Tubular

7 Small Shawls: T - 149 days and counting down.

Here it is, demonstrated on my Maia fingerless mitt in green! My very favorite stretchy cast on for socks, mitts and hats: often called "tubular" or "kitchener" cast on. It gives a beautiful finished edge.

Start with a provisional cast on of half the stitches you wish to use. IOW, if you want to cast on 30 stitches, provisionally cast on 15 using a smooth cotton waste yarn. I like crocheting directly onto the knitting needle. It makes the last step, where you will remove the provisional cast on, easier.

Most times when you use a provisional cast on, you will be picking up the stitches to knit the other direction. Not in this case. Here, it is just to hold the stitches for the time being. I will be doing the cast on in the round, so the first step is to provisionally cast on to one double pointed needle.

I then pick up stitches and distribute them onto four dpns as I go, thus: [k1, yo] repeat to end.

It looks messy for a bit, but do not despair. As long as you don't twist the cast on when you join, you'll be fine.

On the second row, you will be slipping the knitted stitches with yarn in back, and purling the yarn-overs.

After that is a row of [k1, sl1 purlwise wyif] repeat to end. When these three rows are finished, you can do whatever ribbing pattern you wish. Mine here is one by two garter ribbing.

As soon as you have knit those three rows, you can remove the provisional cast on with no problem. Here, I just kept knitting because I felt like it. :)

Now remove the knot from the end of the crochet chain. If the chain does not now unravel when you pull on it, you have used the incorrect end. Now worries; just try the other end. You're looking for the one that will unravel easily.

Keep pulling, the chain will unravel all the way around,

leaving a strand of waste yarn through the initial row of stitches.

Pull this out, et voila! It's magic! (But I have to say I was really nervous the first time I did this.)

Once you see how marvelously stretchy this cast on is, you will never want to use another for socks and mitts!

Drive by swim meet report: the boys had a fantastic meet this past weekend! #1 Son got his first 11/12 A time in the 500 yard freestyle and pulled off a stunning anchor leg in the 200 IM relay where he caught a bigger kid who was half a pool length in front of him. He is a real team player, and we were all so proud! Da Bear got his first ever A time in the 8 and under 25 yard freestyle and he's 2 seconds away from a PRT (Pacific Recognition Time). This is very good. Especially since he only turned 7 in March! They both came to play, and it was an awesome meet. They have come a long way!