There are advantages to knitting socks toe-up. For example, the sock can be tried on as you go, so the fit is perfect. If you are not sure you have enough yarn, you can knit both socks at the same time and stop when your yarn runs out.
There are various ways to start a toe-up sock: Figure-8 cast-on, provisional cast-on combined with grafting, long-tail cast-on, etc. I used to use the figure-8 cast-on, but it leaves loose stitches that have to be tightened back in after a few rounds. Even
with lots of practice, I usually had to make two or three tries at it. Although invisible from the outside of the toe, on the inside the figure-8 cast-on leaves a blank space between the purl bumps of the first round.
I thought that the world needed a better way, a more humane way to start toe-up socks, so I developed Judy’s Magic Cast-On. It’s an easy to learn, fast method that starts at the very end of the toe and works the first time, every time. It’s completely invisible from both sides, and it can be used with almost any toe-up sock pattern.
Note: These instructions assume that you have some familiarity with knitting socks toe-up. The pictures show the Magic Cast-On using two circular needles. Instructions for knitting two socks at the same time and for using the cast-on with DPNs are at the bottom.
Click on any of the pictures to see a bigger version in a pop-up.
2. Loop the yarn around needle #2 with the tail toward the front and the working yarn (the strand attached to the skein) toward the back.
3. With your left hand, pick up the yarn so that the tail goes over your index finger and the working yarn goes over your thumb. This will make a loop around the top needle that counts as one stitch.
4. a. While holding the loop in place with a finger on your right hand, bring the tip of needle #1 over the strand of yarn on your finger,
b. around and under the yarn and back up, making a loop around needle #1 similar to a yarn over.
c. Pull the loop snug, but not tight, around the needle.
You have cast one stitch on to needle #1.
5. Bring needle #2 over the strand of yarn on your thumb, around and under the yarn and back up, making a loop around needle #2, similar to a yarn over. Pull the loop snug around the needle.
You have cast one stitch on to needle #2.
There are now two stitches on needle #2 — the stitch you just cast on plus the first loop.
The top yarn strand always wraps around needle #1 (the bottom needle), and the bottom yarn strand always wraps around needle #2 (the top needle). Just remember: Top around bottom, bottom around top.
6. Repeat step 4 to cast a second stitch on to needle #1. (bottom around top)
7. Repeat step 5 to cast a third stitch on to needle #2. (top around bottom)
8. Continue repeating steps 4 and 5, alternating between needle #1 and needle #2, until you have cast on the desired number of stitches and ending with step 4. You will have the same number of stitches on each needle.
In this picture, a total of 20 stitches, or 10 stitches on each needle, have been cast on. The outside of the sock toe looks like two rows of offset loops. If you turn the needles over, you will see that the wrong side of the work (the inside of your sock) features a row of twists that look like purl bumps between the two needles.
Turn back to the right side to begin knitting.
9. Round 1: Drop the yarn tail and let it dangle. Turn the needles so that needle #1 is on the top. Pull needle #2 to the right until the stitches lie on the cable. Pick up the working yarn. Be sure that the yarn tail lies between the working yarn and the needle. In the picture, you can see how the tail passes under the working strand (purple arrow).
Knit the row of stitches from needle #1. The first stitch will probably become loose while you are knitting it. Pull gently on the tail to snug it back up.
You will see a row of stitches appear between the two needles.
10. Turn the work so that the working yarn is on the right and needle #2 is on the top. Pull needle #1 to the right so that the stitches you just knit lie along the cable. Pull needle #2 to the left so that its point is towards the right and the stitches are ready to knit from it. Knit the stitches from needle #2.
Be careful! The cast-on loops on needle #2 are twisted. On the first round only, be sure to knit them through the back of the loops in order to untwist them. After this round the stitches will be “normal.â€
You have completed one round and are back where you started.
Note: Do the stitches between the needles appear too loose or “sloppy?” Make sure when you cast on that you have tightened each loop up individually as you placed it around the needle. Try to keep the loops at your regular gauge. If you find that your cast-on stitches are too tight, you can try casting on to a pair of larger needles.
There are two rows of stitches between the needles now. The absolute center of your sock toe lies between the two rows of stitches.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled toe-up sock pattern. Work the toe increases as specified by your pattern. If your pattern specifies a different type of toe, the following instructions are for a typical toe-up sock that starts at the very end:
Round 2: on first needle, * K1, M1, K each stitch to within one stitch of the end of the row, M1, K1, turn to second needle. Repeat from *
Round3: K all stitches on both needles (no increases).
Repeat these two rounds, increasing 4 stitches every other round, until the total number of stitches has been reached.
In this picture, 10 rounds have been worked and there are 20 stitches on each needle (40 stitches total).
Here you can see the toe spread out. The very end of the toe where the cast-on was made is right in the center. The left image is the outside of the sock and the right image is the inside.
You can see that the stitches flow over the center of the toe with no visible break or seam. The cast-on is invisible on both sides.
The tail can be woven in and trimmed at any time after you’ve worked at least one non-increase round. I usually let it dangle until I’ve finished the toe increases. Since the tail hangs at the beginning of the first round, it makes a handy way of telling which side of the sock each round starts on.
To use the Magic Cast-On for two-at-once socks, drop both the tail and the working strands when you have cast on the total number of stitches for the first sock. Push the stitches back along the needles so there is room at the tips for another set of stitches. Starting from a new ball of yarn, cast a second set of stitches on to the same needles
Work step #9 on sock #2. Drop the yarn and pick up sock #1’s yarn. Repeat step #9 for sock #1.
Work step #10 on sock #1. Drop the yarn and pick up sock #2’s yarn. Repeat step #10 for sock #2. (Don’t forget to work the stitches through the back of the loop on this round only.)
Continue with the subsequent steps, always being careful to work each sock with its own ball of yarn.
If you are knitting with DPNs, Cast on to two needles.
Work step #9 by knitting 1/2 of the stitches using one needle and the remaining 1/2 of the stitches using a second needle. The stitches may be tight and rather awkward to work. This will improve after the first round.
Work step #10 by knitting 1/2 of the stitches using a third needle, and the remaining 1/2 of the stitches using a fourth needle. (Don’t forget to work the stitches through the back of the loop on this round only.)
Note: You may also work steps #9 and #10 on two needles, and then slide 1/2 of the stitches from needle #1 to a 3rd DPN and 1/2 of the stitches from needle #2 to a 4th DPN. Use any method that ends up with 1/4 of the stitches on each of four needles.
On subsequent rounds, work the increases 1 stitch from the beginning of needles #1 and #3, and one stitch from the end of needles #2 and #4.
So, is this good for anything but socks?
Absolutely! It can be used for almost any pattern that requires casting on and working in a small closed circle. For example:
– When casting on a center-out pinwheel, cast on 5 total stitches, three on the bottom needle and two on the top. Work round one and at round 2, begin the pattern’s standard yo increases.
– To knit the bottom of an oblong bag or purse, cast on enough stitches to equal the length of the bag minus the width (i.e., if the bag will be 10″ long and 3″ wide, cast on 7″ worth of stitches). Work rounds 1, then increase 4 stitches every round until the bottom of the bag is the right size.
And when anyone asks you how you accomplished that wonderful, invisible cast-on, you can say, “It’s magic!”
Please don’t hesitate to ask questions. You can email me at .
© 2006 Judy A Becker. No commercial uses, please.
[…] Dezember 2010 von TausendschönNadeln: 2,25er BambusAnschlag: 2×10 M toe-up per Magic Cast OnSpitze: stumpfe BandspitzeMuster: Liebelei, Variante 2Ferse: nach Ingrids […]
1Remark from Weihnachts-Liebelei – Socken 29/2010 | Sunsys Weblog — Tuesday, 12/28/2010 @ 3:34 AM
[…] “Farbspiel†– 75/25Nadeln: 2,5 Kollage Square NadelnAnschlag: 2×12 M Magic Cast OnSpitze: stumpfe BandspitzeMuster: BrainlessFerse: lt. Anleitung / wie Ingrids […]
2Remark from Hirnloses Farbenspiel–Socken 03/2011 | Sunsys Weblog — Saturday, 2/19/2011 @ 2:28 AM
[…] little number starts with Judy’s Magic Cast On (because every now and then, provisional cast ons are what you need, and when you need one, […]
3Remark from More Shameless Plugs… and a Discount » Seasonsoflace.com — Thursday, 2/24/2011 @ 5:52 PM
So, why is it that every video that I’ve watched of someone demonstrating your magic cast-on does not follow the direction that you give? The several videos that I’ve seen show them wrapping the yarn around needle #1 and needle #2 from the identical direction, i.e. needle #1 from the outside of the needle, over the top and in between the pair, and needle #2 from the inside of the pair over the top of the needle to the outside, while both your instructions here and on Knitty show the yarn going from the outside over the top to the inside of the pair for both needles – the action on the bottom needle is the mirror opposite of the action on the top needle? And, does this make a difference?
4Remark from Shelby — Friday, 2/25/2011 @ 6:41 PM
[…] mal wenigstens für mich als Notiz: Gestern gelernt: Judys Magic Cast on oder als Video. Geniale Sache, zu Hause abends nachgemacht, hat sofort super geklappt. Nun muß ich […]
5Remark from Kappawolff » Oje « — Sunday, 4/3/2011 @ 5:56 AM
[…] Judy’s Magic Cast On […]
6Remark from Episode 28: A Hike in the Woods « Cloudy with a chance of fiber — Sunday, 7/17/2011 @ 4:27 PM
I love your method but haven’t knitted any socks in a while. I’m starting Christmas stockings this morning and had to come back. Is it just me or are these instructions new and improved?
You keep knocking it out of the park!! Thank you!!!
7Remark from Mary — Monday, 12/12/2011 @ 6:39 AM
[…] I thought that the world needed a better way, a more humane way to start toe-up socks, so I developed Judy’s Magic Cast-On . It’s an easy to learn, fast method that starts at the very end of the toe and works the first time, every time. It’s completely invisible from both sides, and it can be used with almost any toe-up sock pattern. Note: These instructions assume that you have some familiarity with knitting socks toe-up. The pictures show the Magic Cast-On using two circular needles. Persistent Illusion » Judy’s Magic Cast-On […]
8Remark from kennycook | Pearltrees — Thursday, 12/29/2011 @ 6:22 PM
[…] une laine d’une douceur exquise. Je les ai commencées par le Magic cast-on de Judy Becker ici en photos et là en […]
9Remark from Quand la foule est encore endormie et la maisonnée aussi… « Libby's Blog — Saturday, 1/21/2012 @ 7:26 PM
Love this way to cast on but would like to switch to one cicrular for knitting a bag and can’t figure out how to do it. Thanks for any help.
10Remark from Judy — Sunday, 2/5/2012 @ 12:58 PM
I just tried this with double pointed needles, working from your directions. It worked perfectly the first time. Very nice. Now to knit my socks. Thank you!
11Remark from Gaia Quay — Thursday, 5/24/2012 @ 6:28 PM
love it,,I have done toe up before I wonder if it is the same..take care. bjg
12Remark from barbara guillette — Saturday, 7/21/2012 @ 7:33 AM
I have worked out the magic cast on but I don`t know the term to wrap a stitch
13Remark from Kate Lowry — Monday, 11/19/2012 @ 1:02 PM
[…] I did a  few more complex ones such as using Judy’s magic cast-on for toe-up socks for a garter tab cast-on for triangular shawls […]
14Remark from April Knitting — Wednesday, 5/8/2013 @ 8:32 AM
Persistent Illusion » Judy’s Magic Cast-On
15Remark from NewEra — Monday, 9/16/2013 @ 1:29 AM
Persistent Illusion » Judy’s Magic Cast-On
16Remark from Nike — Tuesday, 9/17/2013 @ 8:07 PM
Actually, your magic cast on works well as a provisional cast on – I use it all the time!
Just cast on as you’ve written, then work back and forth across needle 1 until you need the live stitches (which I usually leave on a holder)
17Remark from Puddytatpurr — Saturday, 10/19/2013 @ 9:58 AM
[…] are knit from the toe up. I used Judy’s Magic Cast On which is great. With the Figure 8 cast on I always had to go back and tighten it up and it […]
18Remark from » How I love twisted and traveling stitches Cottage46 Knitter — Thursday, 10/24/2013 @ 11:48 AM
[…] Then I attempted the Magic Circle Cast-on from the Persistent Illusion site: http://www.persistentillusion.com/blogblog/techniques/magic-cast-on/magic-cast-on-2 […]
19Remark from Change and Progress . . . | A Random Harvest — Thursday, 11/21/2013 @ 11:59 PM
just had to remind myself how to do the cast on as it had been a while since I knit socks, but with Judy’s gentle guidance it all came back. thanks Judy for the wonderful sock class you taught at my lys.
20Remark from Gail Mowry — Monday, 3/3/2014 @ 2:41 PM
[…] the cast on i used a modified judys magic cast on. It was modified as follows. Normally for this cast on you always wrap the needles from the outside […]
21Remark from Crochet Crazy, Knitting Knuts » Tiny owl knits beekeeper’s quilt — Friday, 8/1/2014 @ 10:59 AM
Thank you, thank you, thank you
from a knitter who cannot learn from videos, thank you, thank you
22Remark from Annie — Friday, 10/3/2014 @ 8:40 AM
If you’re supposed to cast on 64 stitches using magic cast on, does that mean 64 stitches per needed or total? Thanks so much!
23Remark from Cindy Derrow — Monday, 10/20/2014 @ 5:35 PM
[…] Using JMCO, CO 24 sts (if you want to do two socks at the same time, here’s how to start). There will be […]
24Remark from Hermione's Everyday Socks: Toe-Up Instructions - Hoopes Park Studios — Thursday, 1/14/2016 @ 10:38 AM
[…] find that many knitters recommend Judy’s magic cast-on for toe-up socks. You can find the instructions for Judy’s magic cast-on here.Advantages Invisible on the right side and the wrong sideDoesn’t need to be neatened or […]
25Remark from What Is The Best Cast-On for Socks? - On Craftsy — Saturday, 3/19/2016 @ 4:02 AM
[…] El montaje mágico de Judy, es una técnica de montaje de puntos para tejer calcetines empezando por la punta (llamados en inglés “Toe-Up”). Fue creado por Judy Becker y puedes ver sus instrucciones originales en su página web. […]
26Remark from Judy's Magic Cast On - Tejer Calcetines - Paca La Alpaca Blog — Wednesday, 7/12/2017 @ 12:23 AM
Do you allow printing your cast on. I am unable to get my printer to do so. There are several pages I would like.
27Remark from YBarbara Susanna Nelson — Thursday, 1/11/2018 @ 11:37 AM
[…] 1 is Creating The Toe. Easy enough, I think? I’m using Judy Becker’s magic cast-on. Okay, done. I’m still messing around with how many to cast on at once, but I’ve […]
28Remark from Mother’s Day sock knitting (and cheese) – Sewbiwan — Monday, 5/14/2018 @ 1:25 AM
Hello.This article was extremely remarkable, particularly because I was searching for thoughts on this
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Remark from katycollectionstore.threadless.com — Saturday, 8/13/2022 @ 1:07 PM
You feel that the attorney has your best interest at heart.
30Remark from Chau — Sunday, 12/3/2023 @ 4:39 PM
[…] CO 8+8 Sts using Judy’s magic cast on […]
31Remark from Upsized Socks — Monday, 3/11/2024 @ 2:00 PM