When you need a flexible cast on that stretches and moves with your fabric and still looks tidy, the Picot Chain Cast On is a great one to know!  When you're working with lace or decreases that are aligned, the fabric pulls in, tapering to a smaller size.  As it does this, it causes the cast on to flare out in order to adjust for the center row of decreases which will push downwards as the sides angle inwards. You'll find this when working Herringbone stitch too, or any stitch pattern where decreases are stacked.  

This cast on is also good for top down sweaters that need to stretch over your head, yet bounce back into place for a good fit.  

Here's how to do it:

Set up:

• Form a slipknot with 6” tail on LH needle.  Knit one stitch but leave it on the needle. 
• Turn RH needle clockwise, insert tip of LH needle into the loop from left to right, and slip the stitch to LH needle.   

Working Steps:

• With yarn in front, slip 1 stitch purlwise from LH to RH needle, and knit next stitch on LH needle (this creates a yarn over to the right of the stitch you just slipped).  With your thumb, hold this yarn over in place, to the far right, with the same amount of space between the slipped stitch and the yarn over.   The stitches will be lined up from right to left as follows:  yarn over, slipped stitch, knit stitch.
• Lift the slipped stitch (lies in the middle) over the knit st and off needle.  Turn work.

Repeat last 2 steps until the number of loops along one side equals the number of stitches to be CO. 

These steps form a loop on one side, then you turn and they form a loop on the other side.  Once you have the correct number of stitches to be cast on on one side, stop.  Don’t make the corresponding loop on the other side.  The last remaining stitch left on the needle will become your first CO stitch.

Next:

• Slip 1 stitch purlwise from LH to RH needle, move yarn to back, knit the next stitch on LH needle, lift the slipped stitch over the knit stitch and off needle.  One stitch remains on needle.  

Your cast on is almost done!  Now you just need to place the stitches properly on your needle so you can begin to knit.  

• Turn work on its side, with the side holding one less loop facing up.
• Insert tip of RH needle from front to back through the 1st picot loop and knit through this loop.  Continue picking up and knitting 1 stitch in each loop.    Now you're ready to work from your pattern.  

You can see how this cast on just flows around the edge without tightness.  Yet it's not too "loud".  It's a neat stretchy cast on with so many pretty uses.
 

This is a beautiful little cast on with a LONG list of attributes:  it's durable, flexible, expandable and attractive.  Either side can be used as the right side and the knots look great if you're working in Reversed Stockinette.  It's not an "exact" cast on either since if you cast on too many stitches, you can just drop any extra stitches at the end of the first row.  Like all cast ons, there are trade offs, so you need to be mindful that this cast on can widen and tension can be hard to maintain.  It's not good for ribbing, it's slow going, and you'll need to space between knots carefully.  But your efforts will be rewarded with a neat little row of "knots" that create a nice edge. 

Use the Guernsey Cast On for sweaters and the bottom edges of garments worked in Stockinette.  You can substitute this for most any cast on (except tubular or provisional) and you'll cast on the same number of stitches as you normally would with a basic long tail cast on.

So here's how you do it!  

• With needles 3-4 sizes smaller than rest of project, make a slipknot on the needle, leaving a 6” tail.  Hold the slipknot and needle in your right hand and working yarn in your left hand. 
• Wrap the working end of the yarn around your left thumb from front to back.  Catch the front thumb strand by placing needle to the left of the strand, going under it, scooping it up and sliding the loop onto the needle.  Tighten.
• With tip of other needle, pass slipknot over cast on stitch and off needle. 

• Cast on 2 more stitches as in step 2. 
• With other needle, lift 2nd stitch from the needle tip over the last stitch and off the needle.  Pull yarn snug until the same amount of space exists between each stitch and the knots are the same size.

• Repeat last 2 steps until all stitches are cast on.

Either side may be used as the right side.  After casting on, if you work  the first row normally, the stitches will be twisted, providing a firmer edge.  If you knit or purl through the back loop they will be oriented properly.  With the knots along the cast on edge, a firm edge is obtained whether your stitches are twisted on that first row or not. 

I hope you enjoy this one and give your next project an artistic detail that holds up well.

The Three Needle Bind Off Purlwise allows you to use 3-needle BO with Reversed Stockinette or Garter stitch, where your purl stitches are on the right side of your garment.  This creates a seam that blends in nicely with the purl stitches and is hardly noticeable.

You can read the step-by-step instructions below or watch the video [click here].

How to work the Three Needle Bind Off Purlwise:

1.  The setup is the same as regular three needle bind off.  With the right sides held together (we’re working with Reversed Stockinette so we want the purl sides together), needle tips pointing in the same direction, and same number of sts on each needle, insert 3rd needle knitwise into the first stitch on the front needle.  Leave it on the needle.
 
2.  Wrap yarn counterclockwise around 3rd needle tip to bring the yarn in front.  (You’re setting up a purl stitch and you always bring your yarn forward before you purl.)  Insert 3rd needle purlwise into the first stitch on the back needle and purl this stitch.  Let it fall from the back needle.
 
3.  Take the yarn clockwise around 3rd needle tip to the back of your work.  Lift the front knit st that is being held open, over the st that you just purled and off the needle.  You have 1 st on the 3rd needle.  Do these steps again and you'll have 2 sts on the 3rd needle.  

4.  Lift 2nd st over 1st st and off.   Continue until all stitches have been bound off.  

What we’re doing is knitting the stitches on the front needle and purling the stitches on the back needle.  You bring your yarn forward before purling, then bring it to the back before knitting.    
 
For the front, go into the stitch as if to knit.
For the back, yarn forward, purl the st, yarn back.
Lift the knit stitch held open over the purled st.
Bind off one stitch.
 
This creates such a nice seam that blends in nicely to purl stitches.   I hope you find it useful.  Many knitters love to join shoulders with the three needle bind off.  It is a convenient way to end your work and join the front and back at the same time.  With so many cable patterns using reversed stockinette as a background stitch for the cabling, there are many times where you end up with lots of purled stitches around the shoulders.  Patterns will have you bind off and seam, which has its own advantages (stronger, more stable seam, etc.), but the Three Needle Bind Off Purlwise gives you another option that is fun to do, looks great and saves time.  I hope you enjoy it!