Invisible Cast on - half-hitch cast on???

[pp2553]

I am starting a purse and the directions say to cast on using an invisible or half-hitch cast on--I saw the directions on the instructions for invisible but did not see the instructions for half-hitch--are they the same and what is the purpose. Thanks Patty

[Ingrid]

I've always thought that half-hitch was the same as backward loop. I don't know how invisible it is, but it doesn't create a stitch the way other cast-ons do.

[MrsDavis3]

I can answer part of your question, I think.

Invisible (AKA provisional) cast-on is used when you are going to need to free up the stitches of the cast-on row. I know it from the Moebius scarf pattern. You can free up the cast-on row back easily to weave, or put them on a needle and knit in the opposite direction from the original body.

I know how to make a half-hitch on a rope, but I've never heard the term used in knitting. I'll be watching this thread to find out.

[Ingrid]

If it is a provisional cast-on, somewhere down the line the pattern will tell you to remove it and put those stitches back on the needle. That will help narrow it down.

[janelanespaintbrush]

Although "invisible" could refer a provisional c/o, I think that in this case, they're probably asking for tubular (aka kitchener c/o). I say this because a provisional c/o would not really be interchangeable with half hitch. Caveat: if you're not starting out with single rib, then it's probably not tubular. If you are, then I'm almost positive that you want tubular.

Half hitch can refer to either backward loop (aka single) or long tail (aka double) c/o depending on the source.