A.B.C.s of 1 x 1 Cables

Bromefields Knitting Shop on Etsy

Knitted Cable Sourcebook

Infinite Cables

Cables - 

cars, telegrams, landline telephones, lifelines, internet, KNIT !

Who doesn't love cables? 

What follows here are my observations while learning to knit cables. Listed above are some excellent sources for those interested in furthering their cable knitting education. As always, nothing on my page is a 'paid advertisement.'

1. The first listed is an inexpensive booklet on some traditional cable variations.
2. Norah Gaughan presents a comprehensive study of cables.  
3. Melissa Leapman presents her class on working cables as an icon, instead of a vertical row.

         Note: In the book, Norah presents a lovely edge stitch that she does not explain in the book. Being the lovely person she is, she gave me the 'recipe' along with permission to share it with you.

    

A cable, in its simplest form, is comprised of multiple strands. In the case of knitting, a cable requires more than one stitch. A Bavarian Twisted Stitch (also on Craftsy) is sometimes called a 'traveling stitch' and uses a 1 x 1 pattern. It's similar but is not quite the same, being knitted through the back loop.

Technically, a 1 x 1 cable stitch is not a 'traditional' cable stitch. As originated with Aran Sweater knitting in the British Isles, cables are made with a 2 x 2 (or more) sequence.

My hat pattern is from the Bulgarian knitter Elena Dimchevska, on Ravelry.

Used with permission from the designer

Milka Hat

What made this hat so much fun for me, a challenged knitter is that it is cable-simplified, but not simple. I made mistakes, but part of my challenge was to keep on knitting by either making a way to continue on with the correct number of stitches, or drop back and repair one or two stitches - but not rip out an entire row or pattern repeat. That in itself is a learning experience. Again, the mantra is Swatch, Swatch, Swatch.

To the Good Stuff - 

The A.B.C.s of 1 x 1 cables

A. The forward stitch will usually be knitted - unless the designer says otherwise.

B. The behind stitch will usually be purled - unless the designer says otherwise.

C. Both stitches are knit when you want to create an X, or the behind stitch will become a forward stitch very soon, as in the next pattern row.

D. Stitches might be Knit/Purl when you want the forward stitch to lean to the right.

E. Stitches might be Purl/knit when you want the forward stitch to lean to the left.

F. Why aren't the stitches interchangeable? Because you are usually working right to left.

Unless you work left to right sometimes, and right to left other times.

Unless the designer tells you to do it differently -