German twisted cast-on

The German twisted cast-on, also called the old Norwegian cast-on, is the long-tail with one extra hook. That hook puts a small twist at the base of every stitch, and the twist is what lets the edge stretch and spring back. Use it on sock cuffs, hat brims, and mitten cuffs.

If you can already do the long-tail, this takes about five minutes to add. If you can't, learn that one first — the hand position is identical.

How much tail to leave

The twist eats yarn. Leave roughly a third more tail than you would for long-tail, so about two-thirds of an inch per stitch in worsted weight, plus six inches to weave in. Wrapping the yarn around the needle once per stitch and adding half again is the safer method.

The steps

1. 1Make a slipknot at your measured point and put it on the needle in your right hand. It counts as stitch one.
2. 2Set up the slingshot hold: tail over the left thumb, working yarn over the left index finger, both strands held down by your other three fingers.
3. 3Bring the needle tip down the front of the thumb loop, then up underneath both strands of the thumb loop from below. This is the extra move — long-tail only enters the front strand.
4. 4Tip the needle back toward you so it comes down through the middle of the thumb loop.
5. 5Carry the needle over and hook the index-finger strand from right to left.
6. 6Pull that strand back down through the thumb loop and out.
7. 7Drop the thumb loop, re-hook the thumb under the tail, and tug gently to seat the stitch.
8. 8Repeat steps 3 through 7 to your stitch count.

If it goes wrong

The edge looks like plain long-tail.

You entered the thumb loop from the front only. The needle has to go down the front, under both thumb strands, then back through the loop toward you.

Stitches are so tight the needle won't move through them.

The twist already shortens the edge, so any extra tugging locks it up. Seat each stitch until it touches the needle and stop, or cast on over a needle one size larger.

You ran out of tail.

Standard for a first attempt — this cast-on uses noticeably more than long-tail. Pull it out, wrap-measure, add half again.

The first row is hard to read.

The bumps at the base make stitches look twisted when they aren't. Check the leg position instead: right leg in front means the stitch is mounted correctly.

When to use it instead of long-tail

Pair it with a stretchy bind-off at the other end. A stretchy cast-on above a standard bind-off just moves the tight spot.