New cast on for socks?

I almost NEVER make cuff down socks.  But recently I did.  In the process, I think it may have created a new sort of cast on.  It is a variation on what I think is called the double tail long tail cast on (or at least some versions with that name) but it gives a super stretchy and (I think) very decorative edge that works great for 2×2 ribbing for cuff down socks.  I had a hunt on YouTube and found this video, which isn’t the same but shares some characteristics with mine. And the re-arranging of the strand around the thumb is done clearly, so that is probably helpful.

 

Here is a shot of the final effect of my variation:

But the effect is different in the reverse, so you can adjust to make the side you prefer the right side:

And you can see the amount of stretch it offers:

My mate from Yorkshire tells me this is now the only cast on she uses, but to be fair she is a wicked tight knitter!

The first thing you need to do is double the tail and make a slip knot near the yarn end:

Arrange your yarn as if to do a standard long tail cast on, making sure the yarn around your thumb is the SINGLE STRAND. This is where it deviates from the double strand LTCO. Like a normal LTCO you will scoop the single strand and take it over the thumb loop, over the double strand and back thru the thumb loop

This creates your first stitch, next to the slip knot.  I count the slip knot as a stitch.

Now, you have to reposition.  Release the thumb loop and make the single strand come across your palm and around your thumb from the back to the front, like so:

Scoop the lower strand that is across your palm, bring the needle over the double strand, and back thru the loop.

And that’s it.  You will have created a pair of double-stranded stitches like so:

And you can already see how stretchy they are.  Treat each doubled stranded stich as a single stitch – so the above, circled, is TWO stitches::

Join to work in the round, and work a 2×2 rib

If there is a drawback it is probably that this might be tricky to cast on two at a time – I’ve not tried it, so I don’t know!

I am not sure what to call it!  How about ukmaryanne’s very stretchy double strand long tail cast-on variation for 2×2 cuff down socks?  LOL!  I’ll work on it and see if I can wedge in 10 or so more words, or make an stupid acronym… ukmaryanne’s very unique LTCO alternative?  That makes it UVULA <snort>

I never have used the cast on from the video but it also looks interesting so I have to give that a go. Not so far as to knit another pair of cuff down sock, to be fair, but just to see how it’s end result differs from my end result.  Maybe it isn’t so unique after all!

On a completely different note, I have been watching the National Theatre production of Frankenstein and it is outstanding.  Interestingly it stars two Sherlocks – Benedict Cumberbatch, the BBC’s Sherlock and Jonny Lee Miller from Trainspotting but also Sherlock in the US tv show Elementary.  There is a lot of great stuff coming up, I think each is only available or a week.  I’m gutted I missed Treasure Island.