A cable is, essentially, a group of stitches that is divided into two smaller group. Either the first group crosses in front of the 2nd group to create a Cable Left (aka Cable Front) or the first group crosses behind the 2nd group to create a Cable Right (aka Cable Back)
CABLE 4 LEFT
The first technique symbol on the key to the left is the Cable 4 left. This is a cable made up of FOUR stitches.
Our cable is worked thus:
- Slip the first 2 sts
(either slip them onto a cable needle, or onto the right hand needle if you’re doing the cable-without-a-cable-needle technique), - Knit the next 2 sts,
- Return to the slipped sts and cross them IN FRONT of the sts you just knit
- Knit the two front crossed sts.
Cabling Without A Cable Needle Video
I know this sounds complicated, so here’s a brief video I made a few years ago explaining my favorite method for Cabling with a Cable Needle. If you love to use a cable needle, please do so! I don’t want to change how anyone enjoys their knitting, I just want to add some extra bits that some of you may find helpful!
Round 9 is making me crazy… The two YO’s don’t line up over the single YO in the row below as written and charted. I want to shift this over WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING. Just like you did in the following rounds to keep things lined up. Is this intentionally offset? The charting looks like you intend it to be centered, which is why I’m kinda losing my mind over it…
The two YO’s as written will NOT line up in the new chart perfectly, I’m sorry. You can certainly shift it over, but to be honest where the YO happens just above the cable will not be crazy obvious, and the pattern will work well as written. I wish my brain were more – flexible – right now, but I’m having a hard time seeing through this. Thank you for your patience!
I’m feeling successful! I’m a lace knitting toddler. My mind boggles when confronted with a chart. HOWEVER, I’m actively making progress!
My one tip for others a using a life line. Take a different color yarn, and put it on a yarn needle. As you finish a row correctly, before you start the next, run the needle + yarn through the completed stitches. Not knitted in, just riding along. Then if you get distracted by life, you KNOW that row with the life line is right, so only have to back up that far. I
Because I’m a chicken, I run a life line after every few rows, alternating two lines. When I pull out one, after placing the second, I ‘stair step’ up the pattern.
I’m having fun! Thanks, Annie!