Cables without Cable Needles?

[KarenKlopfer]

I am looking for directions for knitting cables without a cable needle.

Thanks.

[cam90066]

Have you seen these?

http://wendyknits.net/knit/leftcable.htm

http://www.grumperina.com/leftcable.htm

More site options if you google.

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[losnana]

Is there any advantage to doing cables without cable needles? Other than not having the expense of the cable needles, of course.

[Ingrid]

I think it's more of a convenience and time saver. I find that I don't mind cabling without the needle when the stitches are in front, but don't like trying to keep track when they're in the back. I use a dpn to cable, so there's no expense involved. It also depends on how slippery the yarn is.

[cam90066]

Agree with Ingrid. Sometimes it's much more expeditious to work w/o but there are certain cables that present certain challenges that necessitate the add'l needle. I use a J-hook that cost only a couple bucks. It's been helpful when needed.

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[booskibabe]

I don't have much cabling experience, but I do cable without needles when possible. So far I've only worked front cables. When I need to cable I skip half of the cable stitches (if it's a 6 stitch cable, then skip 3 sts) knit the second half, then knit the first half. When I do use a cable ndl, I do as previous posters and use a dbl pt ndl.
Hope this helped!

[MaleKnitter]

when i am knitting difficult cabled designs (like a saxon braid) i prefer to use a cable needle (well, actually I use a dpn because i can only find the tiny curved cable needles and i dont like those). When i dont use a cable needle, i find that the stitches are harder to keep uniform because they have to stretch much more, but for simple six or four stitch cables that i dont have to constantly read the pattern to make, then i can go with or without the cable needle.

[Mirl56]

I've not been able to master not using a cable needle. I always seem to spend more time picking up the 'flapping/floating/dropped' stitches then if I had just used a cable need in the first place.

[five_six]

you do at first, but with practice you get faster.

[Braden]

I'm planning on doing a tutorial for that on here pretty soon. It'll be in the How To Forum here.