Invisible Cast-On

From KnitWiki

Also known as a "provisional cast-on," this method of casting on can be easily taken out to reveal loose loops that can be picked up as stitches and worked in the other direction.

[edit] Benefits and Drawbacks

Because it creates the look of a continuously knit piece, this cast-on is used in toe-up socks and shawls or scarves with directional patterns that need to start from a center edge. Once it is taken out, the starting loops can either be directly knit from, or grafted to the working stitches to form a continuous tube of knitting.

[edit] Method

Holding the ends of a waste yarn and the working yarn, make an overhand knot. Place a needle between the two yarns, with the knot below, the waste yarn held underneath and parallel to the needle out to the right, and the working yarn up and in front of the needle. Bring the working yarn down behind the needle and in front of the waste yarn; up behind the waste yarn and over, up, then down in front of the needle; down behind the waste yarn; then up in front of the needle. Repeat for each two stitches. When desired number of stitches is reached, loosely fasten the waste yarn and work as usual with the working yarn.

To take out the provisional cast-on, unfasten the end of the waste yarn and carefully pull it out, picking up the now loose loops on a needle and working from the opposite direction of previous work.

This page requires photographs. Please add any suitable photos to this page.