How to Work the Double Chain Cast-On in Knitting

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Have you ever wished your cast-on edge looked exactly the same on both the right side and the wrong side? Have you been hunting for a cast-on that is very stretchy, but never sloppy? The Double Chain Cast-on might be just what you’ve been looking for.

This cast-on can be a little fiddly, but it is well worth your time to learn. With a little practice and our step-by-step photos and video, you’ll be looking forward to using this cast-on for your next project.

Also Known As

This cast-on is sometimes known as the Chinese Waitress Cast-on. This name is problematic—we simultaneously wish to honor that this cast-on came to the English-speaking knitting world via a Chinese woman (a waitress in Beijing taught Cap Sease’s friend this cast-on) while acknowledging that this name is extremely reductive. In light of recent increases in attacks on the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, we have decided to call it the Double Chain Cast-on and explain the history of the technique.

Double Chain Cast-On

Watch Now:

Andrea will demonstrate the technique in this quick video. For more detail, scroll down for step-by-step photos.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Double Chain cast-on steps 1-4 — Double Chain Cast-on steps 1-4

1

Begin with a slip knot on your left needle. This slip knot does not count as a stitch; you’ll remove it at the end of the first row of knitting. Leave only as much tail as you’ll need for weaving in (Photo 1).

2

Place the right needle behind the left needle (Photo 2). Hold the working yarn in your left hand.

3

Bring the yarn behind both needle tips, then over the left needle and to the back. This wrap around the left needle is your first stitch cast on (Photo 3).

4

Wrap the yarn around the right needle (Photo 4).

Double-Chain Cast-on Steps 5-8 — Double Chain Cast-on steps 5-6

5

Draw the loop on the right needle under the left needle and through to the front (Photo 5). You’ll have two loops on the left needle (the slip knot and the first stitch), and one loop on the right needle.

6

Here comes the fiddly bit. The loop on your right needle is twisted (Photo 6). Slip it off the needle and use your fingers to twist it 180º counterclockwise (Photo 7). Put the untwisted stitch back on the right needle. Move the right needle behind the left needle (Photo 8).

Double-Chain Cast-on steps 9-12 — Double Chain Cast-on steps 7-10

7

Bring the yarn behind both needle tips, then over the left needle and to the back. This wrap around the left needle is your second stitch cast on (Photo 9).

8

Wrap the yarn around the right needle (Photo 10).

9

Draw the loop on the right needle under the left needle and through to the front (Photo 11). You’ll have three loops on the left needle (the slip knot and two stitches), and two loops on the right needle.

10

Use the tip of the left needle to pull the first stitch on the right needle over the second stitch and off the tip of the right needle (Photo 12).

Double-Chain Cast-on step 11 — Double Chain Cast-on step 11 and ending

11

Slip the loop off the right needle, use your fingers to untwist it (Photo 13), and put the untwisted stitch back on the right needle (Photo 14). Move the right needle behind the left needle (Photo 15).

Now repeat Steps 7-11 until your left needle has the required number of stitches, minus 1 (remember, the slip knot does not count as a stitch). After untwisting the last loop on the right needle, slip it onto the left needle for your final cast-on stitch (Photo 16).

Then you’ll start working your first row of your project. Once you get to the end, you’ll simply undo the slip knot and the cast-on will hold and look perfectly neat.

A Little Bit of Practice Pays Off

I agree, it’s fiddly. And it takes longer than the Long-Tail Cast-on that you’ve been using forever. But I encourage you to give the Double Chain Cast-on a fair trial. Keep going until you’ve got 20 or 25 stitches so you can find your rhythm. Now knit a couple of inches in a reversible stitch pattern like seed stitch or moss stitch and bind off. Notice that both sides of the cast-on look exactly the same. Give it tug and see how much more stretch you get than you would with a long-tail cast-on. For a bind-off that perfectly echoes the Double Chain Cast-on, try the Double Chain Bind-off.

I’m going to use this cast-on for my next pair of cuff-down socks. You may not choose the Double Chain Cast-on for every project, but I think you’ll agree it’s a worthy technique to add to your knitting repertoire.

Sandi Rosner is the technical content editor for all things yarn at Interweave. When she isn’t knitting, she usually has her nose in a book. You’ll find new technical content from Sandi nearly every week at www.interweave.com.

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