Cables are a knitting technique that creates visually twisted stitches. Cables are used to decorate and add interest to all kinds of knitted garments, from fine wraps to rugged, masculine vests. If you have never knit cables before, be assured that they are far easier to knit than they look. Here's how knitted cables are done.
How to Knit Cables
Cables are usually knit in vertical panels, which are bordered by purl stitches on either side. These purl stitches help to define the cable, making it pop out of the rest of the knitted fabric. The knit stitches between the two purled borders are where the magic of cables happens. At regular intervals the cable row changes the order in which the stitches in the cable are knitted. This is done by transferring half of the stitches onto another needle, either a cable needle or a regular double-pointed needle. These stitches are held away from the rest of the stitches, either in front of the knitting or behind it, and the remaining stitches are knit first. Then the stitches that have been held on the spare needle are knit. All this does is essentially change the order in which the stitches in the cable panel are knit, which causes a twist in the fabric.
Right Slanting and Left Slanting Cables
Depending on whether the cable needle is held to the back or front of your knitting, you can create a cable that slants to the left or the right. When the first stitches are held behind your knitting, this creates a right slanting cable as the stitches originally on the left hand side of the cable panel are transferred over to the right as they are knit. Left slanting cables are created by holding the stitches on the cable needle in front of your knitting. More complex cable patterns such as braids can be created by increasing the number of stitches in your cable panel and combining left and right slanting cables.
Projects to Practice Knitting Cables
A lovely, quick project to practice your new cabling skills is a sweet pair of fingerless gloves. The Central Park Hoodie is another great project that uses a simple cable pattern to dress up a classic and very wearable hoodie. Whether you choose to knit a big or small cabled project, make sure to keep a notepad and pen handy, especially if you knit while watching TV. The hardest part of knitting cables is keeping track of how many more rows you need to knit before doing the next cable row, so keeping a running tally on a piece of paper can save you the heartache of having uneven cables or having to rip back your knitting to fix a cable twisted too early or late. Most of all, enjoy the admiration of your friends and family as you show off your cabled knitting.
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