How To Finger Knit - Casting On
/Ever wondered how do you start finger knitting? Finger knitting is a fun and easy craft you can learn in a few minutes. All you need to get started is some yarn and your hands.
It’s a great craft for kids and adults. Even complete beginners will be able to whip up a simple necklace quickly and easily.
Follow these simple step by step instructions and you’ll be knitting up a quick garland or scarf in no time.
This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny extra)!
Finger Knitting For Beginners.
Want to learn how to finger knit? Great, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome to the first in my ‘how to start finger knitting’ series. You can find the full series and more tips and tricks over on my how to finger knit for beginners page.
Finger knitting is a fantastic craft for adults, teenagers and kids of all ages. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to finger knit but didn’t know where to start this is the place to be. We’re going to learn how to cast on, knit rows and cast off. By the end, you’ll be able to knit a simple garland, necklace or even a scarf.
What is Finger Knitting?
Finger knitting (sometimes called finger weaving) is a quick and easy way to make a simple braid. It’s similar to french knitting but much quicker and doesn’t require a knitting dolly. You don’t need any fancy materials to get started. And definitely no crochet hooks or knitting needles.
Finger knitting is basically making a long chain stitch just like in knitting or crochet but instead of a hook or pair of needles, you use your fingers. I know starting a new craft can be intimidating so to make it as easy as possible I’ve included an easy to step by step photo tutorial as well as a video.
Casting On:
Today we’re going to learn the basic first step in any knitting project: casting on. If you’ve never tried finger knitting before or any kind of knitting, don’t panic, it’s not as complicated as it first looks. It’s the perfect craft for the complete beginner. No previous knitting experience or expertise is needed. All you need to get started is some yarn and your hands.
Materials:
T-Shirt Yarn or Wool
Your hands.
You can finger knit with whatever wool or yarn you have on hand but I do recommend starting with a bulky yarn like t-shirt yarn. It’s nice and chunky which makes it easier to see what you’re doing and work with.
I think once you get going you’ll be surprised how quickly your chain starts to form. By the end of the series, you’ll be able to make a beautiful t-shirt yarn braid that can use as a garland, necklace or scarf.
How to start finger knitting: A beginner’s guide to casting on.
1. Lay your palm flat and facing towards you. Hold the yarn between your thumb and your index finger.
The tail end (loose end) of your yarn is to the left. The working yarn (still attached to the ball) is to the right.
2. Weave the working yarn (going from left to right) over your index finger, under your middle finger, over your ring finger and behind your little finger.
3. For the next row, take the working yarn over your little finger, under your ring finger, over your middle finger and behind your index finger.
4. Repeat and bring the working yarn around and over your index finger, under your middle finger, over your ring finger and behind your little finger.
5. For the final row, bring your working yarn around and over your pinky finger, under your ring finger and over your middle finger. Trap the working yarn between your index finger and your middle finger.
6. Keep the tail end trapped between your thumb and index finger to stop it from flying away.
7. With your other hand, pull the bottom row on your pinky finger over the top of your finger.
8. Move to your ring finger and pull the bottom row up over your finger. Repeat on your middle finger.
You may need to bend your fingers down a bit as you pull the rows up and over.
9. . To finish casting on take the tail (loose) end of the yarn from between your thumb and index finger and bring it forward.
10. Lift it up and over the yarn between your thumb and index finger. Bring the tail end behind your hand to keep it out of the way.
And that’s it. You’ve finished casting on.
You can find Part Two: HOW TO START FINGER KNITTING - KNITTING THE ROWS here or if you need a bit more help you can watch the video below showing you exactly how to cast on in finger knitting.
