Judy's Magic Cast On

[@patriciamoore1325]

I've watched numerous video's on how to execute Judy's Magic Cast On and I could never "get it" right. I didn't want to give up because I knew someone could explain this technique in plain language. Finally my search is over!! Thank you so much Roxanne for explaining and demonstrating beautifully how this difficult method is done. Now it's not a mystery that can't be solved. I'm so happy I finally "got it" now!! yippee!!

[@cindyyeager8627]

Definitely the best knitting instructor.

[@LizaBauman]

Thank you! Yours is the only video that has made sense to me on how to do JMCO.

[@rebeccaglenn4047]

Believe it or not, after watching the video again and actually casting on and knitting a row I feel compelled to thank you again. I "learned" to do the Turkish Cast-On but felt like such a fumble-fingers every time I did it. Judy's Magic Cast-On--and your crystal clear explanation--makes me feel positively graceful.

[@paulcagney7951]

THANK YOU - I have finally managed it!!! I'm teaching myself to knit during lockdown (I'm a quilter but love making anything and wanted to make socks so that I could buy gorgeous wool) from KZbin videos. I just couldn't get the magic cast on, no matter how hard I tried, how many videos I watched. You have made it so clear that I have finally got it. Yippeeeeeeee!!!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Wonderful!

[@cindyf181]

Love the way you moved the yarn instead of the needles to do this cast on. I have struggled watching other do this with the needles moving and I couldn't track where the yarn was going. Thank you!

[@dianathorpe2280]

WOW I used your video to start Franklin Habits Dolores sheep doll. You explained it so well. I had no problem at all. Thank you so much!!

[@lindahammond249]

I'm new to your channel but have watched a LOT of knitting videos. I think your instructions are the best of all. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@ladygray51]

... Cat Bordhi took the cast on from my, now out of print book, "Crazy Toes and Heels", along with the lifted increase. Elizabeth Zimmerman once said, "everything is reinvented" ... 😊

[@caffienatedtactician]

Fantastic video and tutorial. I was really worried I wasn't doing it right, because I had no idea how it was supposed to look while in progress, but seeing your sample really encouraged me to just trust the process

[@denisesegelstrom5679]

Watched several videos of this technique. Yours was the easiest to follow. Thank you.

[@laurapage7923]

Beautifully done!! This is the clearest demo of this cast-on that is have seen. Thank you!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Oh, thank you! I'm glad you liked it. :-)

[@albertaboulkhouatem4263]

absolutely the clearest video!!!!

[@CatSamalea2626]

Thank you for an excellent refresher! I hadn’t done this cast on for so long and I just couldn’t get mine to look correct. I love that you don’t use a slip knot either - I always wondered, when people complain about the tension with this cast on, if it has something to do with the knot.

[@carolstroud4188]

Thus far the best explanation for me❤. Thank you

[@Whistlewalk]

Really enjoying these instructional videos. Was having some challenges trying to do the toe up cast on (recently coming back to knitting) but your videos make the various processes understandable. Thanks.

[@Jewels601]

Wow! I spent two days in frustration then I remembered you! LOL I knew you would be able to fix my problem. I know I'm not crazy but it does matter how you do this cast on. I was getting holes! ugh! I thought it was in my increases but I did notice it seemed to becoming from the cast on. I'm so happy! I love knitting socks but I'm still a baby knitter. I only made one pair and I can see all of my mistakes. I got lucky they did fit. Now I know two cast on methods this one and the Turkish method I used with your m1R and m1L increases. I can't wait until I'm confident enough for real sock yarn on tiny needles. I still have a long way to go with the heel flap, turn and gusset.

[@NYKnitter]

came back to this , needed to match the other sock, kept coming across instructions that had you knitting into back loops on the second half of cast on and knew that wasn't how i did the first one. Thanks again

[@janiedawes3647]

I have watched EVERY video instructing Judy's magic cast on, including the first time sock video I am working on and yours was the BEST for me! My long tail cast on is usually two handed and the slingshot method is very fiddly for me. You made this WORK for me as I followed along with you. Thank You so Much!

[@julies7111]

Another amazingly helpful and easy to follow video. Your video about the Finchley graft I share with whomever will listen lol Thank you.

[@categ50]

I really like this cast on for socks. I learned the Magic Loop pulling the top needle and knitting into the bottom. But, this doesn't work with these type cast ons🤨. I guess I will just have to learn to pull the bottom needle first as that seems to orient the stitches better for stockinette.

[@theastewart6721]

I just learned Judy’s Magic Cast On and the second half of the stitches have to be knit through the back leg to get the correct orientation. Thank you for showing how Cat Bordhi bless her solved this problem. It’s not a huge issue but if it can be avoided then why not? I’m going to look at your other cast on videos. So interesting!

[@theastewart6721]

In reviewing this video I have a question. When you say that there are 2 rows of knitting completed after the first round, does that change the amount of rows we do when starting increasing? You do say that this is the point where we’d start increasing. I’m not very familiar with many toe up sock patterns. The one toe up sock I’ve done has me doing just as you say. Doing the one complete first round and then starting the increases on the second round. I hope this question makes sense, lol. Thanks.

[@jennifersanders4165]

I couldn't have done this without your help. Thank you!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You're very welcome!

[@mayolson2]

This was terrific. Your explanation was very clear.

[@gretchenpatrick5585]

A perfectly clear tutorial! Just finding this after searching through many toe up sock options for casting on. At what point could you switch to dpns for the rest of the sock? Complete the toe then switch, or after the first few rows, or ? Thank you!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

YOu can switch at any time. The switch gets easier the more rounds you have done. I'd give it at least four or five rounds, but there's really no rule. Just whenever it becomes easy enough for you.

[@maryleary3308]

Wow! Thank you for such concise directions. I finally get it!

[@marcy7162]

I just thought people might like to know why you need to knit one of the rows through the back loop with the figure 8 cast on and Judy’s magic cast on done the original way. It’s that the loops are being wrapped opposite directions. With a figure 8 and the original JMCO, by going between the needles each time, one needle is being wrapped clockwise and one needle is being wrapped counterclockwise. With the revised JMCO, all the wraps are counterclockwise. This is just like the distinction between western and eastern knitting. Western knitting has you wrapping the yarn around the needle counterclockwise and eastern has you wrapping the yarn clockwise. With counterclockwise wrapping, the leading leg will be in front, eastern is the opposite. And with combination knitting, the knits are done counterclockwise, and the purls are done clockwise, which is why combined knitters knit their knit stitches through the back, but not their purl stitches. Love your videos Rox. You are the BEST knitting instructor out there. I watch and rewatch your videos.

[@michelleellis1290]

OMG I’m doing a happy dance ‘I did it ‘😂🤣 thank you, this was great

[@jaybeecee1949]

Thank you, thank you for demonstrating without gobs of jewelry and garish nail polish! Very tasteful, and the emphasis where it belongs--on the knitting! : ))

[@lululabi14lucie92]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, so much ! So well explained 👍😊

[@rebeccaglenn4047]

Thank you--nicely and clearly explained. Much appreciated!

[@lindajunglas8335]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making a video that is clear, concise, and slow enough for me to follow! Just the little things like the bottom yarn always makes the top stitches is SO helpful! I have been wanting to make socks but was always confused by the cast on. Now I feel like I can move forward. I subscribed to your channel and am looking forward to watching more of your videos. 😁

[@Orcael]

I subscribed a few weeks ago and now it's time to pipe up. I have this weirdly contradictory fantasy of becoming a sock knitter --- I don't actually like wearing socks, I'm sick of giving away knitting, and I'm deeply affected by "second sock syndrome," where I die a little inside making the second item of a pair of *anything* (I am familiar with magic loop's two-at-a-time option, but god it's so cumbersome) -- but so far your channel has been a huge push. I've made socks before but I was relatively miserable. Will I give in and revisit? No idea, but I *do* know this channel is incredible. You are smart, articulate, friendly, and thorough. If I never make another sock in my life, I am a huge fan and will be linking your resources for as long as I live.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You and I agree on the two-at-a-time process. Not for me! As for second sock syndrome, I have two strategies. One is to just knit one sock of the pair, and then knit another single sock, etc., during the summer, when you aren't going to wear socks, anyway, and then when the weather turns cold, and socks are more appealing, knit the second one. Enough time will have passed that it'll be like a nearly-new project. Or do what a friend of mine does, and knit non-matching pairs. She prefers knitting stitch patterns to using self-striping yarn, and just picks a different stitch pattern for the second sock.

[@aptname9710]

How does one create purl stitches using this cast on, as in, for purposes that require an all-purl closed cast on, or one that alternates between knits and purls?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You can always turn the work after casting on to have the purl side facing you. With this CO, you can't get around having a row of RS knits/WS purls between the first rows worked on each needle. You would have to use a cast on like the Turkish CO or Figure-8 CO to do that.

[@aptname9710]

@@RoxanneRichardson Thank you so much for the speedy reply and help. I'll be sure to look into your suggestions. Happy knitting! 💚

[@lisacarnahan8560]

Great video, I finally got it. Great teacher !!

[@monicavazquez3744]

Please....the name of your needles? Thank you.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Signature Needle Arts 32'' fixed length circulars with stiletto tips.

[@joanarnold82]

So I understand what you are going for when you are starting like you are, making toe-up socks. However, i am making a sideways sweater (starting on the left sleeve opening and knitting across the body towards the right sleeve.) She has us start with a long tail cast on, join in the round with magic loop(the left arm hole), and using JMCO cast on the for the length of the body. and this isn't clear in any video tutorial or written tutorial on JMCO or sideways sweater construction. I'm not starting at the beginning. So how do I start it when I have the long tain cast on stitches already on the needles? Do I just jump in with the top or bottom? Pick one, just as long as it is equal # at the end? Also, how do I measure the length needed when I'm starting with a long tail CO and then going into JMCO? I feel like this needs to be a whole video on it's own, sideways sweater construction. Sorry that this is a very verbose comment 😅.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Cast on using both ends of the same ball of yarn. If you're using a non-superwash wool, you can spit-felt the tails together. That essentially gives you an infinitely long tail for the thumb. You can then transition with both strands into Judy's Magic CO, and once that is complete, cut the thumb yarn, so that you have a 4'' tail for weaving in later. It would be a useful video for the designer to make. It's not a common situation, so it wouldn't really be practical for someone else to make a video for such a specific scenario.

[@michellebatt2206]

Because I'm a complete muppet at this, can I use this method for provisional cast on and knit in both directions off the bottom stitches?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Yes, you can! There's another video on my channel that talks about how to use JMCO as a provisional CO or as a closed CO. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIDbXmyFjsSrfck

[@marygerrick3283]

Thank you! You're a great instructor!

[@janetp2859]

Once you complete the toe using Judy’s Magic Cast on, can you switch back to knitting the rest of the sock in the round?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

If you use JMCO as a closed cast on, as for a sock toe, you go right into working in the round immediately after casting on, using the Magic Loop technique.

[@janetp2859]

Thanks, but can you also switch from magic loop to just knitting using a regular technique in the round? For cuff down, using fingering yarn, I use 2.25mm 9” circular needles.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

@@janetp2859 You can use whatever technique you usually use: 4 dpns, 5 dpns, flexiflips, Magic Loop, 2 circulars, or a 9'' circ.

[@janetp2859]

@@RoxanneRichardson Great! Thanks so much! Your videos are excellent!

[@evelyngunther5715]

I will am making a toe up sock that requests a Fully Fashioned increase. I have been unable to find a video for this. The description for the increase reads “Tip LH needle toward you, so you can see the purl side. Insert RH needle from front to back through the purl bump below the st sitting on LH needle. Lift that bump up onto the LH needle & knit it = 1 increased st. Make sure the original st stays on your LH needle, as this is the net stitch to be worked.” Can you provide a video for this.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

This increase goes by several different names, and can be done several ways. I have a video on this technique called Invisible Increases (Lifted Increases) three ways. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4W5fJZqet-CY9k You don't have to lift the purl bump from behind. You can lift the leg of that stitch onto the needle from the front, instead.

[@evelyngunther5715]

@@RoxanneRichardson can I do the same lift on both sides of the toe or do I need to use a left increase on the left side

[@elainebos]

Thank you for your excellent video of Judy’s Magic cast on. I like the way you explain things.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Thank you! I like the way you compliment my videos. ;-)

[@albertaboulkhouatem4263]

thank you so much, I really can't wait to see more of your wonderful work

[@betsyjustis5451]

Does it only work with an even number of stitches?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You could do one stitch more on one of the needles, but it would be an unusual situation. JMCO is usually used as either a provisional CO (so you'd more than likely want the same number of sts going in both directions) or it's used as a closed CO (as for sock toes), which, again, usually calls for an even number. But if you had a situation in which you did need an odd number *and* you needed this CO, then yes, you could CO an extra stitch onto one of the needles. You'd have to plan out in advance whether you wanted that extra st on the top needle or bottom needle so that your starting loop was on that needle, as well.

[@carynmorris7625]

Hello Roxanne, First, I want to tell you how much I have learned as a semi "beginner knitter" by listening to you. I hope you might be able to explain what I am doing wrong. I have no problem casting on for Judy's Magic Cast On. The problem appears when I start knitting by taking the lower needle out and knitting across the top needle. When I get to the end of this first "row" the last stitch is larger than the rest. When I turn the work to finish the complete round, this one stitch is too big. I believe I have a tension problem. There is too much yarn in this last stitch and it doesn't seem to be taken up when I knit the first stitch on what was the bottom needle in the very beginning. I have tried over and over to correct this one stitch, wearing out my practice yarn. I would love to know all about the "why" of this problem. Thank you very much in advance for your time in answering this question. Sincerely, Caryn Morris

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You might be knitting too far down the needles and/or pulling sts off the needle rather than pulling them off, causing you to transfer accumulated slack across the row until you get to the end. I have a video on troubleshooting common issues beginners have that might be helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpqUaWuMgr1-Y8U

[@gfixler]

This seems like Roxanne's Judy's Magic Cast On :) You wrap the yarn around the needles differently than she does in the Spring '06 Knitty magazine. Your version doesn't result in reverse mounted stitches on the second needle that need to be knit through the back loops. Now I need to get some sock size circulars. This cast on is very difficult on DPNs, though I love DPNs once I'm knitting along in the round. I'm currently sliding a US 000 circular in in place of the US 0 DPN after casting on so I can knit across the cable, then sliding it in place of needle 2 for the other side - a little tedious.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Techniques evolve and change, based on what knitters observe. The original CO was meant to improve on the figure-8 CO when used to start sock toes, which is why the sts end up mounted with half reversed (the figure-8 does this). Cat Bordhi figured out that you can wrap the yarn around the needles without reverse mounting them. My observation has been that you might want to use this CO for purposes other than knitting in the round, and which yarn is wrapped first vs second is an option that can allow any use of the CO. You may want to work flat, starting with the smooth side facing, or with the bumpy side facing, or you may want to work in the round.

[@mrydjeski]

Is it possible to use dpn’s? I don’t have circulars the size I need

[@RoxanneRichardson]

There are people who are able to do the Turkish CO using dpns, so it might be possible to do JMCO with dpns. I would suggest trying it, and seeing if you can make it work. If not, then you'll know for the future that you'll need circs.

[@mrydjeski]

@@RoxanneRichardson thanks for the reply! Your instruction was so clear that I was able to do it on the first try. I am able to use the dpn’s at this point. We will see how the space between the needles turns out when I get a little further along. Thanks so much for your excellent instruction!

[@casagrandecats]

Love this cast on for my toe up socks. Thanks

[@azarlohrasbpour8837]

What brand are these green circular needles? Thanks.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Those are Signature Needle Arts size 6, 32'' fixed length circular needles. They're the old style fixed length circs, which I don't think they carry anymore.

[@minkaf4243]

Wow! This is mind bending! Thank you.

[@shelshel2260]

Awesome teacher

[@melvinbeli1]

I totally agree with all who say what wonderful instructive videos you make for all of us :) My question, since I've been doing any circular at all and in the magic loop method after a lifetime of straight needles, is that as I've been using ML and done a couple of little trial little "treasure bags" is that after doing the first row pulling out the bottom need to knit that top (took me a while to figure that out) I then switched to always knitting the way I do with ML, by pulling the needle out from the back (I guess called the top?) pulling it around far enough that I can use that needle to knit the top needle and then continuing like that. In this video it seems that you continue pulling out the bottom needle and knitting the top. I'm probably totally confused and yours is the same, lol. Tired brain syndrome? Can you help? Thanks. You instruct in the type of detail I really need, much more so than others and I appreciate this so much.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

There is a little bit of mind bending when you use JMCO and ML, because of the closed CO. You are correct that the bottom needle of JMCO is the same as the back needle when it comes to ML, it's just the orientation of how you're holding the needles parallel (one on top of the other), or one in front and one in back. Because I wasn't technically demonstrating ML, I didn't want to introduce that distinction (my videos tend to be on a bit long, as it is!). Having that closed starting point tends to put the yarn tail in an awkward position, as well, so I find that it takes a few rounds before I actually settle into the usual ML position (the point when there is enough of a cup created for me to stuff the yarn tail in.

[@melvinbeli1]

Thanks so very much! I didn't realize that you're switching it later when you're doing it since you're illustrating just the cable part so don't knit far enough that I'd have seen your switching :) I just switch it after my first row of using the bottom one. Glad to know I'm not getting the terminology wrong on the top bottom type of thing. :) I'm going to go to your magic loop ones to reinforce what I've learned and to make sure I'm not doing things a harder way than I need to.

[@melvinbeli1]

I love that they're long because then we get all the extra detailed explanations :)!

[@ammiller3911]

1:53

[@machomamma]

Perfect timing. I am just about to start a pair of socks for my son-in-law. Shhh 🤫, don’t tell him.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I won't say a word! :-)

[@TheMellis01]

Thank you so much.

[@abbedavies3038]

Thank you.