How to knit cables

In today’s Saturday stitches, we’ll show you how to work with cables.

Feeling intimidated by cable knitting? Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through it step by step and by the end of it, you’ll wonder what you were ever worried about! Read on for our written instructions or click the image below for our video.

Here we have cast on 29 stitches and worked the cables over 6 stitches. The stitches either side of the cable are worked in reverse stocking stitch to make it really stand out.

• 1. Knit 5 stitch, purl 2 stitches.

• 2. Now slide 3 stitches from your left hand needle onto your cable needle.

• 3. Cables can twist either to the left or to the right: in this picture, the cable on the right is twisting right, and the one on the left is twisting left.

• 4. To make a cable that twists to the right, hold the cable needle with your stitches on it behind your knitting.

• 5. Leave the cable where it is for now and knit 3 stitches from your left needle.

• 6. Now knit the 3 stitches that have been waiting on your cable needle.

• 7. Purl 3 stitches. Now you will make a cable that twists to the left. Slide 3 stitches from your left hand needles on to the cable needle and hold it in front of your knitting.

• 8. You will complete your left twisting cable in the same way as your right twisting cable. Knit 3 stitches from your left hand needle, then knit the 3 stitches on your cable needle.
• 9. To complete your row, purl 2 stitches, then knit the last stitches.

So, there you have it, learning to cable wasn’t so scary after all! Want to get stuck into a cable project right away? Then check out our Moon Head Beanie pattern, or for the more adventurous knitter, try our River Night Sweater.