misocrafty

For the magic loop method. I will demonstrate how to start both socks at the same time, from the toes up.

First if you are not already familiar with how to knit a small circumference on one long circular needle otherwise known as the magic loop method, here is a great tutorial  with everything you will need to learn this great technique. Now I have not invented this cast on method, and there is already a great tutorial from fluffyknitterdeb. I am just demonstrating how well this method works with the magic loop. If you don't desire to knit both socks at once just use one ball of yarn instead of two. Ok on to the tutorial...

First you will need two separate balls of yarn, one for each sock. I find it easier to have separate balls instead of working from the inside and outside of a single skein. While knitting two socks at once you will have 2 separate pieces of working yarn. Each attached to their own sock.  Watch carefully that you are grabing the right yarn for each sock.

Pick your needles of choice, circular of course. I like mine about 32 inches in length. For the sake of pictures I am using a #2 Addi. Holding both needles in your left hand with the points to the right.

Put a slip knot on the bottom needle from the first skein of yarn. You are going to wrap this yarn around both needle from behind the back to over the top to the front.

You are going to do HALF the amount of wraps as you want stitches. I am wrapping the yarn around the needles 10 times because I want to have 20 stitches total.

With the second skein of yarn do the same thing: put a slip knot on the bottom needle and wrap the yarn from the back.

This is 10 wraps from each skein of yarn, see the tails of the yarn hanging down.

Now while holding the needles as you have been above, grab the bottom of the two needles and pull it out till the loops are sitting on the cable and the top needles. ( in my picture above the cable looks twisted, but it is the cable from the bottom needle.

Continue holding  the top needle in you left hand and with your right hand grab the dangling needle that you just pulled out of the bottom. Knit the "loops" off the top needle. Don't over think this, just knit the loop like you would any other stitches.

Here is what it should look like after you have knit the loops off the left needle on to the right, with the other loops still on the bottom cable.

Now grasp the second second piece of working yarn and knit the second set of loops off the top needle.

This is what it should look like after both sets of loops have been knit.

Now flip your work so the cable is on top and the needle is on the bottom (no picture). Now push the top stitches off the cable on the the needle that is dangling. And pull out the bottom needle. You again will have stitches on the top needle and the bottom cable.

Holding the top needle in your left hand again grab the bottom dangling needle with you right hand.  The first loop on the top needle is your slipknot from when you first casted on. I put this slip knot on the right needle just so you can see it. You are going to drop this slipknot off the top needle and give it a tug. This will get rid of the knot all together. You don't knit this knot it is not one of your working stitches.

Now that you have dropped the slip knot knit across these stitches.

Do the same thing with the second set of stitches. Pull off the slipknot and knit across these stitches with the second piece of working yarn. This is what is should look like, in my case I have 10 stitches on the top needle and 10 stitches on the bottom cable.

Your going to continue to do the same thing: flip you work, push the top needle in, and pull the bottom needle out. Grab the bottom needle that you just pulled out and knit across the stitches. Making sure to use the right piece of working yarn for each sock toe. Repeat these above steps, pulling the first stitch tight, until you have created a small pouch like:

It is a little piece of double stockinette, a tube with a closed knit bottom. This is the start of you sock toes.

This shows how each sock toe is still connected to it's own ball of yarn.

Your sock pattern should tell you how to increase these stitches to create the toe of your sock. I usually increase one stitch from each end and knit a round in between till I have enough stitches to start the foot of my sock. Each needle holds half of the stitches. I divide mine by the stitches that become the sole of the foot and the top of the foot.  Looking for a pattern that starts with the Turkish Cast On, so you can give toe up socks a try? How about this pattern available for purchase from Anna.

I hope this was helpful. I love knitting both socks at once, at first it is a bit tricky but soon it became second nature. And don't worry if you first couple tries of the Turkish Cast On look messy and uneven. Mine did the first few times I tried this technique, but with practice I bet this cast on will become well loved!