How to Cable without a Cable Needle

I’ve been working on a lot of cable knitting projects lately, which is not something I normally do. I don’t know why, but I don’t typically use a lot of cables in my designs or choose to knit things that have cables. They’re actually pretty fun.

Especially when you can perform the magic trick of making cables without having to pull out a cable needle or spare double pointed knitting needle to use as a cable needle.

Once you understand how cables work and which way the stitches need to go to make the cable turn the way you need it to go, it’s actually really easy to do. It does involve temporarily having some stitches hanging loose from a needle, so if your yarn is really slippery, you might not want to use this technique.

But if you’re working with wool or another fiber that is relatively grabby this is a great technique that feels really clever and like it saves you time having to pick up, use, and put down your cable needle as you work across the row. (In the video I’m using Lion Brand Wool-Ease Chunky, which has long since been discontinued, but like the other Wool-Ease products its a blend of wool and acrylic, and it worked just fine with this technique).

I like doing it this way when you’re only slipping one or two stitches to make your cables. If they are much wider than that it’s easy to get your stitches twisted or out of order when you pick them back up.

Have you ever worked cables without a cable needle? Do you have other cable knitting tricks to share? I’d love to hear about it! (And hopefully I can share with you why I’ve been making so many cable knitting projects soon!)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDcDn3StOuA]

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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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