toe up socks cast on

 I have had lots of comments from readers who prefer to knit cuff down socks because they think the toe up cast on is difficult.  There is a cast on that is like playing cat's craddle with two sticks, string and one hand,  And there is a super simple way that I always use.

Hold cable needles in left hand one on top of the other

slip a slip knot over the bottom needle



start winding the yarn around the needles back to front

 I wind it 12 times with sock yarn on size 0 needles then anchor the yarn between the needles
fewer times with heavier yarn and bigger needles

Do the same with the second yarn

slip knot on the bottom needle

 wind the yarn around 12 times

anchor yarn between the needles

admire your yarn tension and count the stitches again.

undo the anchored yarn and hold it with your left hand

 pull the bottom needle to the right so you can start knitting with that needle

start knitting

now the yarn on the needles looks exactly the same as the complicated cast on

 knit the second toe






pull and push your needles so you are ready to knit the other side

just knit
you can either let the slip knot end dangle or you can knit it into the row which is what I always do
that little bit of bulk is not even noticeable at the toe of the sock

then just continue knitting with an increase every other row.
It really is that easy!!!

I'm sure there is a name for this cast on but I have forgotten what it is and there is probably a video somewhere on the internet......which is actually how I learned how to knit toe up socks was from watching videos.

Good luck with this super simple cast on.   --Ann--