If you are looking for a way to make a cast on edge that looks almost like stockinette stitch but does not curl, the tuck cast on method is a good option to try. It forms a beautiful edge with a 3D effect and a moderate stretch.
Even though this edge is quite thin, it does a great job keeping the stockinette fabric from curling up. This makes it perfect for trendy projects that celebrate the sleek beauty of stockinette.
This unusual edging is formed in three parts. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.
If you prefer to learn from a video tutorial:
PART 1
In this part, we’ll cast on stitches using the alternating long-tail cast on method.
1.1. Leave a tail that is at least three times as long as the future cast on edge. Then make a slip knot and place it on a knitting needle.
1.2. Take this needle in your right hand, and insert your left thumb and index fingers between the strands while you hold these strands with the rest of your left fingers. Make sure the yarn tail lies on your left thumb and the working yarn – on your left index finger.
This sling position is the same as the one we use with the [long-tail cast on method, but the cast on itself will be slightly different. To keep things simple, we’ll start with a part that is the same as the long-tail cast on.
1.3. Insert the tip of the right needle from the bottom up into the loop formed at the left thumb, and then pick the strand stretched between the needle and the left index finger.
1.4. Pull the strand through the loop, then take the thumb out of this loop.
1.5. Insert your left thumb and index fingers between the strands and pull them apart tightening the newly-created stitch.
Now comes a part that is different from the classic long-tail cast on.
1.6. Take the thumb out of the sling and move it around the yarn tail.
1.7. Insert the tip of the right needle from the top down into the loop formed at the thumb.
1.8. Pick the strand stretched between the right needle and your left index finger.
1.9. Pull this strand through the loop, remove your thumb from the loop, and tighten the stitch just as we did in step 1.5.
All these unusual steps are necessary to form a horizontal strand at the bottom of this pair of stitches.
This strand will be the key to making the last part of this cast on, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves and complete parts one and two first.
Repeat steps 1.3 through 1.9 to cast on as many stitches as you need for your project.
My swatch will be 10 stitches wide, so I cast on 10 stitches finishing with step 1.5.
Turn your work and move on to the second part of forming the tuck cast on.
PART 2
This part is simple – we’ll work in stockinette stitch for two rows.
2.1. Knit all stitches in one row.
2.2. Purl all stitches in the next row.
These two rows will form the amazing 3D look of the edging after we finish the last part of this cast on.
PART 3
This is the final step of the process – we’ll use the horizontal strands formed in part 1 to make a tuck that will puff up two rows we worked in step 2 giving the edge more volume and taming the stockinette curl.
3.1. If you cast on an even number of stitches, knit the first stitch.
If you have an odd number of stitches on your needles, skip this step and start with step 3.2.
Before we proceed, let’s find the horizontal strands that we formed in the first part.
With the knit side of the work facing you, rotate the fabric around the needle so that you can clearly see the wrong side of the work.
Look for long horizontal strands located between the two purl ridges and the cast on edge. I marked these strands with arrows in the above photo.
3.2. With the yarn at the back of the work, insert the tip of the right needle under the horizontal strand that is underneath the first stitch on the left needle. Go in the direction from the cast on edge towards the stockinette rows.
3.3. Place this strand on the tip of the left needle.
3.4. Insert the tip of the right needle from left to right into the first stitch on the left needle and into the picked strand.
3.5. Wrap the tip of the right needle with the yarn and pull it through knitting this stitch + strand duo together.
3.6. Knit one stitch.
Repeat steps 3.2 through 3.6 alternating knit stitches and stitches knitted together with picked up horizontal strands.
Continue to work on your project in any stitch pattern you like, or mix a few stitch patterns to create a more elaborate border.
To make the border featured in this photo, I purled all stitches for 1 row, knitted all stitches for 3 rows, purled all stitches for 1 row, and then worked in “knit 1, purl 1” ribbing for 2 rows before going back to the stockinette stitch.
If you’d like to use tuck cast on to start a seamless project, the easiest way to do it is to make the cast on back and forth as explained in parts 1 – 3 of this tutorial, and then join stitches for working in the round right after you finish the third step of the cast on.
When it is time to hide the tails, stitch the tiny gap at the beginning of the round with a couple of overhand stitches before you weave in the tail created after we finished the first step of the cast on.
SAVE IT FOR LATER:
This and 41 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #6.
