Knitting Cables

A few years ago when I started learning how to knit, I imagined being happy for the rest of my life with washcloths, scarves, blankets, and maybe hats.  Techniques like cables and colorwork seemed way beyond any skill level I would ever be able to attain! 

I was happy with this for awhile .... until I started noticing all those patterns with gorgeous cables.  And wondering just how hard they could be.  So I got brave, found some good instructions and videos online, dug in, and in one of the most anti-climatic events ever, found out that cables are beyond easy.  Yep, easy easy!  If you can knit, purl, and move stitches from one needle to another, you too can knit cables!

After practicing for about 15 minutes, I started making a long band that turned into this cabled headband that's wide enough to be a good ear warmer.

Materials:
*worsted weight yarn - I used Lion Brand Wool Ease
*cable needle - these usually have either a deep indentation or hook to hold the stitches
*size 10 or 10 1/2 knitting needles

1.  Cast on 26 stitches.  Work the first row:  knit straight across, 26 stitches.  Work the second row:  knit 4, purl 18, knit 4.

2.  Row 3:  knit 4, slip the next 6 stitches from the left needle to the cable needle and put in front of your work.  Knit 6, then change your hold to the cable needle and knit the six stitches on it.  Knit the last 4 stitches.

3.  Row 4:  knit 4, purl 18, knit 4.

4.  Row 5:  knit straight across, 26 stitches.

5.  Row 6:  knit 4, purl 18, knit 4.

6.  Row 7:  knit 4, slip 6 from left needle to cable needle and put in the back of your work.  Knit 6, then change your hold to the cable needle and knit the 6 stitches on it.  Knit the last 4 stitches.

7.  Row 8:  Knit 4, purl 18, knit 4.

8.  Repeat this pattern until the band is long enough to fit around your head.

9.  Fold over the ends, see photo below, and sew together.

Now I'm totally pumped up about cables!  So I jumped right into a larger project, the Ropes and Ladders Scarf by Jennifer Tallapaneni, available free here on Ravelry.

I used Malabrigo Mecha in the Solis colorway and made it a little shorter than called for so it would be more of a neckwarmer than long scarf.  I also added a row of crochet mesh (1 doublecrochet, chain 1 all the way across) on each end to finish it a bit more.

I'm off to search out more cable patterns!

Happy Creating!  Deborah

On Beginnings ...

The first Monday is one of my favorite days of the year ... a new year is beginning, with all its wonderful possibilities stretching out before me!  Anything I wanted to get done last year and didn't, I've pretty much let go of.  All my plans for this year are still fresh and totally possible!  

In honor of new beginnings, I'm starting on a project I bought a couple of months ago and have been anxiously gazing at since.  I bought Dream In Color's November 2014 yarn and pattern kit for a gorgeous hat and fingerless gloves set - it looks quite complicated, but the teaser for it promised it would be much easier to work than it looked.

The yarn is a beautiful hand painted chocolate-raspberry color - I can almost taste it!

So far, it's only slightly stretching my skills and this is exactly where I want to be knitting, just on the edge.  And I may just sit here all day knitting away, still in my beginning of a project rapture!

A quick Google search shows the yarn/pattern kit is still available at several online yarn shops and the pattern is here on Ravelry.

Happy Creating!  Deborah