cable cast on for 3x1 ribbing in the round

Hi all
SPECIFICALLY for knitting in the round:
does anyone know how to cable cast on for 3x1 (knit3, purl1) ribbing in the round?
Apparently it isn’t as simple as just doing 3 knit cast on followed by 1 purl.
Also, all videos I have watched so far are for flat knitting and they do show how to cable cast on for 2x2 but it doesn’t apply to knitting in the round because there is the problem of arranging your stitches so that you start on the correct ne once turning the work which, obviously doesn’t apply to in the round.
Thanks in advance!

You should be able to cast on a multiple of 4 in the round. Have you tried this and it isn’t working?
You might try a relatively small number of sts on dpns or magic loop if that works for you.

Hello
I wasn’t sure which part of the casting on you were having trouble with so I went and looked at several videos on this and my conclusion is that many of the videos are just plain confusing which is perhaps the problem?

You mention arranging stitches and I’ve now seen a few videos where, for a reason I do not know, they cast on with p, k, p, k but then do a 2 x 2 rib and move the stitches around because they are in the wrong order. I can’t fathom why they are doing this. It’s totally possible to cast on k2, p2 which requires no rearrangement of stitches on row 1.

You can cast on k3, p1, k3, p1 using the cable cast on.
As the stitches are produced on the left needle with cable cast on and you need them on the right needle for joining in the round you can either:

  • Work the cast on as the WS row p3 k1 then turn, join and continue to work (k3 p1)
    Or
  • work the cast on as k3 p1 and do not turn, just work 1 row, knit the knits purl the purls, and join at the end of round 1. There will be a small jog at the join which is covered nicely in roxanne richardsons video

Note rox is not using an alternating cable cast on but you absolutely can and still use the refinements.
One of the refinements is to cast on an extra 2 stitches, this is so the first 2 cast on (a slip knot and a knit cast on) can be removed at the ned of row 1 and you still have the correct number of stitches.
If you have the extra 2 it will be slip knot, knit cast kn 1, cable cast on k3 p1 across. Work back to last 2 stitches and drop them off the needle, join in the round.
The video covers the little jog too.

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First, I rarely use a cable cast on, just so you know, but I do cast on in pattern. I see no reason it shouldn’t work just fine. You’d simply distribute the stitches as needed and be sure the stitch you want to start with (a knit?) is the first one on the needle. I’d do this with magic loop and not be concerned about having the exact same number of stitches on front and back needles. With dpn you would have to do your own figuring out of how many stitches you want/need on each needle and where best to split them. The bor doesn’t have to be the first stitch on the needle so that might help. I don’t see how in this case it would but maybe.

Good info. You posted while I was thinking and typing or I might not have bothered. :upside_down_face:

I cast on for various set ups of rib ITR but I usually use a German twisted/Old Norwegian cast on. The distribution of stitches on however many needles doesn’t have to be the same number on each needle. I think that might be at least part of the hang up.