How to cast on for ribbing: the easy, stretchy alternating cable cast-on

[@cynthiaread3250]

I have just used your cable cast on information for the welts on some socks I am knitting, it is a great method and almost looks like a tubular cast on. In my opinion an ideal cast on for socks and I will use it on sweater cast ons too. Thank you Ysolda.

[@marjoriebahm9239]

Thank you! The answer to my Italian cast-on dilemma!

[@caitbellon5229]

Brilliant, this is exactly what I needed, thank you

[@DambudzoRuzhowa]

Please could you explain why this technique is used for K2P2 rib. What's the problem with just casting on as K2P2 ?

[@ysoldateague]

it just doesn't work, the way the yarn moves between 2 knit stitches or 2 purl stitches interrupts the pattern

[@nicholamog5024]

What should I do if my pattern is for a 3x3 rib?

[@cocoaveg6375]

This all seems increeibly complicated foe a simple alternating cast on when you could just floss the needle between thread. Is this cast on for some reason better or what is actually addding to the elasticity?

[@TheAlayna89]

Is the cast on stitch counted as the first knit stitch?

[@eliedgecomb4903]

Could you just have cast on kkppkkpp?

[@dawnberryjam5733]

If I’m casting on for 1x1 rip stitch, I need exactly 120 stitches on my needle for what I’m making but if I count the slip stitch as a stitch it will mean I can’t end the cast on with a knit stitch like in the video. Can I just skip over the slip stitch when I do my first row and tighten it into the knitting?

[@nicolakerrison]

I think you could drop the slip stitch and untie it from the yarn tail end, and it'll just make your yarn tail slightly longer. I just tried that on a test piece and it seems fine.

[@dawnberryjam5733]

@@nicolakerrison oh okay! Thank you!!

[@Sam-ig9py]

Hi, I am a beginner learning casting-on. You said 'The cast-on will be working with the ball end of the yarn inserting the right needle into the slip.' I don't understand what you meant by 'With the ball end of the yarn.' Could you explain? Thank you.

[@adelweisz]

welcome to the club! there are many ways to cast on stitches. sometimes casting on includes the little tail end that dangles freely from the ball, like in a long-tail cast-on. other times, like when you've started with a slip knot, you ignore the little tail end and only work with the long side of yarn that pulls from the yarn ball. like... if you were to make a slip knot and tug on the little tail, your slip knot comes apart. but if you make a slip knot and ignore the little tail... and work from the long side of yarn - that's the working yarn or the ball end! hope that helped. :)

[@emilylerman9028]

what if it's P1, K1P1 to last stitch, then P1? in other words, what if it's 1x1 ribbing but the first 2 and last 2 stitches are the same?

[@carolyn_r]

it would be more helpful if I could see the cast on stitches to see the purl bumps.

[@astatine0085]

Why don’t you just cast on in 2x2?