Horizontal Thumb and Button Hole

Hello, thumb hole!

When knitting a horizontal thumb hole, I’m usually knitting in the round.  One the first round of the hole, I bind off the bottom edge of the thumb area.  On the next round, I cast on the number of stitches I bound off, and then continue knitting like nothing happened. Easy peasy!

 Although I'm usually knitting in the round when I need to make a horizontal thumb hole, it's easier to demonstrate on straight knitting.  This is also an easy technique for a button hole, which you'll use much more often with straight knitting, but the concept is the exact same either way.  Start on the row before your thumb hole is to 

 begin, I'm working with an example with basic stockinette stitching.

 On the row where you'll begin the thumb hole, knit until the space will begin, bind off your stitches (I'm using four stitches here), and then continue knitting.





On the next row across, knit until the bound off stitches, cast on the same number of stitches you bound off, and then continue knitting.  Be sure to cast on tightly or your thumb hole will be much too loose.  Scroll down to the second half of this post to see an explanation of casting on with only one strand so that you have no new loose ends.

Ta-da!











Casting on with one strand to avoid any new loose ends:

Be sure to make each stitch on the tighter side, otherwise your new stitches will be much too loose.