Hello,
I’m wondering if anyone out there who is familiar with the tubular cast on for 1x1 ribbing and 2x2 ribbing can tell me if there is a way they know of to do a tubular cast on for any other types of ribbing. I am trying to figure out how to do something like a 4x2 or 5x3 ribbing in the same style and so far I haven’t found much. I am pretty sure that I have seen sweaters that have it and other such things, but I don’t know how it’s done.
I hope someone out there could help.
Thanx.
I can’t help on this so I’m just bumping for ya. 
I checked this out in my Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques and it apparently can be worked with any stitch pattern you want.
I’ll copy what it says and you can see if you can work it out.
To Work
With needle size required for ribbing, and cotton yarn in a contrasing color, work chained cast on for half the number of required stitches, plus one. With the main color yarn, knit one row, purl one row, knit one row. With the purl side facing, *purl first stitch on knitting needle, insert the right needle from top to bottom under purl bar of main color buried in the contrasting color yarn three rows below. Place this stitch on the left needle by inserting the needle from front to back into the stitch, and knit the stitch in the front of the loop.
Repeat from *, end with purl one and no loop to pick up for another knit stitch. On next row, work knit one, purl one ribbing as established (this is considered the first row). Or work desired pattern on first row. If your pattern requires an even number of stitches, you can make up for the loss of the stitch after the ribbing is completed by working an increase.
I hope this gets you on your way!
Hey,
Thanx for the reply. I am very familiar with how to do that, and use it quite often but I am not sure it’s possible to do it with 4x2 or 5x3 because if you think of the purl stitches you have to pick up and transfer to the left needle, and if you think of the knit stitches you will knit directly off the left needle, you will end up with more purls left than knits. I don’t know what I’d do with all that extra stuff at the bottom that I didn’t pick up… I don’t know if you have any insight. I’ll give it another try, but if you have any idea how I can work it that would be really nice. Thanks a lot.
oh man i must be tired lol. I just read the bottom part again and it said to work the next row in any pattern you like, so I read it wrong. I thought that AS you were transfering the stitches, you had to make the pattern. Sorry about that. I have yet to try it and I’ll let you know how it works. Also, what I meant was that you’re picking up the KNITS, and just purling what’s already on the needle. I got it backwards. I’m a little tired but I think I know what to do and I will give it a shot. Thanx a lot for the help and I’ll let you know if I die or fly.
You’re more than welcome and I’m glad you figured it out. I’ve never done this, but now that I look at it I think I will try it one of these days.
I gave it a try. I’m not very impressed with the final result at all. It looks ugly. I tried a 5x3 ribbing after I did those instructions and it shows the 1x1 and there’s this bad looking clash of patterns going on at the bottom. I was really hoping that this would work but it looks terrible. I really am glad u messaged me tho and I appreciate it, but it really didn’t turn out very well at all. I can do it for 1x1 and 2x2 ribbing, but other than that I am outta luck.
If there is anything further someone might add about how to do this with any kind of ribbing, please let me know. It’s something I’d really appreciate.