Turkish Cast On
A super-simple provisional cast on for starting knitted tubes
Turkish Cast On is the easiest way to start knitting closed tubes like toe-up socks. I also use it to start my crown-down Owl Eyes on You Hat.
How to do it:
Basic Principle:
You will be wrapping loops around two circular needles held together, then knitting into them to create two stitches per loop.
Note: These instructions differ from the video in that Norman has you start by holding the needles in your dominant hand and then transferring them after wrapping the yarn, whereas I have you start by holding them in your non-dominant hand. Also, Norman has you knit all the stitches onto one needle to continue with Magic Loop Method, whereas these instructions have you continue on two circular needles for the two-circular method. Otherwise, they are the same.
Hold the tips from one end of each circular needle parallel in your non-dominant hand, with your palm down and the tips pointing across your body. The tips should be close together but not touching.
Make a slip knot and place it on the needle closest to you. (Farthest needle: Needle A; Nearest needle: Needle B.)
Wrap the working yarn loosely around both needles counter-clockwise, being sure to make the first wrap under Needle A and coming up over the top of the needles towards you. Wrap half as many times as you need for your cast-on stitch count, as each wrap equals two stitches.
Pull Needle B through the stitches until only the cable is caught in the wraps. Let it hang.
Use the non-working end of Needle A to knit into the loops across it. Slide the stitches onto the cable of Needle A. Turn the work so Needle B is farthest from you. Slide the stitches onto the tip of Needle B.
Slide the slip knot off of Needle B and undo it. Knit across the loops on Needle B using the tip from that same needle. Turn.
Switch to Needle A and knit across. Turn and switch needles. Continue on in this manner, creating a closed tube of the desired length.
