It was just around this time last year when everyone was buzzing with excitement over the second Sock Summit, held here in Portland, Oregon. And even though there are no gatherings on such a grand scale happening this summer, it sure hasn’t stopped any of us here at the office from springing right into a summer of sock knitting! It seems as though everyone has slowly put away the sweaters on their needles or quickly finished their WIPs in favor of these portable knitting delights.
Even more interesting is watching just how everyone works their way through socks – some work their socks both at the same time, some use the magic loop method, and others use double pointed needles all while some knit from the cuff down and others from the toe up. Don’t even get me started on the various cast ons, heels, and bind offs there are to choose from! And I love that about sock knitting – even though everyone is going through the same motions to create the same basic shaping, everyone gets to pick and choose from different styles and techniques to arrive at the finished project – a cozy pair of handknit socks.
So in honor of our sock obsession that is taking over all of our needles, this technique of the week highlights our video tutorial for the backwards loop cast on! Perfect for starting your next toe-up pair of socks, this is yet another cast on that is wonderful to have in your knitting repertoire.
Although there are several ways to get toe-up socks started, one can never have too many techniques to choose from. In this case, the backwards loop cast on works wonderfully for creating a firm and sturdy cast on edge. I particularly like using this cast on for friends and family members that tend to wear out the toe portion of the socks.
Also, these seamless cast on aren’t just for toe up socks. You can use the same method to create bags, in-the-round scarves, or even top-down mittens – all without requiring any seaming or grafting at the end (which I love, by the way). It takes all of my willpower to weave in my ends and block my knitting, so any finishing steps that I can skip is just fine by me!
And don’t forget, you can find more videos and tutorials for socks here:
Sock Tutorials
What is your go-to cast on for toe-up socks?
