I’m just wondering, is there such a thing as a way to cast on that would essentially make active stitches, to be left on stitch holders or waste yarn, which could be grafted together later by Kitchener stitch using the tail end? A very long tail end of course…
If not, is it a case of casting on without a slip knot, knitting an extra row, and ripping out that row in some way?
Just wondering, because Kitchener stitch fascinates me and I’d love to be able to make such invisible and strong seams on things. I want to knit microwaveable rice hand warmers, among other things, and if I could Kitchener one end, fill them with rice, and Kitchener the other end too, I’d be soooo happy!
Provisional cast on. That’s what you’re asking about. Amy has a video in the Free Videos for one way, if you go to youtube and search for [I]knitting provisional cast on[/I] you’ll find many others. My personal preferred version is Judy’s Magic Cast On, I’ve never tried the one where you pick up stitches on a crochet chain but have use the crochet cast on that puts stitches on the needle.
Kitchener stitching is great for where you want the knitting to appear totally uninterrupted and want no seams such as toes on socks or joining two pieces that have been knit from the center out or as you ask about to close the top seamlessly. For a hand warmer you might want to start with a cast on such as is used for toe up socks and just start working in the round leaving the Kitchener stitch for closing the top. I would use Judy’s Magic Cast On but there are many others, Turkish cast on, figure 8, etc.
HTH
Wonderful, thank you! I have much homework to do. I like the idea of avoiding seams as much as possible, both for the sake of appearance and for durability of the garment, and where it’s impossible to avoid seams I want the strongest and least visible seams possible.
Thank you for sharing more of your wisdom with me GG! 
Words of wisdom. Hey, that sounds pretty good. Thank you. Anything I know I either learned here at KH, or learned how to do it better. Are you familiar with the 3-needle bind off for making seams? It comes in really handy and can avoid having to do a seam in places like shoulders where the stability of a seam is desired. You’re not alone in avoiding seams as much as possible. I do it and so do some others here.
Happy knitting!
Three needle BO Continental
Three needle BO English
I would love to see your hand warmers if you want to post a photo.
Just thinking of the irony that I’m working slowly on a sweater whose seams are part of the fashionable design. lol… but the super fuzzy, grippy yarn (which is why it’s taking so damn long to knit) leaves me with not much worry regarding how well the seams hold up. But I’d still rather avoid them!
I have heard of the three-needle bind-off, I’m certainly looking forward to having an excuse to use it! All these techniques are stupidly exciting to me 
Sadly I’ve not been able to get images to work 
I’d love to be able to gawk at everyone else’s projects too and get inspired!
I’d love to be able to gawk at everyone else’s projects too and get inspired!