Description
Using the FLTCO (flexible long-tail cast on) requires a long tail. How long? Let the FLTCO Calculator tell you. No more coming up short, or too long tail because you just weren’t sure. This is a Goldilocks too: you can get it just right!
Go here to practice the FLTCO if you are not already familiar with it.
Use locking markers that are different to mark the three positions you are marking below.
Casting on and Marking
- Put a marker into the yarn where the yarn for the first cast on goes over the top needle OR if you use a slip knot, place a pin at the base of the slip knot on the yarn coming from the ball (the slip knot will not be counted as one of your cast on stitches.
- Be sure to have the tail at the front.
- Cast on 10 or 20 stitches using the FLTCO. If you are doing something under 100 stitches, cast on 10. If you are doing something longer, cast on 20.
- Put a pin marker in the yarn tail after making the last cast on, as close to the needle as possible.
- Put a pin marker in the yarn from the ball at the base of the top needle, again as close to the needles as possible.
Take both needles out of the cast on.
Measuring Your Cast On Yarn Consumption
You will have two markers showing the ending of the cast on, one on the tail and the other on the yarn from the ball. Undo the cast on by gently pulling on the tail and yarn while holding onto the middle marker.
- Measure between the two end markers to get the total length of yarn used.
- Measure from the tail end marker to the middle marker. This is the length of yarn used on the bottom needle.
- Do the same from the yarn end marker to the middle marker. This is the length of yarn used on the top needle.
Now you can go to the Pattern Tailor and find out how much yarn you need for your flexible long-tail cast on. This also works if you are using a smaller needle for the bottom needle or if you are using two different yarns.
