I enjoy acquiring new skills and have tried many different cast on techniques in my quest to find one I love for socks. I think I may have found it. Check out the edge on this sock. Isn't it beautiful?
Best of all, it's super elastic. It's a two-row tubular cast on done in the round for a 1x1 rib. Here's the basic steps:
1. Cast on half the required number of stitches using waste yarn. The needle(s) used should be the same as those you plan to use for your sock cuff and the waste yarn should be the same weight as your sock yarn. In the sample pictured here, the sock required 72 stitches so I cast on 36 stitches onto my circular needle (I'm a magic loop sock knitter) using the backward loop cast on method.
2. Knit a few rounds using the waste yarn. In the sample pictured here, I knit one row straight, redistributed the stitches for knitting in the round and then knit several rounds with waste yarn. You don't need to knit as many rounds as I did -- only two are needed; I knit more rounds to create an easier-to-photograph sample. After completing 2+ rounds of knitting with the waste yarn, cut the yarn leaving a six inch tail.
3. Purl two rounds using your sock yarn. After completing the two rounds, look at your knitting. Notice that between each pair of purl stitches on your needles, you have a bump created with the sock yarn in the first purl row. You will also notice a bump between the last stitch on a needle and the first stitch on the next needle.
4. Create cuff edge. Purl the first stitch on your needle. Bring the working yarn to the back of your work. With your left hand needle, pick up the first sock yarn purl bump and knit it without twisting the stitch. If your needle tip picks up the purl bump in a top-down motion, you will knit into the back of the stitch; if your needle tip picks up the purl bump in a bottom-up motion, you will knit into the front of the stitch. Continue across all stitches, alternating between purling a stitch from the needle and knitting a purl bump. You have now doubled the number of stitches on your needles and established a 1x1 rib. If desired, you can shift your work one stitch to start each needle with a knit stitch. 
5. Remove waste yarn. After completing several rows of 1x1 rib, you can remove the waste yarn. Using a spare needle and starting with the last stitch knit with waste yarn, pick out each waste yarn stitch around the cuff. In the sample pictured here, I knit several rows of twisted rib (k1tbl, p1) before picking out the last waste yarn row.
Enjoy!
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20 comments:
Thanks Mona - I'll certainly give this cast on a try for the 2nd sock KAL.
Mona,
This is a great tutorial! Thanks for taking the time to photograph and post for us. I can't wait to try it on my next pair of socks!
Kat
How did you fudge the last stitch? I end up with X - 1 purl bumps to pick up. (Didn't know you blogged! I'm subscribed.)
Thank you, thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for and it worked perfectly. This is pretty much an amazing technique.
Thanks for clearly demonstrating this method for casting on in the round. All the YouTube videos I found were all for flat knitting and I wanted to try this cast on for my socks. This is exactly what I needed.
I've just followed this tutorial for my new gloves and my word it gives the most beautiful edge. Took a while though! Many thanks for the clear write up.
I also love a challenging ingenious technique. You are awesome!
Just learned magic loop and tubular cast on and was DELIGHTED to find I could combine the two techniques. Wish I'd known for the baby hoody I just knit. Now, can I do two legs at the same time? I need to get another job so I can buy more needles in longer cable lengths!
Thank you for this technique! I used this in a beanie and it turned out great.
Thanks so much for the very clear tutorial! I usually learn better from video than from a tutorial like this, but this was crystal-clear and very concise.
Great job!
Thank You, Mona! I used your technique on my mom's hat. It's great. I was thrilled when I was removing the waste yarn!! I would like to mention this page on my blog.
This is the easiest method of tubular cast-on yet. I LOVE it! Thanks you for such easy instructions. I "got it" the first time. And now my sock cuffs look so professional.
This is my go to reminder for this cast-on. Excellent tutorial! I've lost and found it many times on Google. Thanks!
Thank you SO much for sharing this, it worked BRILLIANTLY as a Circular Tubular Cast on for a hat that I am knitting.
I tried to do a different method and kept getting a jumbled, twisted mess that was so fiddly that I nearly threw my knitting across the room in frustration.
I tried this, slightly skeptically, and VIOLA! Simple, easy, no mess, no fuss and it looks amazing!
Thanks again!!
This is the best tutorial I've seen for Circular Tubular Cast On. I tried to watch some of the videos but they just confused me more. But, following your directions exactly gave me a perfect result. Thank you!
thanks for a great lesson!
Wow...just what I needed! Tubular can be such a pain, but this so simplifies it. Thank you!
I lose elasticity when I use the same size needles for this cast-on. Have you experimented wth going up one or two sizes? E.g., sock needs 2.25mm needles, but I could use 2.75 or 3.0mm until just past the join row?
Hi! This is Mona, checking back in to answer questions.
For Laurie's question about ending up with X-1 stitches... If you find yourself short one purl bump at the end of the round, you will find it where the tail of the project yarn first crosses under the waste yarn. Hold the two needles with stitches parallel to each other (four or five needle circular knitters, hold the first and last needles parallel to each other). Gently pull the tails of the waste yarn and project yarn to close up the hole that may have formed. You should now see a purl bump in the project yarn that you can pick up as the last stitch in the round. The purl bump may have stretched straight from the tug of the needles and be hiding behind the waste yarn but it is there, right where the project yarn first crosses under the waste yarn. Be careful as you pick up and knit the purl bump so you don't pull out the tail of the project yarn.
For Anonymous' question about elasticity... I haven't had any issues with elasticity using the same size needle for the cast on as for the sock ribbing. My gauge when purling the first two rows with project yarn is slightly tighter than when I knit the ribbing. You may need to change the size of the needle you use for the two purl rows to achieve a stitch size slightly smaller than that of the ribbing stitches. If the purl gauge is too tight, you will lose elasticity; too loose and the edge will flare.
This is a brilliant hack for a tubular cast on! Thank you so much for sharing and creating this post/tutorial!! ~~sara
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