How to Knit: Casting On

This is probably the most difficult part of knitting, casting on.  If you have read my last blog about how to make a slip knot, (if not, what are you doing, go read that first!), you will already have your knitting needle with your slip knot.
1. Take your needle with the slip knot in your right hand. Make sure that your have the two strings hanging from your needle ready.
2. With these two hanging strings place the string connected to the bundle of yarn on the right and the string with the end of the yarn on the left.
3. Take the two strings and grasp both with your fist
4. With your pointer finger put it in between the two strings
5. Now with your finger between the strings, and still grasping the strings in your fist move your finger to the right so that the string connected to the bundle of yarn is behind your finger.
6. Put your thumb up, continuing to hold the strings in your fist and your pointer finger still placed in front of the string connected to your bundle of yarn, wrap your thumb around the string that has the end of the yarn.
7. Now for the tricky part, with your needle, push it through the string that is wrapped around to the back of your thumb, connected to the bundle of yarn.
8.  Bring your needle over to the right where there should be a tight string going around your pointer finger, with your needle, go from moving your needle from on top of that string, to over and under the string.
9. Now you can see that there is a loop from your needle to your thumb, with your knitting needle, go through the loop and let go!
10. Pull tight and there is a another loop on your knitting needle!

Do these ten steps however many times you want to. As you continue to cast on to your needle you will be adding on to the length of your creation, so if you want more width to your scarf, that means more loops, and you will need to start out with more length to your string with the end to it.  Just remember to plan ahead! When you have finished casting on, cut off the rest of your string with the end of the yarn off.  But make sure you don't cut too short otherwise when you begin to knit the string will come up and unravel.  If you do make a mistake casting on, don't worry because pulling on the string will unravel the loops on your needle.