Leggings, Bloomers, Shorts - Let's Cast On!

I know that lots of you who want to join the Pants KAL are still waiting to get your yarn, but I want to go ahead and kick things off by offering a tutorial that I hope will be helpful to those of you with Kalaloch in your queue.  

The Provisional Cast On

Most of my patterns call for making a crochet chain and then picking up stitches into the bumps on the back of the chain when a provisional cast on is needed.  However, I recently learned how to combine those two steps by crocheting the chain right onto a knitting needle!  This is a huge time-saver for me and I'm using it exclusively for my provisional cast on method now, so I wanted to share it with you. 

With smooth waste yarn, place a slip knot on crochet hook.

Hold the yarn and knitting needle in left hand with the yarn behind the needle.  Hold crochet hook over top of needle.

1. Wrap yarn over crochet hook from back to front and draw yarn through loop on crochet hook.

One provisional stitch is now on the needle. 

If you were crocheting a chain, that stitch would be your first chain, and the loop on the hook would not be counted since in crochet, we never count the loop on the hook.

2. Bring yarn between needle and hook and behind needle.

Repeat steps 1-2 until desired number of stitches are on needle.  

The stitches on the needle are the back of what would be crochet chain, and the V's on the right side of the needle are the front of the crochet chain.

Chain several stitches.  This tail will show you where to begin unraveling the chain when it's time to remove the provisional cast on.

Break yarn, leaving a 6 in/15 cm tail and draw it through the last loop.  To begin working, pick up working yarn and knit into provisional stitches.  You'll join for working in the round after working one complete row.  Don't forget to do that (being careful not to twist) before you begin round two.

This tutorial has a permanent home in my Tutorials section of my website too.  And if you're already past this bit, there's also a tutorial there on how to remove the provisional cast on and one on how to knit in a hem.  

Please join us over in my Ravelry group to post project photos, ask questions, and follow along with everyone's progress.  Don't forget that I'd love for you to share any pants projects you're working on, and if you finish Kalaloch, Zoe, or Issa's Bloomers by April 30, you get a free pattern!  I've already worked my waistband and will have my own progress pics for you soon.

Happy Pants Knitting!