Why I love my fellow bloggers

I love the feeling I get when I learn something new. Especially something that's eluded me for weeks.

My favorite cast on is the Long Tail cast on. It was the first one I learned, it usually works very well for me, and I can usually get it to do what I need it to. However, the Long Tail Cast On is also my single biggest reason for knitting socks from the toe-up. Knit from the toe up and I can use the Elizabeth Zimmerman sewn bind off to finish. Super Stretchy, really pretty.

While at the library on Monday, I noticed this older knitting book (circa 1990), Reader's Digest Knitter's Handbook by Montse Stanley. I picked it up and fell in love. Every cast on you could ever possibly imagine was listed. All sorts of wonderful cast offs, short row info, design information, blocking information, etc. This was a boon! I own enough reference books not to get excited by most reference books anymore, but this was different.

So I checked it out and took it home. It's waited patiently for me to dive in and explore it's secrets, so why I thought 3 AM was a good time I don't know.


The hated Big Purple Monster was set to the side and the pretty Concord Grape KnitPicks Gloss sock yarn was fondled. I settled on this sock yarn weeks ago for Jennifer's Bayerische Socks, so now it was time to cast on! I decided to go for a tubular cast on, which I've never done, and I felt confidently that I could get both socks onto the needles before it was time to fall, exhausted, into bed.


Don't you love that sound of optimism in my voice?

I cast on, following the book's directions very carefully.

No Go. Three times, no go.

I decided to switch to a different cast on, a Provisional Cast on.

Didn't have the mental power.

I put the sock yarn down and noted the 3:15 AM time. The sock would have to wait. . .


Except that I'm no quitter (even when I should be). I picked it back up, ripped out all the stitches, and surfed to TECHKnitting. TECHKnitting is the most amazing website ever! Whenever I have a question, don't understand what I'm doing, or want to learn something new, I surf to TECHKnitting and look it up. I figured if I couldn't get help there, it would never happen. I found her Provisional Tail Method of 1 x 1 tubular cast on. This is the most amazing cast on EVER!

Happily knitting away!