Knitted Cast On
Method #1 For Casting On
'Casting on' is the process of adding stitches to your knitting needles. You need to do this before you can start knitting, so this is the first thing you learn as a beginner.
If you are knitting a rectangular object, such as a scarf, then the number of stitches that you 'cast on' will determine how wide your knitted object is.
For instance, if you cast on 40 stitches for a scarf project, then your scarf will be 40 stitches wide all of the way along (unless you decide to increase or decrease the width part-way through your project...but we'll get to that another time!)
The knitted cast on method is the first one I ever learned, and even though I now use the 'long tail' cast on method instead, the knitted cast on method is good for beginners because it's based on the simple knit stitch.
This is why I would suggest that you might want to go to my page on how to do the knit stitch too, for guidance and help if you are struggling to follow this video:
This method of casting on is one of the most popular (alongside the long tail cast on method), and you'll be able to use it for most, if not all, projects that you undertake.
If you would like a different appearance or some extra stretch for your knitted edges in the future, then of course you can expand your repertoire by learning other methods.
For instance, the Old Norwegian cast on technique offers a stretchier edge and is often used on socks to give them a comfier fit.
Summary of the knitted cast on technique:
Firstly, you are required to first tie a slip knot onto one of your knitting needles. This forms the first cast on stitch.
You then go through the steps of making a basic knit stitch with this slip knot, up until the point where you would normally push the stitch off the end of the left needle to finish it. But instead, you need to pull the right needle towards you to create a loop of yarn. You then guide this loop over the tip of the left needle and tighten.
You then need to repeat this process with the newest/uppermost stitch on the left needle, until you have cast on as many stitches as you need.
I hope you have been able to follow along at home :)