Draft
Infinite Long Tail Cast On
A long tail cast on that never runs out of tail, worked from two ends of the yarn.
3 min videoGood for large stitch counts
This is not a different way of making the long tail cast on. It is a way of never running out of tail. The weak spot of the long tail cast on is that if you measure too little yarn, you run out before the last stitch and have to start over or switch methods. Neither is any fun.
So you cast on with both ends of one ball at once, or one end from each of two balls. The tail is as long as the ball. When the stitches are on, cut the end you are not knitting with.
The edge is the ordinary long tail edge: a row of interlocking chain loops along the bottom with good structure. It is fairly elastic but not very stretchy. For ribbing that needs more give, use a one by one rib cast on instead.
1 Take both ends of the yarn
Find the beginning and the end of one ball of yarn, or take one end from each of two balls of the same yarn. Hold the two strands together. Two colors are used here only so you can see which is which.
2 Make a slip knot with both
Make a slip knot with the two strands together and put it on the needle. If you would rather not have a slip knot, hold the yarn in your hand the usual way and start casting on from there.
3 Cast on as normal
Set the two strands up as for a long tail cast on and cast on as usual. One strand comes from each end, so you can never run out. Cast on as many stitches as you need.
4 Cut the strand you are not knitting with
When all the stitches are on, cut the strand you do not want to knit with and carry on with the other as your working yarn. In one color there is nothing to see at the edge.