Experimenting with Cast-Ons - 1x1 Ribbing - Day 2

   • Crochet Provisional
   • Japanese Crochet Provisional
   • Crochet Cast-On for Tubular Rib

I'm back at my 1x1 ribbing cast-ons and today looking at those that use crochet.

Crochet Provisional

I first encountered this in my trusty Vogue Knitting book (page 29) where it's called "Chain cast-on". The "Invisible Crochet Cast On I" (scroll down the page) is one of many online descriptions. In this method, stitches are essentially crocheted on over the knitting needle. I've used this method before as a regular cast-on (using the main yarn and beginning to knit after the cast on is complete), but I haven't ever used it for a provisional cast on.

Here are the stitches crocheted on to the knitting needle.

Then I worked 4 rows of tubular rib (k1, s1p wyif), followed by several rows of standard 1x1 ribbing. Here's what it looked like on the "front".

Here's what it looked like on the "back".

Then I pulled out the provisional yarn ...

Oops! That is most certainly not what I was expecting!

I pulled on the end to see what would happen and the unraveling eventually ended.

Maybe I should have started with standard 1x1 ribbing instead of the 4 rows of tubular ribbing. I'll give that a try, but save it for a different post since I'm focusing on methods that result in a tubular/rounded edge first.

Overall Outcome: This does not work for a tubular rib edge.

Japanese Crochet Provisional Cast-On

This is one of two methods (or at least two that I know of) that start with a crocheted chain in the provisional yarn and then you pick up the back of the chain loop with the main yarn. The "Invisible Crochet Cast On II" (just beyond "cast on I") shows this cast-on.

I cast on, worked 4 rows in tubular rib and then several rows in standard rib.

Then I pulled out the provisional yarn.

Overall Outcome: This process and edge is very similar to the Day 1 cast-ons (Invisible Provisional, version 1; Invisible Provisional, version 2 and Italian cast-on). I found picking up the stitches on the back of the crochet chain to be quite a bit slower than any of the Day 1 cast-ons. Plus, you need to have a crochet hook in the right size for the working yarn. So, far, Invisible Provisional, version 1 is still my favorite for a tubular/round edge.

Crochet Cast-on for Tubular Rib

This cast on comes from Vogue Knitting as well (page 29). This is the second of the two methods that begin with a crocheted chain in the provisional yarn followed by knitting through the back of the chain stitch with the main yarn. With the exception that it calls for the provisional crocheted chain for the cast on, I found it to be virtually identical to a Tubular Cast-on. (I'll discuss the "tubular" cast-ons in my "Day 3" post.) I don't expect I would ever use this cast-on since a) I've already determined that I find picking up stitches on the crocheted chain to be rather slow and b) you need a crochet hook in a size to match the yarn.

I believe that wraps up the crochet cast ons. On to tubular.