Lively Loop

Judy’s Magic Cast-On (for toes)

Toe-up socks, mittens from the tip, toys: a closed tip with no seam.

top needlebottom needleyarn wraps needles in turnsts of both needles face each other
1. Judy’s Magic Cast-On: two needles parallel, the yarn wraps the lower and upper needle in turn. The stitches on both needles are joined in a figure eight; the tip is closed with no seam
cast-on+4 incs at sidestoe grows from tip
2. Then the toe grows with increases: 2 on each side of the round, first every round, then every other round, until you reach the full foot circumference

How to do it

  1. Hold two needles parallel, one above the other. Measure a tail ≈ 3 × the cast-on length.
  2. Place a loop on the top needle. Tail over the index finger, working yarn over the thumb.
  3. The yarn from the index finger wraps the BOTTOM needle from below upward: a stitch on the bottom needle.
  4. The yarn from the thumb wraps the TOP needle: a stitch on the top needle. Alternate until each needle holds half the stitches.
  5. Rotate the needles, holding the tail. Knit the stitches on the top needle, then knit the bottom needle's stitches tbl.

Tip

Cast on top and bottom needle stitches alternately: they link in a figure eight and form an invisible seam.

After the first round, tug the tail and the gap between the needles closes.

Common mistake

Knitting the bottom needle's stitches through the front loop twists them.

More in this section «Casting on»

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