Some knitting methods are amazingly versatile. With or without minor adjustments, they can help us in many different ways.
Tubular cast on (and its simplified variation – Italian cast on) is one of those methods. It is perfect for casting on stitches for regular 1×1 ribbing (here’s a tutorial that shows how exactly it happens), and it works remarkably well for forming invisible cast-on edges in projects worked in double knitting, corrugated rib, and two-colour brioche.
All we need to do is use two strands of yarn in different colours as we form the first set of stitches on our needles.
The difference between the Italian and the tubular cast-on methods is in the setup rows. Italian cast on does not need them, but when we want to make the edge slightly rounded and keep it from stretching too much, we work two setup rows before we work the first row or round of the main fabric.
These setup rows form a tiny tube, turning a simple Italian cast-on edge into a more elaborate tubular one.
Because we slide stitches to the other tip of the needle after we work the first setup row, use double-pointed or circular needles if you plan to give your edge a tubular treatment.
Whether we choose to make setup rows or not, we can work using yarn in two colours right after we cast on stitches, making the edge flow seamlessly into the main fabric.
Let’s see how we can use this method to make a sleek two-colour edge.
STEP 1 – SETUP
Align two strands of yarn in different colours and tie them in a slip knot.
1.1. Place the slip knot on a knitting needle and hold this needle and the yarn tails in your right hand.
This slip knot is temporary. Its task is to keep two strands together and to prevent the first stitches that we are about to cast on from unravelling. We won’t count this slip knot as a stitch, and usually it gets unravelled after the first row or round.
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1.2. Place one strand of yarn on your left thumb and the other strand on your left index finger. Hold both strands with your left middle, ring, and little fingers the same way we do when we use the long-tail cast-on method.
Now we are ready to cast on stitches in two colours.
STEP 2 – MAKING A KNIT STITCH
2.1. Place the knitting needle underneath the strand stretched between your left thumb and the needle.
2.2. Then place the needle on top of the strand stretched between your left index finger and the needle.
2.3. Tilt the needle down, catching that strand, and move the needle towards you, bringing that strand from under the strand that sits on your left thumb.
We’ve just formed a knit stitch in the colour of the strand that sits on your left index finger.
STEP 3 – MAKING A PURL STITCH
3.1. Place the needle underneath the strand that sits on your left index finger.
3.2. Move the needle so that it sits on top of the strand that is stretched between the needle and your left thumb.
3.3. Tilt the needle down to catch that strand, then move the needle away from you, bringing the strand from underneath the strand that sits on your left index finger.
The little wrap at the bottom of the newly formed stitch tells us that this stitch is a purl. Because this stitch is formed by the other strand, it is in a different colour than the previous stitch that we cast on.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to cast on as many stitches as you need for your project. The colour of the stitches should alternate – one stitch in colour A, then one stitch in colour B, and so on.
After you cast on the last stitch, twist the strands at the bottom of that stitch to keep it from unravelling as you turn the work.
If the first row of your project starts by knitting the first stitch, finish casting on stitches after you work step 3. If the first row starts with a purl, stop after you work step 2.
Even when your project is seamless, it is a good idea not to join the stitches for working in the round right away. The stitches we formed are no more than a set of fragile wraps that get messed up when we try to arrange them for working in the round.
If you cast on stitches for a double-knitting project, a shawl worked in two-colour brioche, or any other item that does not need a slightly less elastic edge, turn your work and knit and purl stitches of the first row as instructed in your pattern.
When you turn the work, you will see that all knit stitches sit on the knitting needle with their right leg at the back of the needle. That’s why, in the first row, we knit every knit stitch through the back loop.
The purl stitches are not affected, so we purl them as usual, through the front loop.
After you work the last stitch of the first row, unravel the slip knot.
Turn your work and continue to follow the pattern. If your project is worked in the round, now is the time to arrange stitches on double-pointed or circular needles.
There will be a tiny gap at the beginning of the round, but this gap is easy to fix with one or two overhand stitches when you weave in the cast-on tails later on.
TUBULAR CAST ON
If you cast on stitches for a project that is prone to stretching out – like a beanie made in two-colour brioche, for example – it is better to work two setup rows before you start to form the main fabric.
For reasons explained above, we work these rows back and forth, even if a project is seamless.
SETUP ROW 1
1.1a. With the strand in the same colour as the knit stitches, knit one stitch through the back loop.
1.2a. Then bring the yarn to the front of the work and slip the next stitch (it will be a purl) from the left needle to the right needle. Do it purlwise, inserting the tip of the right needle into the stitch from right to left.
Repeat this sequence – knitting the knits through the back loop and slipping the purls with the yarn in front of the work – until you get to the end of the row.
If you cast on an odd number of stitches and the first stitch of this row is a purl, bring the strand in the same colour as the knit stitches to the front of the work, and slip the first stitch purlwise to the right needle. Then repeat steps 1.1a and 1.2a to the end of the row.
Finally, bring the yarn to the back of the work and move the slip knot from the left needle to the right needle.
We are not ready to unravel the slip knot yet because half of the stitches (including the last stitch) are still fragile yarn wraps.
SETUP ROW 2
This row is worked with the strand in the other colour, but right now, it is hanging at the other side of the project.
To get to that strand, we slide all stitches to the other tip of the needle.
We can’t do it when we work on single-pointed needles. That’s why it is important to use double-pointed or circular needles when we cast on stitches using the two-colour tubular cast-on method.
2.1a. With the yarn at the back of the work, slip the knit stitch from the left needle to the right needle. Do it purlwise, without twisting the stitch.
2.2a. Bring the yarn to the front of the work and purl the next stitch. It should be a stitch in the same colour as the yarn.
Repeat these steps to the end of the row.
Now all stitches are secured and we can confidently drop the slip knot and unravel it.
The cast on is finished. Turn your work or arrange stitches for working in the round if you are making a seamless project, and follow the pattern instructions for the first row or round of your project.
Whether you choose to work the setup rows or not, you will see that the cast-on edge seamlessly blends in with the main fabric, making your project fully reversible.
SAVE IT FOR LATER
This and 26 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #9.
