Learn to knit German twisted cast on to start your knitting project with this easy photo and video tutorial!
You have been asking me for more about German twisted cast on for a while now. And I’m not going to lie, just the name intimidated me. I feel the same way about provisional cast on, it sounds kind of scary.
But much like how I avoided zippers and buttonholes with my sewing machine for ages because I was scared to try them, it on turned out to not be such a big deal.
In fact, my favorite cast on of all time is the long tail cast which is a fantastic all-purpose cast on. I use it for a lot of things because it’s a good mix of sturdy and stretchy and I can do it FAST. Well, when I sat down to learn to knit German twisted cast on, I was surprised to find out that you hold the yarn the exact same way. In fact, the two cast on methods are really very similar, but German twisted cast on basically has an extra twist in there.
I assume that extra twist has something to do with the name. German twisted cast on is also known as twisted German cast on or old Norwegian cast on. I have no idea who comes up with these things. Is it really German or Norwegian in origin? I haven’t been able to find that out, but if you happen to have a resource on that, let me know, I’m interested!
Anyway, this easy cast on method on is a favorite among sock knitters because it’s quite stretchy. However, that would also make it a good cast on for hats which, as you know, are my thing. So I’m happy to add it to my knitting toolbox.
When I sat down to learn German twisted cast on, I had to watch several videos several times. So in my tutorial I have tried to go extra slow in my tutorial so you can see what I’m doing. I have also included step by step photos because for some people that’s more helpful (or you can’t watch a video for a multitude of reasons).
If you’re finding yourself confused, first, don’t beat yourself up, this is a tricky technique. And then, if you don’t already know how to knit long tail cast on, I would consider learning that first. It’s a little bit easier but a similar technique. Then, once you’ve mastered that one, come back and try this one again. Are you ready to get started? Let’s learn to knit German Twisted Cast On!
German Twisted Cast On Instructions
How To Knit German Twisted Cast On
Learn to knit German twisted cast on to start your knitting project with this easy photo and video tutorial!
Materials
- Worsted weight yarn
Tools
- Size US 7 (4.5 mm) knitting needles
Instructions
- Start with a slip knot on your knitting needle
- With the working yarn on the right and the tail end on the left, insert your left thumb and pointer between the two strands of yarn
- Lift up while spreading your thumb and pointer and grab the bottom of the strands below with your other three fingers
- Bring the needle down to form a Y shape like this, this is the starting position for German twisted cast on
- Bring the tip of the needle down and under both strands around your thumb
- Now bring it back up and down again towards your body BETWEEN the two strands that loop around your thumb
- Pull the yarn towards your body then take it up and over to scoop the yarn strand that goes around your pointer finger
- Pull that strand through the triangle shaped opening you have created in the center
- Now drop the loop of yarn from your thumb and pull to tighten the stitch
- Spread your pointer and thumb apart again and bring your left hand back to the starting position to start the next stitch
If you liked this, you may also like some of my other posts…
- Solid Rainbow Swirl Hat Knitting Pattern - March 17, 2025
- Learn to Knit – s2kp or s2kp2 (slip 2, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over) a centered double decrease - March 17, 2025
- Free Printable Knit & Crochet Yarn Labels - March 13, 2025
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