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ctbab
New Pal
5 Posts |
 Posted - 03/14/2009 : 8:24:46 PM
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| What is the recommended cast on method for top down socks? My first were too tight at the top. How can I loosen it up and have a nice stretchy top? |
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liblady1820
Chatty Knitter
156 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2009 : 8:45:42 PM
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| I always do a long tail cast on for socks. |
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Jane
SustaYning Member
USA
4299 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2009 : 05:03:18 AM
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I do a long tail, too, and I make sure the stitches aren't pulled up tight against each other -- a gap about the width of the yarn keeps it nice and stretchy.
Jane
Betty needs a warm hat: Support KR
Blog: Not Plain Jane
Photos: My Flickr Album
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jtamsn
Permanent Resident
USA
1585 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2009 : 06:11:49 AM
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I do a cable cast on for everything (I learned that way and just dont "get" anything else). Usually I cast on with a size larger needle..Works for me.
judy |
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kaidyd
Chatty Knitter
USA
196 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2009 : 06:43:58 AM
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| I use the Twisted German Cast On. I do it over two needles because I tend to cast on too tightly otherwise. It works great and is stretchy. Very similar to the long tail so it is easy to learn. Here is a link to a YouTube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfFadEumBak |
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arlinem
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
442 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2009 : 08:02:41 AM
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| a tubular cast on is very stretchy. it's best done back & forth for 2 rows and that little bit will need to be sewn up. there was a recent discussion thread on it so you might be able to find it doing a search. |
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Shalee
Permanent Resident
USA
2026 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2009 : 1:09:08 PM
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I used to do the long tail and then tried the knitted cast on. Wonderful stretch and nice looking edge using the knitted cast on.
Sharon in NW PA
I always wanted my own library but I didn't realize it would be all knitting books!
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knittingrunner
Seriously Hooked
USA
797 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2009 : 2:10:26 PM
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I too do a knitted cast on, on size 2 needles, then I do my ribbing on size 1 (as a rule).
Best trick I know is: once you've joined the stitches in the round; exchange the first and last stitch to avoid both gap and an 'unbuttoned' looking first row.
Naps can always be improved by adding a cat. |
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ceecee
Permanent Resident
1896 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2009 : 3:52:36 PM
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| Another vote for the Twisted German. That's a great video posted by kaidyd. I think I learned it from More Sensational Knitted Socks and it took me several re-readings of the instructions to get it right. |
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PBELKNAP
Permanent Resident
USA
1127 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2009 : 06:16:27 AM
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quote:
Best trick I know is: once you've joined the stitches in the round; exchange the first and last stitch to avoid both gap and an 'unbuttoned' looking first row.
Wow! What a great idea! Thanks!
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PAM
WIP = Socks (knit), Cot'n Corn Eyelet Rib Top (knit), Armenius Sweater (knit)
Done YTD: Shadow Jacket (crochet), Snowflake Sweater (knit), Round Ripple Afghan (crochet)
Twitter Name = WildKnitter
If I could only do this for a living... |
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Sticks and String
Permanent Resident
USA
1113 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2009 : 07:02:31 AM
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When knitting top-down socks with DPNs and using whichever cast on is preferred or called for in the pattern, I usually have my students cast all the stitches onto one needle and then knit them onto the 3 or 4 DPNs to begin the sock. Seems to work better for them than casting onto 3 or 4 DPNs and juggling them to join and begin.
Jo |
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Ratbag
Chatty Knitter
United Kingdom
318 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2009 : 11:43:36 AM
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I had the same problem. So now I cast on using two needles held together and work the first row off these two needles, then split the stitches and work in the round. My cuffs are fantastic now and don't have that tight line you know is going to dig into the leg.
Sandra
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it |
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fiddlerbird555
Permanent Resident
USA
1429 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2009 : 11:21:28 AM
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I've tried casting on to two needles, long-tail, cable, knit-on, reverse-e. But to me, it seems to make no particular difference. Any one of these, I can do too tight, or consciously make sure to do loose enough.
I rather like doing the first row straight before starting to knit in the round, but I'm not fussy about a little notch in the end, anyway.
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I can go loopy, or I can knit. Your choice. |
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peggity
Chatty Knitter
USA
116 Posts |
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adaknits
New Pal
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2009 : 9:55:40 PM
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| For my own socks, I will use the long-tail cast-on over two needles, then remove one of the needles, join the round, and go from there. For my classes, I am beginning to teach students to cast on (long-tail method) over a needle that is at least 2 sizes bigger than their sock needles, then transfer the cast-on sts to their sock. needles |
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Kyrstellaine
New Pal
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2009 : 10:38:03 PM
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My latest favorite cast on for ribbing is the version of tubular cast on shown here: http://ysolda.com/wordpress/pictorial-guides/double-rib-tubular-cast-on/
Contrary to what she says, I've found it quite possible to work this in the round. The first round works half the stitches and slips the other half, and the second slips the half worked the first time and works the half slipped the first time. Before discovering this one, I used the version of the cabled cast on where you alternately purl and knit between the last two stitches on the left hand needle. (If that one has a name, I don't know it).
I've struggled with the "switch the first and last stitch" method of hiding the jog - I prefer to cast on an extra stitch, and knit (or purl, depending on pattern) it together with the first stitch when joining in the round.
If I'm teaching someone, though, I like either the long tail or knitted on cast on.
Ravelry: Kyrstellaine |
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KrazyKim
Chatty Knitter
USA
240 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2009 : 01:41:36 AM
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ctbab, can you undo your cast on and knit a new cuff, using a stretchy bind off? I use the "Invisible" Bind Off when knitting toe-up socks.
For casting on a cuff down sock, I'm also a huge fan of the Old Norwegian Cast-On that Peggy recommended.
Both of these methods were mentioned in the "Twisted Sisters Sock" book, which is the book I first learned from and go to most often for all around basic sock knitting info. They have a pretty "Tulip" cast-on that I really like. Now, if I could only find something like that for a cast-off..., since I prefer toe-up socks!
Kim, Playa del Rey, CA |
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sockjoan
Warming Up
Australia
50 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2009 : 01:50:56 AM
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| I use the k1, p1 version of cabled cast-on mentioned by Krystellaine, worked fairly loosely. This looks almost identical to tubular cast-on, but doesn't have the tightening effect of those slipped stitches. I now do my socks two-at-a-time with the Magic Loop method, but find it easier to do the cast-on for each sock on a separate needle and then unite them in the first row. I used to use two-end cast-on, but found it hard to judge just how much tail was needed - and it's horrible to have to start again because you've run out of tail at 58 sts and you were wanting 64! The "tubular look" k1, p1 cast-on looks good on any rib at the top of your sock; I don't like k1, p1 rib much and generally use at least k2, p2; my current pair of socks is on k4, p2. I'm using this rib for the entire leg and also the top of the foot. |
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bullwinkle
New Pal
30 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2009 : 02:13:53 AM
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Sundara (of Sundara Stitches) once had a tip to cast on the regular number of stitches with two strands of yarn, then drop down to one. I use a knitted cast on, with both ends of the skein, and then drop a strand.
The first time (o.k. every single time) I do this, I think the sock is going to be way too big. But I have learned to not rip it out and just knit for an inch or so, and it sorts itself out. |
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polarsmom2@earthlink.net
New Pal
1 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2009 : 07:17:06 AM
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 I just started a new pair of socks from the Favorite Socks book by Interweave. One of the patterns by Ann Budd uses a 1x1 Rib Cast-on. Had to play with it for a while, but I like it. The top is comfortably loose. Usually I use a long-tail cast on for top down socks and just make sure it isn't too tight. That has worked well for me. |
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pjuska@midmaine.com
New Pal
3 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2009 : 09:49:34 AM
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| I use one size larger needles to cast on stitches then I change to the right size needles and knit one round before starting the ribbing. This seems to give a smidge extra width at the top of the sock followed by a slight amount of reinforcement. The knit round all but disappears as the ribbing pattern develops. Happy knitting! |
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What kind of cast on/cast on tricks?
