Magic Cast On for toe-up socks
Judy’s Magic Cast On is a widely used method for casting on stitches for toe-up socks. There are many different methods for the same purpose, and you may be familiar with some of them. I like Judy’s Magic Cast On because it is perfectly invisible. The cast on is neat and it looks exactly like any other row in your knitwork.
If it is your first-time knitting toe-up socks, the cast on might feel so overwhelming you leave the whole project before even starting. That happened to me as well. This gave me the reason to write this post. I want to show you step by step how to cast on stitches for toe-up socks. Learning this is worth it! Toe-up socks are awesome.
Toe-up socks
When I fist-time heard that some people are knitting socks from the tip of the toe up, I would not believe it. I would not understand how it is possible, neater why would anyone want to do so! The tradition of knitting socks cuff-down is so strong in Finland, that it was something really mind blowing to me.
Toe-up socks have a few significant advantages. The socks can be fitted at any stage of the project and the width and the length can be adjusted as you go. Another advantage is that you don’t have to stress about running out of yarn. You can knit the cuff until your yarn is finished. Knitting cuff-down, this can’t be done. If you are a sock knitter, you do know the drama, when you miss only a few meters yarn and can’t finish your socks.
Cast On for toe-up socks and knitting the toe
Cast On for toe-up socks is different from the normal Long Tail Cast On. For socks you need stitches on two parallel needles, top stitches pointing up and bottom stitches pointing down. These stitches are attached to each other in between the needles. In fact, the cast on is a normal knit row opening into stitches on both sides. At wrong side you can see the purl bumps between the needles.
Magic Cast On is worked with circular needle. The tips of the needle are placed parallel. First you cast on one stitch on top needle and then the next one on bottom needle. Alternating this way, the stitches are attached to each other.
After casting on, the toe is knit in the round. You can continue with circular needle and work with Magic Loop -method or you can change into double pointed needles. The cast on is placed at the very tip of the toe. Then you knit from the beginning both the instep and sole at once.
Increasing for the toe is made on every round or every other round at each end of the needles. When you increase on every round, the toe appears short and round. This is handy when you wish to have the stitch pattern as close to the tip as possible. When you increase on every other round, the toe appears longer and a bit pointy. This is method is used in most of the patterns.
Judy’s Magic Cast On -method
Judy’s Magic Cast On -method is invented by Judy Becker. With her tutorial I learned to cast on stitches for toe-up socks. This method is not really complicated, but almost impossible to understand if you haven’t seen it. Therefore, I recommend you watch the tutorial first and use the written instructions and illustrations only as a checklist.
There are many tutorials of this method on Youtube. There are some variations and some problems as well. One is the direction of making the loops. If the loops are made correct, the stitches are mounted the normal way and you will not have problems with your first round.
The other problem is the first stitch. Slipknot stitch makes an irritating bump in the corner. Open loop as first stitch can easily slip of and you can’t replace it anymore. If you follow the instructions of the following tutorial carefully, you will succeed. The only things you need are long circular needle, yarn and patience.
Magic Cast On
- Place the tips of a circular needle parallel and hold them with your right hand. Pick up the yarn with left hand across the thumb and the forefinger. The tail-end is around the thumb and the working yarn around the forefinger.
- Wrap the yarn around the top needle so that the left leg of the loop is on top of the right leg. This is your first stitch.
- Make a loop around the bottom needle from the top yarn (on forefinger). Make the loop from back to front and from bottom upwards. You have now made 1 stitch on bottom needle.
- Make a loop around the top needle from the bottom yarn (on thumb). Make the loop from back to front and from bottom upwards. You have now made 1 stitch on top needle.
- Repeat 3-4 until you have the number of stitches your pattern calls for.
- Turn the needles to opposite direction. Keep right side facing yourself. Wrap the tail-end around the working yarn.
- Pull out the bottom needle. The bottom stitches are now on the cable.
- Knit across the top stitches. The cable makes a loop on both sides of your work.
- Turn the work. Push the top stitches on the needle. Pull out the bottom needle.
- Knit across the top stitches. You have now knit one round and the Magic Cast On is ready.
My next post will be about knitting a heel for toe-up socks. Subscribe and stay tuned. Wish you happy knitting,
Piia Maria
