MAGIC GARTER TAB
If, like many knitters, you find the picking up stitches on a garter tab rather fiddly and annoying, you're going to love a Magic Garter Tab. It's quick, it's easy - and best of all there is only one stitch to pick up - and it's the least fiddly one of all. It dawned on me one day, that there had to be an easier way to do a garter tab. I'd seen references to using a provisional cast on, but thought I could go one better.
Here's how to do it:
The foundations of the Magic Garter Tab draw on Judy's Magic Cast-on, a fabulous cast-on that I use without fail for toe-up socks.
You can find Judy's original tutorial here: knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html
Thank you Judy for providing the inspiration for the Magic Garter Tab.
What you need:
A circular needle
Some yarn
Begin by setting up three stitches on each needle using Judy's Magic Cast-on.
Holding the two needle tips parallel place a slip knot or a loop on the top needle.
Orientate the yarn tail so it is above the needles and the working yarn, below.
Orientate the yarn tail so it is above the needles and the working yarn, below.
Step 1. Wrap the yarn tail under and around the bottom needle.
Step 2. Bring yarn tail between two needles and back to its original position to form a stitch on the bottom needle.
Step 3. Bring the working yarn under and around the top needle.
Step 4: Bring working yarn down between the two needles and back to its original position to form a stitch on the top needle.
Repeat Steps 1 to 4 until you have three stitches on both the top and the bottom needles.
Cast-on complete.
Cast-on complete.
Turn your work around so you are now looking at the back of the stitches you just cast on.
The working yarn will still be coming from the bottom needle.
The working yarn will still be coming from the bottom needle.
Slide the stitches on the bottom needle onto the cable. You will be working with this needle.
Bring the working yarn under the yarn tail, and knit into the back of the first stitch on the top needle.
Knit into the back of the remaining two stitches.
Turn. Knit four more rows into these three stitches.
Do not turn at the end of the last row.
Do not turn at the end of the last row.
Wrap yarn around needle to create a yarn over.
Slide needles on cable back onto needle tips.
Using your left hand needle, pick up a stitch through the edge of the middle garter ridge row. Knit it.
TIP: If you're making a crescent shaped shawl and want the centre stitch to more resemble the twisted edge stitches, twist this stitch with your needle twice before knitting it.
Using your left hand needle, pick up a stitch through the edge of the middle garter ridge row. Knit it.
TIP: If you're making a crescent shaped shawl and want the centre stitch to more resemble the twisted edge stitches, twist this stitch with your needle twice before knitting it.
Wrap the yarn around the needle to make another yarn over. You will now have six stitches on the right hand needle.
Knit the three stitches on the left hand needle.
And the Magic Garter Tab is done.
After a few rows it will look like this.
After a few rows it will look like this.
