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".

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

   • Invisible Provisional, Version 1
   • Invisible Provisional, Version 2
   • Italian Cast-On

I've tried lots of different cast ons and tend to lose track of what I like (and don't like) as soon as I've finished the cast on (or the project). So, I decided to work up various options, document what they look like and note my personal pros/cons.

My most recent project started with 1x1 ribbing, so that's where I'm starting. First up is ..

Invisible Provisional, version 1 (video can be found about 3/4 down on this page)

This one uses a provisional yarn knotted to the working yarn. The yarn is arranged much as it is for long-tail cast on but the working yarn is held over the  thumb and provisional yarn is held over the index finger.  Then a series of loops are created following an "in front, behind" ... "behind, behind" process. ("In front" of and "behind" the provisional yarn.)

When finished, I think the “in front, behind” loop looks like a knit stitch and the “behind, behind” loop looks like a purl stitch. So, after casting on an even number of stitches, when I turned everything around to begin knitting, I was all lined up for 1x1 tubular rib (k1, slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front).

Here it is all set to begin the tubular rib.

Pesto

A few days ago, Bill and I picked up our first batch of basil (4 lbs)  from Horse Drawn Farms and yesterday, I finished processing the last of it into pesto. In case you’re wondering, here’s what a 1 lb bag of basil looks like.

After picking the basil leaves, grating the cheese and peeling the garlic, the kitchen island “station” was all set for pesto processing.

Getting started

My husband Bill and my niece Catie have both suggested that I should start blogging and since they both know that I always do what I'm told  ...

Given that Catie was a main catalyst for this endeavor, it seems appropriate that she's part of my first post. Plus, I have pictures of her wearing a pair of fingerless mitts that I knit last fall when she was staying with us on Lopez. (I did recently knit a pair of gloves for Bill, but I don't have any pictures yet.) So, Catie it is!