A crafts forum. CraftBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CraftBanter forum » Textiles newsgroups » Yarn
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Long Tail Cast On --- WHY??



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old May 14th 07, 08:25 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.yarn
suzee
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 332
Default Long Tail Cast On --- WHY??

WoolyGooly wrote:
On Mon, 14 May 2007 09:48:22 -0700, suzee wrote:


I just really get annoyed when How To directions for it say `this CO
makes a row of knitting so you should start your pattern on the WS row'
or something to that effect. This is so not true


Why isn't it true? If I design a sweater pattern I might say:

"Cast on 300 using the long-tail method. Next row is a right-side
row."

Why would I do that? I want the purl bumps inherent in a long-tail
cast-on to be a design element. It isn't true or untrue - it's how I
designed the sweater.


As I said, an experienced knitter can decide how to incorporate the
bumps into the pattern, but a newbie may not understand that. But very
few patterns even mention things like which CO to use and what to do on
the first row.

That's a fault of the pattern designer and/or the pattern editor and
has nothing to do with the cast-on. The designer's job is to produce
a garment with some sort of instructions for reproducing same; the
editor's job is to turn the designer's chicken-scratch into
instructions usable by your average "must have a pattern to follow"
knitter. If the instructions are unclear or the knitter inexperienced
then confusion will ensue, but don't blame the cast-on for that.


I don't blame the cast on method at all, just the instructions for doing it.

sue
Ads
  #12  
Old May 14th 07, 08:26 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.yarn
suzee
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 332
Default Long Tail Cast On --- WHY??

WoolyGooly wrote:
On Sun, 13 May 2007 16:23:32 -0700, suzee wrote:

What VP said. Though I take exception to the part about creating an
already knitted row. It's not the same size as a regular row (as if you
were to do a backwards loop CO, then purl the first row), and shouldn't
be counted as one.


Were you to make a backward loop cast on and then knit those loops
you'd end up with a smaller (in the sense of less wide as well as
tighter), less-flexible edge than were you to make a "standard"
long-tail cast-on. Why? Because as you knit the loops the loops
tighten up, you take the slack up into the next loop, and the next,
and the next as you work across the cast on. Eventually you work
several inches (or feet, if you're casting on something big like an
afghan) out of the cast-on edge and into the tail.

With practice and concentration one's long-tail cast-on row can in
fact be made at exactly the same gauge as the rest of the project.


Interesting... I've been using it for years and years and find that it's
much smaller than the rest of my knitting. If I were to use much smaller
needles than I do, it may be closer to the same gauge.

sue
  #14  
Old May 14th 07, 09:39 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.yarn
suzee
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 332
Default Long Tail Cast On --- WHY??

Madelaine wrote:
suzee wrote:
WoolyGooly wrote:
On Sun, 13 May 2007 16:23:32 -0700, suzee wrote:

What VP said. Though I take exception to the part about creating an
already knitted row. It's not the same size as a regular row (as if
you were to do a backwards loop CO, then purl the first row), and
shouldn't be counted as one.
Were you to make a backward loop cast on and then knit those loops
you'd end up with a smaller (in the sense of less wide as well as
tighter), less-flexible edge than were you to make a "standard"
long-tail cast-on. Why? Because as you knit the loops the loops
tighten up, you take the slack up into the next loop, and the next,
and the next as you work across the cast on. Eventually you work
several inches (or feet, if you're casting on something big like an
afghan) out of the cast-on edge and into the tail.

With practice and concentration one's long-tail cast-on row can in
fact be made at exactly the same gauge as the rest of the project.

Interesting... I've been using it for years and years and find that it's
much smaller than the rest of my knitting. If I were to use much smaller
needles than I do, it may be closer to the same gauge.

sue

Perhaps you should cast on with larger needles than you need and then
change?


Then the CO would be much too loose. I'm not talking about the stitches
it produces, but the actual CO where the loops tighten up around the
stitches. Maybe Wooly didn't mean that and I misunderstood.

Where she originally wrote:
Were you to make a backward loop cast on and then knit those loops
you'd end up with a smaller (in the sense of less wide as well as
tighter), less-flexible edge than were you to make a "standard"
long-tail cast-on. Why? Because as you knit the loops the loops
tighten up, you take the slack up into the next loop, and the next,
and the next as you work across the cast on.


I thought she meant that the thumb loop in a longtail that is similar to
the backwards loop CO could be made the same gauge, but I think now she
didn't.

sue
  #15  
Old May 14th 07, 09:50 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.yarn
WoolyGooly
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 294
Default Long Tail Cast On --- WHY??

On Mon, 14 May 2007 13:39:52 -0700, suzee wrote:

Perhaps you should cast on with larger needles than you need and then
change?


Then the CO would be much too loose. I'm not talking about the stitches
it produces, but the actual CO where the loops tighten up around the
stitches. Maybe Wooly didn't mean that and I misunderstood.

Where she originally wrote:
Were you to make a backward loop cast on and then knit those loops
you'd end up with a smaller (in the sense of less wide as well as
tighter), less-flexible edge than were you to make a "standard"
long-tail cast-on. Why? Because as you knit the loops the loops
tighten up, you take the slack up into the next loop, and the next,
and the next as you work across the cast on.


I thought she meant that the thumb loop in a longtail that is similar to
the backwards loop CO could be made the same gauge, but I think now she
didn't.

sue



No, I meant what I said: a backwards loop cast on produces a narrower,
tighter cast-on than a long-tail due to the mechanics of the first row
of knitting.

The backwards loop produces a bunch of slack after each loop is
knitted off; the knitter can either work the slack back into the
knitting or work it out altogether.

A long-tail cast-on avoids this problem because one is simultaneously
casting up the loops *and* knitting them. One has much better control
over the finished size of the foundation loops as a result.
  #16  
Old May 14th 07, 11:00 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.yarn
Shillelagh
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 568
Default Long Tail Cast On --- WHY??


"WoolyGooly" wrote in message
...

Were you to make a backward loop cast on and then knit those loops
you'd end up with a smaller (in the sense of less wide as well as
tighter), less-flexible edge than were you to make a "standard"
long-tail cast-on. Why? Because as you knit the loops the loops
tighten up, you take the slack up into the next loop, and the next,
and the next as you work across the cast on.


I must be doing the backward loop wrong or ??? differently. I find with
mine, there is so much loose stuff that I have no trouble with a less
flexible edge. I've only just recently tried the backward loop on socks and
found it to be fine (once I got used to it). I dunno, I guess I'd have to
use it a few more times to be able to have much of an opinion on it. Any
thoughts?

Shelagh



  #17  
Old May 15th 07, 01:23 AM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.yarn
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Long Tail Cast On --- WHY??

I do not think that there is a sample of a backward loop cast on in my
house. They have all been either frogged or tossed. I can not do a
backward loop cast on that I like.

Aaron


"Shillelagh" wrote in message
...

"WoolyGooly" wrote in message
...

Were you to make a backward loop cast on and then knit those loops
you'd end up with a smaller (in the sense of less wide as well as
tighter), less-flexible edge than were you to make a "standard"
long-tail cast-on. Why? Because as you knit the loops the loops
tighten up, you take the slack up into the next loop, and the next,
and the next as you work across the cast on.


I must be doing the backward loop wrong or ??? differently. I find with
mine, there is so much loose stuff that I have no trouble with a less
flexible edge. I've only just recently tried the backward loop on socks

and
found it to be fine (once I got used to it). I dunno, I guess I'd have to
use it a few more times to be able to have much of an opinion on it. Any
thoughts?

Shelagh





  #18  
Old May 15th 07, 01:38 AM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.yarn
Mary
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 728
Default Long Tail Cast On --- WHY??

I use a long-tail for several reasons. One is that I'm very picky
about which side of the cast-on is the front row. With some patterns
one will look better, and with another pattern the other will look
better. And I always keep consistent so the pieces all match at the
bottom. Second, it drives me crazy to run out of yarn as I'm casting
on, and this prevents that problem. Finally, I like having the extra
tail! I try to leave about 3 feet extra, and then I just coil it up
loosely and hold it out of the way with a safety pin. That gives me
my thread for the sewing-up!

  #19  
Old May 15th 07, 05:25 AM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.yarn
suzee
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 332
Default Long Tail Cast On --- WHY??

WoolyGooly wrote:
On Mon, 14 May 2007 13:39:52 -0700, suzee wrote:

Perhaps you should cast on with larger needles than you need and then
change?

Then the CO would be much too loose. I'm not talking about the stitches
it produces, but the actual CO where the loops tighten up around the
stitches. Maybe Wooly didn't mean that and I misunderstood.

Where she originally wrote:
Were you to make a backward loop cast on and then knit those loops
you'd end up with a smaller (in the sense of less wide as well as
tighter), less-flexible edge than were you to make a "standard"
long-tail cast-on. Why? Because as you knit the loops the loops
tighten up, you take the slack up into the next loop, and the next,
and the next as you work across the cast on.

I thought she meant that the thumb loop in a longtail that is similar to
the backwards loop CO could be made the same gauge, but I think now she
didn't.

sue



No, I meant what I said: a backwards loop cast on produces a narrower,
tighter cast-on than a long-tail due to the mechanics of the first row
of knitting.

The backwards loop produces a bunch of slack after each loop is
knitted off; the knitter can either work the slack back into the
knitting or work it out altogether.

A long-tail cast-on avoids this problem because one is simultaneously
casting up the loops *and* knitting them. One has much better control
over the finished size of the foundation loops as a result.


Okay, I misunderstood what you said. I've never trouble with the LT co
tension either.

sue
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Long Tail Cast On - How much???? Padishar Creel Yarn 18 May 16th 07 05:26 AM
Thinking about using horse tail hair to make a belt. Have you done this before? Bricore Yarn 4 April 27th 07 01:05 PM
FS: 8 MACAW WING & TAIL FEATHERS FOR CRAFTS PROJECTS dreamspinner3 Marketplace 0 February 15th 07 05:24 PM
Horse's tail fp Knots 2 December 28th 06 08:38 PM
Removing Raised letters on Glass Tail lights Joe Glass 4 May 20th 04 12:49 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:18 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CraftBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.