Cast On Method

prettylittlelie · 03-04-2009, 12:08 PM

I am knitting socks

What is the best method of casting on?

globaltraveler · 03-04-2009, 05:37 PM

Toe up or cuff down? I've been researching for my first pair of socks, so I haven't had any experience with socks, but here's what I'm planning:

For toe up, I'm looking forward to using the Turkish/Eastern/Magic cast-on...fiddly to do, I'm told, but wonderful results. For cuff down, I just learned the German Twisted Cast-on, which is wonderful -- stretchy, strong, attractive. (I tried it on a pair of wristies yesterday.)

prettylittlelie · 03-04-2009, 05:44 PM

Cuff down. My cast on is always too tight, and i don't have the next size up to cast on with.

I'll take a peek at the second one and see if I can manage it

sue in canada · 03-04-2009, 06:08 PM

For my cuff down socks I always use the long tail cast on.

globaltraveler · 03-04-2009, 07:26 PM

The German Twisted Cast-on is a (slightly more complicated) variant of the Long Tail -- I really like it a lot!

prettylittlelie · 03-04-2009, 07:31 PM

i usually always use the long tail cast on... but its never stretchy
just tooo tight

globaltraveler · 03-04-2009, 07:43 PM

BTW, there's another tutorial on German cast-on here -- slightly easier because of the two different colors.

yarnpiggy · 03-04-2009, 08:50 PM

I use long tail cast on, but I do it over two needles held together.

knittingforty · 03-05-2009, 02:16 AM

I just started my first pair of socks and am using the old Norweigian cast-on (instructions in Getting Started knitting socks by Ann Budd)
It looks to be a variation of the long tail cast-on and is said to produce and edge that is firm AND elastic. This same book suggested that the long tail cast-on was an excellent choice provided it was worked loosely enough.

of troy · 03-05-2009, 04:53 PM

BEST is subjective.

what is best for me, might not be best for you!

first--are you knitting toe up (one set of cast ons!)
or cuff down (another set of cast ons!)

how many cast ons do you know (1? 2? a dozen?

are you willing to learn a new cast on?
(and are you adventurous? or do you find it hard to learn out side a class(room) with out some feed back?

cuff down?
Long tail--or better a long tail variation..
especially Norwegian (aka german, or twist)
(or maine--which is the same (result) but different (method!)

Open and closed long tail is nice too, especially with 2 by 2 ribbing

Channel Island cast on is good too..

but even a knit cast on, with picots (basiclly, cast on some (3 to 5, then bind off some (2 or 3) then cast on some more..
(slow, but all those little bumps made when you bind off add stretch!)

If you really want a great cast on, a tubular cast on is fantastic for sock cuffs (there are at least 6 ways to do a tubular cast on..

and don't forget cross wise knit bands (icord is the simplest, and lace is more complicated. (there are hundreds that can be used!) but these are options!

for toe up?
provisional
Magic (Judy's magic)
turkish
figure 8

you can google (or better search YOU TUBE) and find many tutorial (i have half a dozen or so!) for these and other cast ons..

the BEST cast on is the one you like best. (and only you can decide which one that is!)_