[DonnaB-NC]

I have some 100% bamboo yarn, really gorgeous stuff in a very pale shell color and I would love to make myself a shawl. I have the pattern and I'm ready to go! Problem...

This yarn (and I did know this from the beginning when I bought it) is slippery as the dickens! I mean it has absolutely NO body to it. And while it makes it beautiful as a finished fabric, trying to get to that is not easy! I'm having trouble casting on, does any one have a good cast on suggestion I can try?

The pattern does not require a specific way to begin, but the shawl is built from a garter tab of 3 stitches and 8 rows. I can't even get those first 3 stitches on neatly.

 

[Jessica-Jean]

I would use a crochet-hook cast-on, leaving at least an 8” tail - all of which to be woven in after completion.

 

[laceluvr]

In addition to J-J's suggestion, use bamboo or other wood needles that have some "grab" to them. I often knit with rayon or very slippery novelty yarns and found that bamboo needles work the best. It might also be a bit trickier to pick up stitches along the side of the garter tab. Use a 2nd needle to help with this, especially if the yarn is slippery. Here's a good video that shows an easy way to do the garter tab.
(20) How to Knit the Garter Stitch Tab Cast On for Triangular Shawls - YouTube

 

[MMWRay]

I use a 3 stitch provisional cast on for a garter tab construction. You are going to pick up 3 stitches from this so the least visible cast on the better.
Use bamboo needles as suggested.
I hope you aren't knitting a fancy lace pattern because this yarn does not show it well. With no body the lace pattern doesn't block well.

 

[Crochetnknit]

When doing a garter tab, I have found that putting a lockable stitch holder in reach of the three stitches helps me find them when ready to do the pickup.

 

[Magna84]

definately use bamboo needles

 

[klmc]

I’ve not tried this, but it may be helpful.

PDXKnitterati’s Better Garter Tab Cast on for Crescent Shawls

I have a new shawl design, Lucky Star. It features an elongated garter tab cast on at the beginning, designed to minimize the hump that can occur at the center neck of top down crescent shawls. Man…

pdxknitterati.com

 

[klrober]

I also have some hand dyed bamboo yarn that is exactly like yours....so slippery it's a scary experience to knit with it....the gal who dyed the yarn included 2 patterns: a shawl or a scarf but all knit in garter st ( mine will be a scarf). Even using wood needles the yarn is still slippery so I use st markers every 10 or so sts to make sure I have the correct count....it's in time out now!!!

 

[IndigoSpinner]

When I make hats that have a cuff around the bottom that's folded up and has one stitch from the cast-on and one stitch from the working needle knitted together so that you wind up with a double layer in the cuff, I use a knitted cast-on instead of a provisional cast-on. On the cast-on, when you pick it up, you're actually picking up a loop that forms between the stitches. This works well in the round. The finished result looks, and, if you follow the yarn, is exactly the same as if you used a provisional cast-on.

That's what came to mind to recommend.

But, although this works in the round, it will leave you with one less loop to pick up because you're actually using the loop between the stitches. Since you cast on three stitches, that will give you two loops.

So, what I'd recommend is to use the knitted cast-on to make your three stitches, and when you go to pick them up and knit them, do a kfb in the first stitch, and just pick up and knit the second one.

That should give you a combination of an easy cast-on, something that will look good, and the right number of stitches.

I hope this makes sense to you.