Long-Tail Cast-On Tail Calculator
How long a starting tail to leave for a long-tail cast-on — no more running short.
Leave a 54 in tail
About 3× the 16 in cast-on width, plus a margin. If in doubt, leave more — a short tail means starting over.
How to use
- Enter how many stitches you are casting on.
- Enter your stitch gauge (stitches per 4 inches) so the calculator knows how wide those stitches are.
- Read the tail length to leave before you start — measured from the end of the yarn.
- When in doubt, leave a little extra; a tail that is too long only wastes a few centimetres, but a short one means starting over.
Good to know
- The estimate is about three times the width of your cast-on edge, plus a margin — a widely used rule of thumb for long-tail cast-on.
- A more exact method: wrap the yarn around your needle ten times, measure that length, and allow that much per ten stitches. This calculator uses your gauge instead, so you can plan before casting on.
- Thicker yarn and looser gauge use more tail per stitch, which is why gauge matters, not just the stitch count.
FAQ
- Why do I keep running out of tail?
- Long-tail cast-on uses yarn from both the tail and the ball, and wide cast-ons need a surprising amount. Estimating from your stitch count and gauge — as this calculator does — avoids the guess.
- What if I leave too much tail?
- No harm done — you just trim or weave in the extra. Leaving too little is the real problem, because you have to unpick and start again, so err on the generous side.
- Is there a way without measuring gauge?
- Yes — wrap the yarn around your needle ten times and measure it; that length casts on about ten stitches. This tool uses gauge so you can plan the tail before the first stitch.