Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

Maxermoo — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:12:29 GMT

I made the Teva Durham Peasant Blouse (with all the cables) without a cable needle, and now I'm working on a cabled hoodie, still without a cable needle. I discovered your instructions for cabling without a needle after I was finished, though!

It does save time, but you have to be working with a yarn that has a little bit of "grip," like a wool or a wool blend. Yarns that have a high percentage of acrylic in them are too slick and the stitches drop through the row below before you can get them back on the needle, so that may be a challenge for some of your readers if they've tried this and been unsuccessful.

I'm a cable-holic (and proud to admit it) and will continue to cable without a needle. Thanks for bringing this clever trick to the public, even if the instructions are slightly backward...

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

knitterie — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:18:45 GMT

I agree, I think the instructions are backwards. Having tried to switch to this method in the middle of the "Every Way Warp" it was a disaster. I have gone back to the cable needle. I'll try again sometime and reverse to see if it looks better.

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

GeetaN@2 — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:20:14 GMT

i saw katherine hepburn cardigan pattern u have give the finished sizes but what will be the actual sizes

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

amschick23 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:53:39 GMT

I have used this technique for a few years now... I mainly use it when I have to cross 2 stitches or a wavy stitch pattern that moves 2 stitches left or fight. It does save time, especially when I found myself dropping my "slippery" metal cable needle too much!! Go For Cable!! Annette

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

LongmontKathy — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:03:29 GMT

I agree with Maragaret B that the directions seem reversed. What I did was first align the cables using a cable needle, and then followed their direction with the needle-less technique.

I liked the technique because I find it distorts the stitches less than a cable needle.

This wouldn't matter I guess if you did a whole pattern backward.

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

Razor — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:23:31 GMT

I like the 'no cable needle' technique! I'm doing a project with a 3x3 cable and I was never comfortable with the cable needle--it felt a little 'fiddly' to me. This is a wee bit slower as I'm getting the hang of it, but I like it!

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

DaniLee@2 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:05:44 GMT

Thanks for the helpful tips Kathleen - looking forward to giving this a try!

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

Kabira — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:22:39 GMT

HI - you wrote:

I'm saving tons of time doing the cables without a needle.

I've done cables for years with and without a cable needle - I don't find one faster than the other - just handy to know how to cable without a needle if you don't have it along.

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

lotsofyarn — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:59:01 GMT

The directions and figures are very clear and easy to understand. However, I'm fairly certain they are reversed. For right cross I would follow Figure 2 and bring my left hand needle to the back of the work and insert it into the backs of all stitches that need to be held; for left cross follow Figure 1 and bring the left-hand needle to the front of the work and insert it into the fronts of all stitches that need to be held. In other words, the left hand needle goes to the front or back just as the cable needle would.

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

SusanR@4 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:57:31 GMT

DVD is a great idea, but I prefer books. It is difficult to watch a video and knit at the same time. I do it with TV (listen a lot). Guess I am just old-fashioned.

Susan

re: Cabling without a Needle (Plus a free pattern!)

PattiP — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:14:42 GMT

I have tried the no cable needle cable technique...I don't find it saves any time, but it is handy if you're cabling on vacay and forget your cable needle.