Are you on a circular needle or double pointeds? I just cast on, then smooth the stitches out evenly (over the other needles if you're using 4) into a circle and make sure they aren't twisted and then start knitting into the first stitch on the left-hand needle.
I find using two circular needles is much easier than magic loop or dpns. 1. Cast on the required number of stitches using one circular 2. Transfer half of the stitches to the other circular needle 3. Make sure you have no twists 4. Join the circle and knit the next row. Demo here: http://youtu.be/iBw8mQL2nkI (I have no idea how you embed this sort of thing...)
If you're on circular needles then you kind of just pretend that the needle point in your dominant hand is actually a new 'clean' needle and bravely bite the bullet and start knitting.
What I do is cast on one more stitch than I need (so, if the pattern calls for casting on 20, I'll cast on 21.) Then I move the extra stitch from the right-hand tip of the circular needle to the left-hand tip, place a stitch marker on the right-hand tip, and then knit (or purl, if that's what's called for) the extra stitch together with the first cast-on stitch.
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tree_and_leaf
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-14 06:08 pm (UTC)I haven't ever attempted magic loop though.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-14 06:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-14 06:41 pm (UTC)1. Cast on the required number of stitches using one circular
2. Transfer half of the stitches to the other circular needle
3. Make sure you have no twists
4. Join the circle and knit the next row.
Demo here:
http://youtu.be/iBw8mQL2nkI (I have no idea how you embed this sort of thing...)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-14 08:40 pm (UTC)I found this video to be really helpful: http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/circular-needle
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-14 10:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-15 12:02 am (UTC)