I love the knitted cast on for several reasons. First of all, it is how my grandmother taught me to cast on when I was a young girl and I can still see her steady hands guiding me through the process. I’m sure she chose this method because it is an easy cast on for beginners since it mimics the knit stitch. Secondly, unlike the long tail cast on, it requires no calculation of the tail length making it perfect for projects requiring many stitches. It is a loose cast making it suitable for afghans or scarves. I also use it when making a hemmed picot edge because the loopy edge makes for easy hemming.
Give this cast on a try and maybe you can pass along your love of knitting to the next generation!