Newbie Question about Casting On

busyknitmom · 10-04-2008, 10:55 AM

After I cast on and then start knitting, it seems my knitting is wider than my cast on. I have counted stitches and they are the same. Am I casting on too tightly? Or is this normal? Is there a way to correct this (other than the obvious of casting on looser or knitting tighter)?

TIA

suzeeq · 10-04-2008, 06:11 PM

The CO is going to be about 80% of the width of the item. This is normal, and also the first row or 3 is going to be wider than the finished item ends up. So just keep going on, it's just how a CO functions.

zkimom · 10-04-2008, 06:12 PM

A tight cast on is the problem of many knitters. You just have to practice at not pulling your stitches so tightly. Some tricks that might help are either casting on with a larger needle and changing it when you start to knit or holding 2 needles together when you cast on and pulling out the second needle.

You will get better as you gain experience.