It all begins at the beginning....

 

Open Cast On

In knitting a garment there are many different ways to get started.
And sometimes it is necessary to have a cast on that will remain "open", meaning that there is not a truly fixed cast on, the stitches remain "open" so that later one can either knit in the opposite direction or can adjoin a separate piece in stitch stitch.

The easiest way to accomplish this is by creating as many chain stitches with a thick crochet hook as are needed later in knitted stitches. Then create the knitting part by looping through the chain stitches of the crochet chain.
At the end of the chain stitches the yarn is simply cut off, later on (as seen in the second picture below) simply unravel the chain stitches and then pick up the loops of the knit stitches with your needle to continue knitting in the opposite direction.

Long-tail Cast On

The most common and also most versatile cast on method is the long-tail cast on. It creates a smooth and even, as well as elastic border, suitable for all different kinds of garments.


This is the look of the end result of this particular cast on method.

Here are the individual steps to create it:

1. What gives this method its name is the fact you have to make sure to have enough yarn dangle to work the full width of the knit piece you want to cast on, typically that means at least 3 times the width of the knit piece.
Make an initial slip knot to start, then use 2 needles for the cast on to make it easier to start knitting the rows later.

2. Follow the diagram below to show placement of yarn over fingers and loop creation.

 

Additional Tips:

This particular cast on method has two distinctly different looks depending on which side you view.
The first row is actually the cast on row, Rside, and the reverse side, Wside, is the first row of actual knitting. The very bottom of the Rside appears as small knots, similar to the appearance of purl stitches, whereas the bottom of the Wside has a smooth appearance, most of the time better suited for whatever you are knitting. So start your work on the Wside of the cast on if you prefer the smoother look. 

Rside                             Wside

Happy knitting!