How to Work a Disappearing Loop Cast-on

1

Begin by making a loop with your yarn. The tail passes under the strand of yarn coming off the ball and heads to the right.

2

Pinch the spot on the loop where the yarn crosses and hold it against the needle in your right hand. Use the fingers of your left hand to hold the loop open.

3

Insert the needle down through the loop.

4

Catch the yarn and bring it back towards you through the loop to create the first stitch.

5

Yarn over to create the second stitch.

6

Repeat Steps 3–5, alternately knitting a stitch in the loop and making a yarn over, until you have cast on the required number of stitches—usually 6 or 8. I’ve cast on 8 stitches for this demonstration. Note that the last stitch is a yarn over.

7

Now we’ll distribute the stitches over our double pointed needles and, at the same time, double the number of stitches. If you have chosen to use the magic loop technique, divide your stitches in half. Notice that I am holding that last yarn over against the needle with my thumb—I don’t want to lose it.

[Knit 1, yarn over] twice on each double pointed needle.

8

If you cast on 6 stitches, you’ll have 12 stitches divided over 3 needles. I cast on 8 stitches, so I now have 16 stitches divided over 4 needles.

In the next round, *knit 1, knit 1 through back loop; repeat from * to the end of the round. You’re knitting the yarn overs through the back loop to twist them and prevent holes.

9

Keep going, increasing as directed by your pattern. I increased 8 stitches every other round until I had a total of 40 stitches, then bound off.

10

Now for the fun part. Grasp the tail in the center of your piece and pull.

11

Watch as the hole in the center closes right up! Note that you can close the hole at any time after your first few rounds, but it tends to open up again unless you weave in the tail right away.