The German Twisted Cast-on is my favorite, but I do use the knitted cast on as well. If the cast on is shorter, I do use the long tail, but I don’t like how the stitches can be uneven because there is no natural tension holding the stitches to the needle like the German twisted cast-on. I do a similar cast on that doesn’t require guessing how long a tail you need but I forget what it is called..
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I never learned to do the long tail cast-on. I primarily do the knitted cast-on, and occasionally a crochet one. I find that if I purl the cast on stitches rather than knit them I get a more pleasing look to that edge, with less looseness.
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Agree…I like that look as well !
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Thanks, friends! I could literally crochet anything without a pattern with my eyes half-closed, but knit? omg it is entirely defeating me so far. I’m annoyed & determined to get it down.
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You’ll get it! Once it clicks, you’ll wonder why it seemed so hard! I think some of my early knits were the best because I just went for it, mistakes and all!
I have a few “hats” that had to be turned into small bags because I still don’t check my gauge. I try to select patterns where gauge doesn’t really matter.
There is always something new to learn or relearn in both knitting and crochet. I prefer crochet because it is a lot easier to fix or hide mistakes and adjust along the way without a lot of frogging. All my yarn projects lately seem to be crochet.
Which method are you learning - English or continental? I found continental where you hold the yarn in your left hand the same as you do with crochet and doing long tail cast on to be way easier for my brain.
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I learned English as a child but once I learned continental, I knit at least twice as fast with much better tension. And, yes, it is so much like crochet that my hands have no problems switching between the two!
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When I was learning to knit I was so. Very. Angry. so much of the time that I was dumbfounded to think that people are prescribed knitting as an anger management tool. “Argggh! At least crochet has a hook! Who ever thought two pointy sticks was a good idea!!!
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Thank you for the encouragement, I appreciate it :).
Crochet hurts my hands these days, I think because I’ve mostly made amigurumi so I white-knuckle the yarn & hook. And I never swatch, gauge, or pattern-read. Knit will be like learning 3 new crafting languages at once!
I’d like to try this sweater even though it looks more complicated than “cast on & knit”.
I like this demo of Long tail cast on but when I do it, the yarn unwinds! I even tried rewinding the ball of yarn in case the twist direction made a difference. It didn’t. I’ll have to practice other ways.
I’ve tried continental, English, & flicking. It’s all horribly uncomfortable so far.
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(Psssst, secret squirrel? I also do not gauge/swatch. I just go in running and hope for the best and am willing to frog away whatever doesnt work.)
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Anti-swatchers unite. I will do it on the rare occasion, but in most cases, I like to take an estimated guess and make it work. It helps that I like my knits roomy, not going for a perfect fit at all.
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It helps if someone can just watch to see what you are doing to help you correct it and get going!
That sweater is fabulous, and yes, a good beginner project AFTER you learn the basics. It looks like it is done in the round, so mostly of it is just plain knitting!
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I kind have an odd way of knitting in that I don’t hold my yarn in my fingers at all. I just pick it up with my left hand and wrap it over the right needle and pull through. However, I use my right hand when switching the working yarn for knit vs purl. My tension works out because I give the loose tail a tug each time I wrap for a stitch. When I’ve tried to hold it Continental (since I hold it when I crochet), it just feels weird.
Oh, and I’m “Team No-Swatch” 
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I had to pick up some knitting to try to see how you do it… 
I’d have to see it!
I never touch the yarn from the ball with my right hand whether I knit or purl. Not even when I make cables. I just use it to hold the needle.
I crochet like a child and hold the hook in my fist. I can also crochet with my left or go backwards. I can’t knit with my left hand even though I am technically left handed!
Isn’t it funny how you can do things so differently and still come out with good results?
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Maybe I’ll join a zoom sometime and show my “handiwork.” Surprisingly, when I was in a knit night group, very few members noticed that my technique was different from theirs.
ETA: if we had video on here, I’d leave a clip.
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In most of the knitting groups I have been to, most knit English. I will admit that even without blocking, it is truly beautifully stitched because of the tension. I knew I did not have the patience and really didn’t enjoy knitting until I learned to speed it up! 
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Hmm! When I found https://forum.lettucecraft.com/t/crocheted-strawberry-market-bag/37616 by @Reese52 I had wondered if I could accomplish something like that but in knitting. My first attempt was awful, but this one I think I can make it work. Maybe cable knit the colums. It would all depend on if I can hide the loose strand, 
.
Closer, but does make it a little iffy because I have to untwist the yarn just before finishing. . If I can focus on this, I bet I could find a way, heh.
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