Category:
Cast-Ons
Video: Hemmed Edge Cast-On – Purl or Picot
Picot Hemmed Edge Cast-On
Characteristics: Magic Loop, has matching bind-off, top-down
Difficulty: Intermediate
The Hemmed Edge Cast-On creates a smooth, folded edge. The purl variation adds a row of purl bumps at the fold, and the picot hemmed edge has tiny picot bumps at the fold.
Hemmed edge cast-ons are created by folding a length of stockinette-stitch fabric in half and tacking the cast-on edge down on the wrong side of the work.
Instructions
For a regular hemmed edge, knit 11 rows of Stockinette stitch and then fold.
For a purl-ridge edge, knit 5 rows of Stockinette, then 1 purl row, and then 5 more rows of stockinette before folding.
For the picot hemmed edge, knit 5 rows of Stockinette, then a row of (yo, k2tog) lace, and then 5 more rows of Stockinette before folding. This is the technique shown in the video below.
Tips
1. The key to a straight, even hemmed edge is finding the right purl pump on the inside of your work to pick up into. Once you've identified the row the purl bump is in, move horizontally, picking up bumps in the same row.
2. Make sure you do at least 5 rows of stockinette stitch before and after the lace/purl round. If you cut corners and don't do enough rows, your hemmed edge will flare out and look funny.
More Information
This cast-on is best used on projects knit in the round so that the wrong side doesn't show.
It works well on top-down socks if you don't pull the tack-down row too tight.
The matching bind-off for this cast-on is the Hemmed Edge Bind-Off.
