Knitting Tutorial: The Fala Cast-On

The Fala Cast-On was created by Maia Discoe for her beautiful Fala Shawl. It is a decorative edge designed to look like little waves (Fala is the Polish word for wave), and while it's easier than it looks, she decided to offer this handy tutorial if you need help getting started. You can also use this fun cast-on with other shawl patterns that need a little flair if you're so inclined. The Fala Shawl itself is available now as a digital pattern or as a kit in our web shop!

The Fala Cast-On is built on the foundation of the well-known and easy Cable Cast-On. It cannot be worked without using the Cable Cast-On, so if you've never done it before check out our tutorial for it before continuing.

The Fala Cast-On:

Cast on 4 stitches using the Cable Cast-On method.

The last stitch created will become a wave stitch. In that last stitch make 7 stitches as follows before removing the wave stitch from the left needle:

Knit 1, yarn over, knit 1, yarn over, knit 1, yarn over, knit 1.

Turn the work. The 7 stitches made in the wave stitch will be scrunched up - this is normal.

Now slip 1 stitch as if to purl, and knit 6 stitches. All of the increased stitches in the wave stitch are now worked.

Turn the work back to the Right Side (the cast on tail will be on the left). Now bind off theses stitches as follows:

Slip 1 stitch as if to purl, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over, (knit 1, pass the previous stitch over the one just knit). Repeat until all stitches in the wave are worked. Keep the stitches loose as you bind off.

You should now have 3 stitches on the left needle and 1 stitch on the working needle. (One wave has been made by increasing one stitch up to seven and then decreasing back down to one stitch.)

Place the remaining stitch from creating the wave onto the left needle. You will see a gap between the first 3 stitches and the wave stitch - this is normal.

To continue, cast on 6 stitches as follows:

Treat the stitch from the wave like a slipknot by knitting into it. Then pull loops between the stitches as in the Cable Cast-On method until you have 7 stitches after the gap (the stitch from the wave plus the 6 cast on). The last stitch will become the next wave stitch - make a wave just as you did the first one above.

Continue making waves and casting on 6 stitches between them until you have the required number of stitches cast on. Remember the seventh stitch always becomes the next wave stitch. End by cast on 2 stitches after the last wave created so there are 3 stitches after the last gap.

The Fala Cast-On is worked left to right, and there are two set up rows. The first set-up row will be a Right Side row.

Set Up Row 1 (Right Side): Slip 1 as if to purl, knit 2, (yarn over, knit 6). Repeat until 3 stitches remain, yarnover, knit 3.

Set Up Row 2 (Wrong Side): Slip 1 as if to purl, knit to end.

And your Fala Cast-On is complete!

You are welcome to use this cast on for your own projects. If you are using it in a pattern or a publication of any kind, be sure give credit to Maia Discoe for its creation. And a link to our tutorial is always appreciated!