 for the ribbing....then I cast on with the 8 and knit the ribbing on 6, nice and stretchy.


----------



## I love lace (Aug 9, 2016)

I'm knitting a messy bun hat and used the Chinese Waitress cast on. Very pretty edge.


----------



## I love lace (Aug 9, 2016)

I did the Chinese Waitress Cast On with the crochet hook. I found it easier after trying both.


----------



## Revan (Jun 29, 2011)

I have used the crochet cast-on for my many of my hats and it looks good.


----------



## Bluejaygirl5 (Aug 23, 2015)

laceluvr said:


> Why not try to learn the Long Tail CO? This video shows you how to do it slowly & more than once. It explains the advantages of it in detail. It also shows you how to determine your tail length so you don't waste or run out of yarn.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

GrumpyGramma said:


> How does the cast on spoils the hat? Is it a matter of appearance, stretchiness, something else? With more cast ons than Carter has pills (lol that's an oldie! but I'll leave it) there should be one that you'd love.


If the cast-on won't stretch, and it keeps you from putting the hat on because it won't stretch to go over your head, it kind of spoils the hat because you can't wear it.

I've heard complaints from some people on here because they're using a 16-inch-long needle, and the cast-on won't stretch enough to let them get the length to go around the needle to knit circularly. I keep trying to tell them that if you're planning the hat to be worn by an adult, if it won't fit around that short needle, it won't fit on an adult, but usually they'd rather switch to a 12-inch needle than use a stretchier cast-on.


----------



## Bluejaygirl5 (Aug 23, 2015)

IndigoSpinner said:


> If the cast-on won't stretch, and it keeps you from putting the hat on because it won't stretch to go over your head, it kind of spoils the hat because you can't wear it.
> 
> I've heard complaints from some people on here because they're using a 16-inch-long needle, and the cast-on won't stretch enough to let them get the length to go around the needle to knit circularly. I keep trying to tell them that if you're planning the hat to be worn by an adult, if it won't fit around that short needle, it won't fit on an adult, but usually they'd rather switch to a 12-inch needle than use a stretchier cast-on.


Good points. I either use a 40" circular with magic loop, or what I just learned using dpn for the crown, i knit with a 24" circular. I also learned the long tail cast on. Such a nice edging!


----------

