A traditional knitting technique whose popularity has endured and continues even to the present day, you have probably seen cabling on jumpers, blankets, hats, and other knitted items, even if you didn’t know that’s what it was! Cabling “folds” a number of stitches over each other to create a repeated, twisted pattern up a knitted piece.
Like many knitting techniques, the general construction of cables is relatively simple, the difficult part is learning how to juggle the different sections. In this brief guide, we’ll show you how cables work, the abbreviations you’re likely to see, and a few tips to help you on your way!
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Basics
Cables take a set number of stitches (usually an even number), half of which you hold on a separate needle so that you can knit the other half out of order. This “twists” some stitches either in front of or behind others, making the cable. The greater the number of stitches included, the larger/wider the cable.
1. Work up to the cabling section.
2. Take your cable needle and slide the next 2 (3, 4, etc.) stitches off the left-hand needle onto your cabling needle.
3. Knit the next 2 (3, 4, etc.) stitches from the left-hand needle.
4. Knit the stitches held on your cable needle.
You will be able to see how knitting the stitches out of order twists them around each other. The following few rows will likely be simple knit and purl rows, so the stitches sit flat again before repeating and creating a new cable. The direction of the twist is determined by where you hold the cable needle as you knit the first set of cable stitches. This is explained below.
Notice that with most cabled sections there is a border of purled stitches so that the cable has space either side; this allows the cabling to stand out from the stitches around it. Many patterns that feature cables will have at least one purl stitch either side to create this effect.
Cable Front (C*F)
As with other knitting techniques, you will see abbreviations for cabling in your instructions rather than the complete instruction being written in full. Cabling with the cable needle at the front creates a left-leaning twist and is written as C*F – the asterisk will be the full number of stitches being twisted.
For example, in the C6F below, three stitches are taken from the left needle and remain at the front of the work. The next 3 stitches are knitted as normal before the 3 from the cable needle are worked, pulling the first 3 stitches across the front, and causing a slant to the left. This has cabled 6 stitches.
Cable Back (C*B)
To create the same cable but leaning to the right, you will do the same thing but leave the stitches at the back. The C6B below shows the slipped stitches hanging at the back, pulling the following 3 stitches across the front and creating a slant to the right. This has cabled 6 stitches but with the twist going in the opposite direction.
Cable Needles
When choosing a cable needle for your project, you will need to think about the yarn weight you are using and the number of stitches you are cabling. Once you get used to the technique, you may also find that there is a certain style of cable needle that you prefer, or a certain material.
Straight needle: The simplest of the cable needles, a straight needle looks like one DPN and will often come in two sizes: small and large. Small cable needles are used for much thinner yarns, usually up to a DK weight. Large cable needles are for chunkier yarns, usually from an aran weight upwards. Using a cable needle too small for your project will cause it to slip out of the stitches and cause a mess, while a needle that is too large might stretch your stitches or simply not fit through at all!
Cranked needle: To hold the stitches more easily, cranked needles have a dip in the centre that allows them to hang from the stitches, so you don’t have to worry about it slipping out. These needles can come in different shapes, but the basic principle is the same.
U-shaped needles and adjustable needles: In much the same way that cranked needles work, u-shaped cable needles hang from your stitches and lessen the possibility they will slide off. You will also find cable needles that have movable centres, allowing you to bend them into a shape that suits your needs. These tend to be covered in rubber so your stitches will also be held by the texture of the material.
Your cable needles can come in different materials, and you will likely find one that is easier for you, just as with knitting needles. Many of the metal cable needles won’t come in larger sizes simply because they become too heavy; you’ll find that there is a switch to plastic at a certain size, just like with knitting needles.
Cabling without a cable needle
If you don’t fancy trying to juggle three different needles, there is a way to cable without a needle. This technique tends to work best with yarns that are a little fluffier and so have some grip, but not so well with silkier yarns that slide easily.
To cable without a needle, you simply swap the stitches around on the left-hand needle.
Cable Forward
1. Skipping the first 2 (3, 4, etc.) stitches on the left-hand needle, slip the right-hand needle into the front of the next 2 (3, 4, etc.) stitches.
2. Slide all stitches to be cabled off the left-hand needle.
3. Leaving half the stitches on the right-hand needle and working behind these, pick up the dropped stitches with the left-hand needle.
4. Return the slipped stitches from the right-hand needle back on to the left-hand needle.
5. Knit all stitches as normal.
This technique twists your stitches around each other before you knit them, allowing you to create a cable with the needles you already have, in one swift movement.
Cable Back
- Skipping the first 2 (3, 4, etc.) stitches on the left-hand needle, slip the right-hand needle into the back of the next 2 (3, 4, etc.) stitches.
2. Slide all stitches to be cabled off the left-hand needle.
3. Leaving half the stitches on the right-hand needle and working in front of these, pick up the dropped stitches with the left-hand needle.
4. Return the slipped stitches from the right-hand needle back on to the left-hand needle.
5. Knit all stitches as normal.
Here you create the cable in the same way, but swap the direction of the twist, so the first half of the stitches are pulled across the front.
Cabling without a needle might take some practice (and some courage!) as you will have to make sure that the dropped stitches don’t unravel any further before you pick them up again, but once you’ve mastered it you might find that it is quicker and easier than introducing yet more needles into the mix!
Twist 2 (R/L)
You might find that some patterns include a Cable Two or Twist 2 instruction (or variations of this). Twisting stitches doesn’t really require a cable needle, as you can simply knit both stitches before slipping them off the left-hand needle.
T2R:
- Insert your right needle into the second stitch on the left-hand needle, as you would for a normal knit stitch.
2. Knit into this stitch, but don’t slip it off the needle.
3. Insert your needle into the first stitch on the left-hand needle and knit as normal.
4. Slide both stitches off the left-hand needle at the same time.
This technique creates the same twist that cabling does but you don’t need to swap or remove stitches beforehand. Sometimes twisted stitches don’t include a purl stitch either side as it’s not always considered a cable.
You will also find twisted stitches in some ribbed sections, often called “Twisted Rib”. You work these the same as a regular rib, but you’ll twist the two knit stitches to create a little extra texture. Your pattern will explain exactly how to do this if Twisted Rib is used.
Tips
Tension
You’ll have to make sure that your tension is correct for cables, as pulling the stitches across can affect your usual knitting. Allowing your knitting to become too loose as you knit from the cable needle will cause the patterned sections to sag and your cables might look uneven. However, pulling the stitches too tight might pull the knitting out of shape, create holes in the border area, and stop the cable from sitting flat enough.
Getting the tension correct will take practice, but you’ll find you get the feel of how to work with all your needles as you keep trying, and the right tension should naturally come as you get more comfortable and gain more experience.
Dropping Stitches
Dropping some of your stitches from a cable needle can definitely be stressful, especially if they start to unravel! Cable stitches that have been dropped can be picked up again with a needle or crochet hook as you would with regular knitting, but we wouldn’t recommend trying to work out how to get these back onto the needle in the correct cable formation. If you’re not as well-practised with knitting in general, we would suggest backtracking to before you knitted the cabled section, adding the stitches back in, and then trying again. A bit fussy and frustrating, but worth it in the end to create something you’re proud of!
Different Cables
While we’ve set out the basics for cabling here, there are a massive number of different cable variations, some of which won’t look as you’d expect. From plaited cables to basket weave to honeycomb, there are all sorts of textures you can create with cabling, but don’t be intimidated! If your pattern calls for a cabling you haven’t come across before, the instructions should explain what to do, and with the understanding of cabling you now have, you’ll be able to figure it out in no time.
If you find any of these instructions unclear, or just need a little extra help, don’t hesitate to email us at sales@woolwarehouse.co.uk or give us a call on 01926 88 28 18.