Knitting pattern help - again!!

[tillyfernackerpants]

I'm currently making a shrug and am stuck on the pattern, can anyone help?

I've started the sleeve, then the pattern says Shape Top, then cast on 5 stitches. How do I cast on more stitches before I cast off??

Thanks!

Just as you would on start row really.

That's what I thought, but then I ended up with a long strand of yarn between the new stitches and the rest of the row. That's what's thrown me

You go to the beginning of the row, knit the first stitch, don't let it go off the needle but slip the stitch you have just made back onto the pin, The go in between the first two stitches and make another stitch and so on until you have five extra stitches on the pin. The stitch you start with looks a bit squiggly, take no notice and just knit it as number 6

Sounds you cast on with a finger and thumb method, shich is perfecly fine, but you can't use it for the extra stitches at the beginning of the row.

Thanks DutchOma, I do use the finger & thumb method, wasn't aware there was any other way? (As you can probably tell, I am fairly new to this)!

Have you joined Ravelry? ravelry.com? Then you can also join the Mumsknitters group.

You can also have a look at knitty.com or simply google knitting terms like:- casting on knitting. Wonderful resource.
Let us know how you get on now.

Ah that makes sense that you do it finger and thumb so it wouldn't work. I cast on how DutchOma describes so can just cast on extra stitches in the same way.

Do you have any basic knitting books which show techniques - should have some diagrams which show you the different cast on methods.

Thanks Dutch & megan, the books I have just show the finger & thumb method but will have a look at those websites.

I am on Ravelry but hardly use it tbh!