The method of producing a tubular knitted item (10), in particular a leg for a pair of tights, involves preceding the normal basic knit with a start that involves knitting, on only a portion of the needles on p first courses (11, 12) and on all of the needles on q subsequent courses (13, 14), an elastane yarn (21) covered with a water-soluble yarn (22); then, once the item has been knitted, the item undergoes an aqueous treatment, for example combined with dyeing, so as to make the water-soluble yarn (22) covering disappear, whereby the p+q courses (11-14) of knitted elastane that precede the normal basic knit are kept on the edge of the item.