. Annie only shows how to make left-twisting cables,
though, and the pictures aren't the best, and it's not on the web for everyone
to see... so here I am, having made my own tutorial! Cabling without a cable needle
(©2007, www.grumperina.com. Information and images contained within this tutorial are copyrighted and cannot be used for any unintended purposes without my explicit permission.)
First, what makes this tutorial different from the numerous cabling without a cable needle tutorials available on the web? Other tutorials just instruct you how to transpose the cable stitches and then knit them. The method explored here (the invention of which I do not take credit for) is a bit more elegant and involves fewer steps.
Cables become that much more exciting if you don't have to use a cable needle or a double-pointed needle to help you along. This is especially true for a new knitter, who is much more likely to jump into an interesting cabled project if only two needles are involved. Oh, and think about a pretty pair of cabled socks, like these ones, knit with a set of 5 dpns... uh-oh, if you use a cable needle, now you have a total of six needles to juggle!
I first read about making cables without
the aid of an additional needle in
Annie Modesitt's
Confessions of a Knitting Heretic
Let's cable! I will use a six-stitch cable as an example. Choose your destiny:
Right-twist cable (same as holding sts in back) Left-twist cable (same as holding sts in front)
Right-twist cable
When you reach the cable stitches, move
the yarn to the front.
With yarn in front, slip the first three
stitches purlwise onto the right-hand needle.
Move the yarn across the three slipped
stitches to the back.
Knit the next three stitches.
Bring the left needle to the back of the
fabric, aiming at the three slipped stitches.
From the back, pick up the three slipped
stitches onto the left needle.
Get
ready for cable acrobatics by pinching the base of the cable stitches with your
left thumb and forefinger. Start to move the right needle out of the
stitches.
Pull
the right needle out of the six cable stitches: the three slipped ones
will remain on the left needle, and the three already-knit ones will be hanging
in midair in the front.
From
the front, pick up the three stitches hanging in midair with your right
needle. These three stitches have already been knit.
Straighten
out your knitting. The three knit stitches are on the right needle, and
the three previously-slipped stitches are on the left.
Move
the yarn to the back, and knit three stitches from the left needle
(previously-slipped).
Right-twist
cable complete!
Want more? Left-twist cable
I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial. E-mail me if you have any questions!