My current favorite cast-on and bind-off/cast-off for ribbing is the tubular edging.

This sewn bind-off does take a great deal of time to do, but the results are usually more than worth the effort, so I put up with it. A set-up row splits the knitting for double-knitting and you may then graft the set-up row together, or if appropriate, you can continue to double-knit for a few rows (called foundation rows) and then graft–particularly good if you wish to run an elastic through the tube to reinforce the recovery stretch of the ribbing.

My favorite tutorial for the 1×1 ribbing is Kyoko’s Cotton and Cloud blog, but I’ve never had a chance to use the 2×2 ribbing version until now. I’m especially fond of the two-stranded cast-on, especially if I want to use a contrast color tipping on the ribbing. (How I wish I’d known about this cast-on while doing another of the Da Nieces’s Wrenna last summer!)

Kyoko’s tutorial is very good–especially if you remember that English is not her first language!–but it might make it easier if you remember that steps 2, 4 and 7 are performed with the darning needle entering the knitting from behind the knitting needle, not in front. Kyoko also only gives instructions for a set-up row and grafting row, with no instructions for a longer double-knitted hem’s foundation rows. (You might try the TechKnitter for that.)

I’m working on Twinkle’s Ribbed Jacket from Vogue Knitting/Designer Knitting by Wenlan Chia (Rav link) for a Christmas present for one of Da Nieces, and wanted the rounded edge of tubular knitting, with grafting on the row immediately following the set-up row, as the bulky yarn would mean a very heavy hem otherwise.  (The cast-on is best done with a flat cast-on method, though, since the knitter must pick up stitches on that edge for the collar.)

I lengthened the sleeves to go to the elbow, and now wish I’d taken the length of the entire cardi down onto the hips a ways, but oh well!

The sleeves, though, are knit in the round, so the set up row is done on the right side of the knitting. The set up row has to be changed to cope with this. (I’m sure you experienced knitters can figure this out in about 30 seconds for yourselves–it’s simply reversed–but I wanted to write it down somewhere so I don’t have to try to remember it later when I use this again!)

Here’s Kyoko’s version of the set-up row:

On the last row (WS):
p1, sl 2nd p stitch pwise (purl wise – basically means from behind) wyif (with yarn in front).
k1, sl 2nd k stitch pwise wyab (with yarn at the back).
Continue until end.

Here’s my circular knitting version of the set up row:

On the last row:
Sl 1st p stitch pwise wyif, p1
Sl 1st k stitch pwise wyib, k1
Continue until end.

Here’s a picture of the sleeve edge set-up row in progress (throughout, click for a bigger picture):

This is just after slipping the next rib’s first p stitch pwise wyif and about to purl the second stitch.

Now: Kyoko’s tutorial assumes that you’re starting with 2 K stitches and knitting flat. What if you’re starting with 2 P stitches and knitting circularly? There’s probably an easier way to do it than the way I did it, but this is how I did it.

Step 1: Insert needle into first p st pwise, then into second p st kwise. (This is the same as Step 4.) Pull yarn through to back of knitting.

Step 2: Bringing yarn to the right of the tip of the knitting needle to the front of the knitting, insert darning needle into 3rd k st pwise. Drop first p st. (I’ll explain why this is both bold and italics in a bit.) Pull yarn through.

Step 3: Insert darning needle into 2nd p st pwise, drop this st off knitting needle onto the darning needle.

Step 4: Insert darning needle kwise into 3rd p st (keeping the 3rd and 4th k sts still on needle). Pull yarn through.

Now continue on with Step 3 of Kyoko’s tutorial until you get to the last iteration and have worked through Step 5. Now, remember where I said above I’d explain why the Drop first p st was in both bold and italics? This is where.

Before working the last Step 6, pull your circular needle through so the other needle is now holding the last three stitches. Pick up the dropped p stitch. (If you want, way back up there on the very first Step 2, you can pick up the dropped p stitch onto the end of your knitting and just work your way to the end rather than doing it now. In the pic above, my index finger is behind the dropped purl stitch.) You now have four stitches on the needle. Pull the circular needle back through to the working needle.

Continue through Steps 6, 7 and 3.

Step 4: Insert darning needle from back of knitting into the first p st pwise and pull yarn through.

Step 5: Insert into 2nd k st kwise, drop this st off knitting needle onto darning needle. Insert darning needle purlwise into first k st of next rib. Drop the last stitch on the needle (which is that purl stitch you p/u). Pull yarn through.

Step 6: Insert darning needle purlwise through that last purl st again, then purlwise through the first knit stitch of the round (again) and tighten up stitches. Take yarn through to the other side of the knitting. Break off yarn and sew in end as you please.

If anyone has a better/easier/faster way of doing this, will you please let me know? I’d love to know about it, not the least because I’m knitting with a rather bad sinus headache today and have a strong suspicion I’m going to read this when the headache has gone away and wonder what the heck I was thinking?