Ribbed cast-on

How-to Questions
1

I’m just re-learning after many years away from knitting. Yesterday I tried this ribbed cast-on for the first time.


There are several other videos with the same technique but they all seem to do it so easily.

That twist with each stitch to move it to the left needle makes it too tight, even if you’re trying to be looser. The purls are agonizing because the yarn refuses to go through or the needle splits it. It took me well over an hour to cast on 80 stitches, although the result is very nice. But it’s not as stretchy as the video shows.

Is there an easier way for a beginner to do ribbed and/or stretchy cast-on? BTW–I knit English style.

2

I think you’re just pulling the stitches too tight. You have to keep the stitches loose when doing a cable cast on no matter how you do it.

I use this cast on for socks and other things that need to be stretchy. It’s called Twisted German Cast-on, but it’s not ribbed.
http://www.knittinghelp.com/apps/flash/video_player/play/33/1
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/learn/tgcaston.htm

3

Is it necessary to twist the stitch the way the video shows?

It doesn’t have to be ribbed, as stretchy is fine. No one spends a lot of time studying your cast-on. I’ll give it a go.

Any other candidates that are less complex?

4

Right, you can use any cast on, just keep it loose, which means don’t pull the yarn tight. For the LT cast on, that’s controlled by the thumb yarn, and not snugging the sts really close on the needle.

5

I looked and yes, they all “twist” the stitch when they put it back on the needle. However, I think by doing it that way you actually are creating an untwisted stitch which is why you can knit normally on the first row after cast on.

Look on YouTube and type in cable cast on, ribbed cast on or whatever and you’ll get lots of videos for cast ons. We also have a lot of videos here at the tab at the top of the page.

6

For the cuff of a ribbed cap, there is no “loose enough,” because it has to stretch around my head and ears, yet not look limp.

Just tried the Longtail CO video here, and I like it. Thanks to you both.

7

This twisted German cast on is my favorite. I use it when I’m casting on for mitten and hat cuffs. It stretches and helps to get them on better, especially for children.

8

Thanks, fatold. I try several methods of everything, and then decide on a favorite.

9

I also knit english style… I use this cast on for mitts, socks and hats… I just love it… This site will not let me post the link so I suggest go to You Tube and type this in the search area “Very Stretchy Cast-on for Double and Single Ribbing by Tillybuddy”

This is such a quick cast on… once you get to know how to do it… looks a lot more complicated than it is…

10

I believe everyone else is posting links. If you have a problem, type “dot” instead of [B].[/B]

That’s the video I chose, lori51. I do it that way now.

11

In order to cut down on spammers, Sheldon put a restriction on new members so they couldn’t post links. I think lori51 is past the restriction so you could try now if that was the reason you couldn’t post one before. You can edit your post.

12

I already had it bookmarked: :slight_smile:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf8cY_djTRI The woman is verbose, and the actual cast-on begins at 3:30.

13

Oh I agree…and its my video…sorry about that! I’m an inexperienced amateur videographer and I do tend to over explain things! I want to replace it but you can’t do that and keep the same URL. I will make a shorter/better version and link to that from the verbose version to redirect people at some point.

14

Glad to meet you, Tillybuddy, and I’m a little embarrassed. It’s a wonderful video just the same. I just named my bookmark accordingly: “3:30 Tillybuddy stretchy cast-on.”

Does YT let you withdraw a video? Otherwise you can cut the front off in a video editing program.

Do you have your own website? Do you knit professionally?

15

Pleased to meet you too and don’t be embarrassed, it made me laugh. You can remove videos but the advice I found on YT is to link the new to the old if you make an updated video and want to keep existing comments and links. I’m thinking of making a website but I’m not a professional knitter.

16

I just used your cast-on on a hat, and it’s great. I see you’ve added a note about 3:20. You have to figure how long a viewer wants to sit to see a technique. If they’re too long, you lose your audience. On the other hand, if it’s long because it’s repeating the steps, then it’s valuable.

Re: keeping comments–sometimes the comments are rude or obscene. If you get only constructive ones, you’re lucky. There’s a wonderful knitter named Alison, and the comments under one of her videos are really disgusting.

17

Yes I added the note quite early on as I realised it was too long. I’ve had good feedback so far through YT and Ravelry thankfully (am I tempting fate) and making and posting the videos has been interesting and taught me a lot for the next time. Glad you like the cast-on too.