Tubular Cast On for 1x1 Ribbing
The tubular cast on produces a seamless, rounded edge that looks like the ribbing folds in on itself. It is the most polished, professional-looking cast on for 1x1 ribbing and is standard on high-end commercial knitwear.
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Method overview
Cast on half the required stitches in waste yarn using any provisional method. Knit two to four rows in stockinette with the working yarn. Pick up the loops along the cast-on edge and unravel the waste yarn. Knit one round of k1, slip 1 purlwise wyif, alternating, before starting your ribbing.
What the edge looks like
A perfectly smooth, hollow tube that flows into the ribbing without a visible cast-on row. Up close, the knit columns appear to wrap around the edge and continue down the inside of the tube before vanishing. There is no flat "bottom" — the edge is rounded.
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When to use
Reserve it for projects where the cast-on edge is visible and the polish is worth the extra hour: sweater hems, sock cuffs in luxury yarn, and the bottom of cuffed gloves. It is overkill for a kitchen washcloth.
Limitations
Only works for 1x1 ribbing. For 2x2, use the Italian tubular cast on or a 2x2 tubular variant. The technique requires waste yarn and a pickup row, so allow an extra 20–30 minutes per project.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CO | cast on |
| sl | slip purlwise |
| wyif | with yarn in front |
Tips
- Use waste yarn in a strongly contrasting colour so it is easy to see and unravel.
- Block ribbing aggressively after a tubular cast on — the rounded edge can flatten unevenly otherwise.
- For 2x2 ribbing, use the Italian or 2x2 tubular variant; this method works only for 1x1.
In depth
The tubular cast on works because the stockinette setup rows fold around the live edge into a hollow channel, then the alternating k1 / sl1 round establishes the 1x1 ribbing column structure. The result has no visible "first row" and is twice as elastic as a knitted cast on.