Draft
Cast Ons for Ribbing
Stretchy, tidy edges for cuffs, hems and necklines.
Ribbing is where the everyday cast on shows its limits. A cuff has to stretch over a hand or a heel and come back, and the edge has to look like the ribbing continues to the end rather than stopping at a line. These cast ons do one or both of those things.
The simplest ones set the knits and purls up as you go, so the rib starts on the first row. The stretchy ones, the super stretchy and the Tilly Buddy, give a cuff all the give it needs. The Italian cast on is the tubular one: a rounded, seamless edge that looks machine made, with a two colour version for colourwork and a provisional version when you want the tubular edge later.
Pick by how much stretch the edge needs. A hat brim needs some, a sock cuff needs a lot, and a sweater hem mostly needs to look good.
The methods, side by side
| Method | What it gives you | Good for | Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Rib Cast On | A cast on that sets up knit and purl columns for ribbing. | ribbing | 4 min |
| Super Stretchy Cast On | A cast on with a lot of give, for cuffs that have to go over heels and hands. | sock cuffs, mitten cuffs | 7 min |
| Tilly Buddy Stretchy Cast On for Ribbing | A stretchy cast on for ribbing that looks like the ribbing continues to the edge. | ribbing, sock cuffs | 3 min |
| One by One Rib Cast On | A cast on that alternates knit and purl stitches for 1x1 rib. | 1x1 rib | 8 min |
| Knit and Purl Rib Cast On | A quick cast on that places knits and purls as you go. | ribbing | 3 min |
| Alternating German Twisted Cast On | The German twisted cast on alternated for a rib edge with extra stretch. | ribbing, sock cuffs | 7 min |
| Alternate Cable Cast On | The cable cast on alternated between knit and purl for a firm rib edge. | ribbing | 1 min |
| Italian Cast On | A tubular cast on for 1x1 rib with a rounded, seamless edge. | 1x1 rib, sock cuffs, sweater hems | 6 min |
| Two Color Italian Cast On | The Italian cast on in two colours, for a two-colour rib edge. | colorwork, 1x1 rib | 5 min |
