Purpose Before Method

Purpose Before Method

Most of the time, I use the same cast on.

Not because it’s the “best” one; not because I don’t know any others; but because it works for me, and I understand what it gives me.

I think a lot of people assume experienced knitters spend a long time choosing between techniques. As if confidence comes from variety. In reality, most of my decisions are much quieter than that.

Before I ever pick up the needles, I’m asking a different question.

What does this edge need to do?

Does it need to stretch? Does it need to feel stable? Does it need to quietly get out of the way?

Once I know that, the method usually takes care of itself. For me, a knit cast on does the job for most projects. I know how it behaves. I know how it feels in my hands. I don’t have to think very hard once I start.

That familiarity matters more than novelty.

There are times when I do something different. This month, for example, I’m working on a double knitting project. Because that structure needs two colours right from the beginning, the cast on has to change to match the job. That isn’t about preference — it’s about the knitting asking for something specific.

But the decision still comes first. I decide what the project needs, and then I choose a start that supports that. I don’t rush straight to the stitches.

If you’re new to knitting — or you haven’t started yet — this is often the bit that gets skipped. People think they need to know how to cast on before they’re allowed to begin. In reality, the harder part is everything that happens in your head beforehand.

That’s why I created the Knitting Journal.

It’s a free place to slow down the thoughts that come before the needles. You don’t need yarn. You don’t need a pattern. You don’t even need to be sure you want to knit yet. It’s there to help you notice what’s stopping you before you’ve even started.

Because every project begins with a decision — long before the first stitch.

Download the Knitting Journal (free)

Nessa