Draft
Knit and Purl Rib Cast On
A quick cast on that places knits and purls as you go.
3 min videoGood for ribbing
The knit and purl rib cast on is a version of the knitted on cast on made for ribbing. You knit one stitch on, then purl the next one on, so the knits and purls of the rib are already in place when you work the first row.
It is simple once you have the hang of it, and you can alternate in any repeat your ribbing needs, two and four as easily as one and one. The edge is very stretchy and has a little of the look of a tubular cast on without the trouble of making one.
The bottom stitches do stretch out, so the ribbing is a little more open along the edge. A smaller needle for the cast on helps.
1 Knit the first stitch on
Put a slip knot on the main needle. Knit into it with the working needle, draw the loop through, and place that new stitch onto the main needle, the same as a knitted on cast on.
2 Purl the next stitch on
Now purl into that stitch instead, draw the loop through, and place it on the main needle.
3 Knit one, purl one, keep going
Alternate a knit stitch and a purl stitch all the way across. You can match any rib. For a two by four rib, knit two on and purl four on, and so on.
4 Keep count as you go
Count your stitches now and then and check which one you made last, so the next one is the right kind. If you left off with a knit, purl the next.