Tubular Cast-On TUTE

[mk_carroll]

update Sept. 07: Photo links are broken!  
I'm working on taking new photos but that might be awhile - there are other tutorials out there, fortunately.

TUTE for Tubular Cast-On

This is kind of a rough draft - I'm posting this tute on my weblog as backup for a pattern that I'm selling, and I want to make sure it's understandable.  The tute on the weblog is pretty much the same, except that it has photos you can click on to get an enlarged version - if I made the pics in this tute bigger, it would take forever to load.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcotcld.jpg
smooth, rounded edge
This is a great cast-on if you need a stretchy hem, especially with 1x1 ribbing. It's a beautiful, smooth, rounded edge . There is a matching bind off (still working on that tute, check out the Reader's Digest Knitters Handbook by Montse Stanley for a couple of versions). You'll need to start it on needles about 2-3 sizes smaller than the needles that will be used for the rest of the project, and will have to work it over an uneven number of stitches (you can do a decrease or increase after changing to the bigger needles if you need to). I recommend doing a swatch to determine how many sizes smaller you want to go.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcotmat.jpg
Materials:
waste yarn (mercerized cotton is my preference, anything smooth and slippery will do), about 4 times the length of the final cast-on
crochet hook (I use a size G for projects on US 5 - US 8 needles)
yarn as called for in the pattern
safety pin
knitting needles: in the size called for in the pattern for the body of the piece
knitting needles: 2 - 3 sizes smaller than the needles used for the body of the piece

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot1.jpg
needle under the "bump"
1. With waste yarn and crochet hook, crochet a chain of at least 4 more than the required number of stitches. Pull end through and mark (a safety pin is good). There are two sides to the chain: the side that looks like a braid and the side with a row of bumps running down the center. You want the bumpy side facing up and the marker to your right.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot2.jpg
first stitch picked up, yarn over in progress
2. Using the smaller size knitting needles, begin at the marked end and work to the left. Skip two chains (bumps) and pick up a stitch under the third bump. *YO, bringing the yarn under the needle from front to back. Pick up a stitch under the next bump. Repeat from * until you have the required number of stitches on the needle.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot3.jpg
required number of stitches picked up

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcotbackview.jpg
closeup view: the stitches with the purl bumps are the ones knitted on the previous row]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcotclo.jpg
in progress: stitches with purl bumps are the ones which were knitted on the previous row, and therefore will be slipped on this row

3. Work at least the first 2 rows as follows:
Row 1: *slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, k1* [slip the knitted stitches and knit the slipped stitches from the previous row]
Row 2: [knit the slipped stitches and slip the knitted stitches from the previous row]
repeat rows 1 and 2 as desired

4. After working the first two rows of the cuff, you can pick out the waste yarn crochet chain. It’s easier if you start from the marked end of the chain - undo the last chain and start pulling the waste yarn out.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot4.jpg
unpick the first crochet stitch

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot5.jpg
start pulling the waste yarn

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot6.jpg
keep pulling

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot7.jpg
done!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot8.jpg
You will now switch to the larger size needles. I'm using needles made of different materials so that you can see which is the smaller needle (bamboo) and which is the larger (steel) - use whatever needles you want, so long as they are the correct size.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot9.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot10.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/mizunablog/tcot11.jpg

[lisacb]

Thank you for posting this! I haven't used this cast on before but I'm going to try it for my next pair of socks.

[craftykate]

I've tried to learn this about 5 times now. I think your tute might work for me. Thanks!

[tinybits]

thanks for the great tutorial.. it is very clear and helpfull for the newbies like myself (i am still on the stage of horrible cast on and double horrible cast offs  )

i think this would look good on especially hats , oh for everything..

[mk_carroll]

i think this would look good on especially hats , oh for everything..

It is AWESOME for hats that have a ribbed cuff.  With stockinette, it still has a tendency to curl if you only work the slip stitch pattern for a few rows - doing an entire cuff in the slip stitch pattern will keep it from rolling and provide a double layer of warmth.  Cozy!  Takes more yarn, though, so don't forget that if you are adapting a pattern.