Cables without a cable needle

Have you tried this? I don’t use a cable needle. I was going to say I don’t own one but I think I do. It’s in the container with my set of straight needles which I also don’t use. Why do I still have them? That’s a very good question. Let’s not go there today.

One of my internet friends wanted to know how I get my cables to look so neat and tidy. My first thought was that I had no idea. I just do them and they turn out that way. But then, the next day, I remembered that I don’t use a cable needle. It’s not that I didn’t know I don’t use a cable needle, that would be sort of crazy, it’s that I haven’t used one for quite a long time so it doesn’t occur to me that they are needed to work cables.

So I did a video to show you how I do it. Thanks CD for the question that prompted this. I hope this visualization helps.

No Cable Needle video

There are tricks to do this:

  1. Only use the tips of your needles. Push all the stitches on your needles to the tips so you can maneuver your needles without pulling any of the stitches.
  2. Take your needles to the stitches. Load the stitches going to the Back first. Once they are on your needle, Leave Them Where They Lie, usually slightly to the back of your work. Don’t move them because they will pull the stitches that are still hanging free.
  3. Load the stitches going to the Front.
  4. Cross the stitches to the Right or Left and load the stitches on your right needle onto the left needle. Check that you crossed them correctly. If not take them off and start again.
  5. Knit across the cable stitches.

It’s a little risky but so satisfying and no cable needle to lose, imagine that!

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

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Author: debgemmellmods

I'm a Knitter. The capital K means every day, everywhere. I'm co-owner of Cabin Fever with my sister Lyn. We have published over 100 patterns and 11 books. I'm also working on a new set of patterns for Any Gauge knitting. Dive into your stash and cast on for a Top Down sweater that fits, or an accessory to use up those odd balls of yarn.

10 thoughts on “Cables without a cable needle”

  1. Going to try this using the tips of the needles and no cable hook which must be causing the stress on the stitches and giving me a gappy look at the cable twist. I will be sure to report my progress! The video is stellar!

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  2. Oh my…so much better than how I was shown years ago…just left the second part of the stitches hanging which freaks me out so I went back to my cn. I will be using this method as of today. I just happen to be doing a project with cables. Thanks for the tip!

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  4. I know I have two kinds of cable needles but I haven’t used either for years. Like you, I use the tips of my needles . . . . but I haven’t done anything wider than 8 cables.

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