Stretchy Rib Cast On
September 13, 2007
This was adapted from a free Regia leaflet, called “Sock Pattern & How-to-knit Guide”. The instructions for the cast on in the leaflet made no sense to me at all. For example, the complete instructions for Round 2 read “*slip the K stitch purlwise yarn at front of work rep from *” – exactly like that, no punctuation or anything. As far as I can see, all it’s telling you to do is slip all the stitches in the round, so basically you’re doing absolutely nothing apart from moving stitches from one needle to another. So here we go with my interpretation which actually works (and, I hope, makes sense!).
Stretchy Rib Cast on for Top Down Socks
Cast on HALF the number of stitches required for the cuff using a contrasting waste yarn. My sock pattern needed 64 stitches altogether, so I cast on 32 stitches.
Now continue with your sock yarn.
Round 1: *Knit 1, yarn over needle. Repeat from * arranging knit stitches and made stitches (the yarn overs) across your 3 or 4 double pointed needles.
Round 2: *Yarn at back, slip the knit stitch purlwise. Yarn at front, purl the made stitch. Repeat from * making sure you include the very last made stitch at the end of the round.
Round 3: *Yarn at back, knit 1. Yarn at front, slip purl stitch purlwise. Continue from * to end of round
Round 4: * Yarn at back, slip knit stitch purlwise. Yarn at front, purl 1. Continue from * to the end of the round.
Now continue with normal knit 1 purl 1 rib as set. Remove the waste yarn.
When I first figured this out, I really didn’t believe that it would work. I was convinced that when I removed the waste yarn I would be left with open stitches. So, I knitted just 2 rounds of normal ribbing after the 4 cast on rounds, then removed the waste – see the picture above. If you try my version you might like to do the same, just in case…. far better to undo a few rounds than knit a complete sock with a wrecked cast on edge!
And here’s the yarn I’m using, Lana Grossa Maya Cotton which is 45% cotton, 42% wool, 13% nylon.
October 12, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Thank you so much for this, I’ve been looking for instructions like this for a long time!
December 29, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Fantastic!!!
This is very similar (and produces an identical result) to the tubular cast on, but it’s so much easier to work! Thank you!
How you got from the regia instructions to your brilliant method I don’t know, but you’ve done knitters everywhere a great service
January 9, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Yay, thanks!
When do you join the stitches, though? I did it when I started with the sock yarn, I don’t know if that was right, but it worked.
March 10, 2009 at 1:54 am
Thank you very much for this! It is just a brilliant and lovely cast on, and so simple! Thank you for sharing!
CinderLisa @ Ravelry
March 18, 2009 at 1:54 am
Thanks so much! This was just what I needed. I shared the link with my mom on facebook, too.