KNITTING OFF THE THUMB
I always recommend this as the easiest and most versatile method of casting on. It involves knitting into a loop around the thumb to make a stitch on the needle.The action is the same as making a knit stitch.
Start by leaving a long end, about three times the finished width of the knitting, and making a slip knot on the needle. The slip knot counts as the first stitch. Repeat steps 1 to 3 to cast on more stitches.
1. Loop around thumb
Hold the needle and the yarn from the ball in your right hand. Using the free end, make a loop around your left thumb, tensioning the yarn between your third and fourth fingers. Insert the right needle tip.
2. Yarn around needle
Bring the ball yarn up between thumb and needle, and take it around the needle.
3. Through and off
Draw yarn through to make a stitch on the needle, release the loop from the left thumb, and gently pull the long end to tension the stitch.
A left-handed variation of this method, suitable for those who hold the working yarn in the left hand: Loop the free end over the thumb, as above, but loop the ball end over the middle finger; hold both yarn ends loosely with remaining fingers. Insert the needle under the thumb loop then over the ball yarn, and pull that yarn through.
The simplest way to cast on is to make a loop, as in step 1 opposite, then slip this loop onto the right needle. This method is generally used when you need to cast on extra stitches while knitting. Giving the loop an extra twist before placing it on the needle creates a firmer edge.
1.Twisting loop
Loop yarn around the left thumb, insert the first finger down into loop and slip the loop off the thumb, twisting it as shown. Insert the right needle into the loop from left to right.
2. New stitch cast on
Release loop from finger, and pull end to close the stitch on the needle.