cable cast on in purl

[jeannedams]

I'm not a very good knitter, and I'm stuck. I'm in the middle of a sweater and need to cable cast on 24 stitches at the end of a row, leading me to the next stitches. The cast-on stitches will form the right underarm; this sweater is knit from the top down, and pretty much all in one piece. I've done cable cast on in knit, working from left to right--but this is in purl and from right to left, and I'm completely confused!

[Jan in CA]

Normally you turn your work so the stitches are on the left like normal so it's easy to cast on those few stitches. A knit cable cast on should be fine.

I am doing a raglan myself right now and that's what I did although I did a different cast on.

[suzeeq]

For casting on at the underarm, you don't need to do it purlwise. Move the needle with the working yarn to the other hand, cast on then move it back to finish the round. When you pick up stitches in the cast on, you can't tell if it's knit or purl. I'd suggest a knit cast on though, it won't be as bulky as the cable and is easier to pick up the stitches in.