Thursday, July 17, 2014

2X2 Ribbing Circular Cast On

It's no big secret I like making socks.  Main reasons, they take little time and I can make them without having to think so it makes it a great stress reliever.

Having received many questions about my sock knitting method I thought I would share my favorite way to make a neat and tidy rolled edge on the cuff of a sock.  This is tried and true for the 2x2 rib in the 2x1 needle arrangement which normally has a malformed cast on edge (due to the method needed to cast on).

Long ago, I found a better way to start a sock and the circular cast on for this needle arrangement.

With needles selected, pitch H, rack to 4, and ready to knit on all needles, set ribber slide lever to I (to the left).  Don't forget to add one end needle on the left hand side of ribber (needle arrangement will look like this):

                                         ll ll ll ll ll ll
                                         l ll ll ll ll ll

Cast on at T0 from right to left, hang ribber comb and weight(s).  Set carriages for circular knitting.  I always set my ribber carriage to knit to the right and slip to the left (most all machine knitters set their ribber carriage to slip to the right!).  Change to T1 and set ribber slide lever to ll.  Knit three circular rows.  Carriage is on right.

Take the extra needle on left side of ribber out of work and transfer that stitch up to the MB.

Leave in H pitch and rack back to 5.  Set ribber carriage slide lever back to l, set both carriages to knit all needles.  The needles arrangement should look like this:

                                      ll ll ll ll ll ll
                                       ll ll ll ll ll

Change to appropriate ribbing tension, continue knitting rib.  Once you are finished knitting, take a thin long needle or double eyed transfer tool and run it through the zig zag row and gently tug on the stitches to align and set them.  Your edge will look like the photo.