Close the rest of your fingers around the yarn. Insert the needle under the strand that is wrapped around your thumb. Remember to hold your hand like a pistol. Then scoop up the strand that is wrapped around your index finger. Bring your yarn out through the thumb loop. Pull your thumb from the loop of the yarn and pull the yarn to tighten the new stitch.And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the long tail cast on! Repeat until you have enough stitches for your project.