Purl Cable Rib???

[Arlene]

Hi there everyone,

I am working on the Rhiannon Sock pattern by cookiea and am stumped on how to do the set up round for the cuff (foldover cable). This called the Purl Cable Rib.

Set up round:*K2;purl 4 stitches through the back loop without removing stitches from left needle; with left needle in front of right needle, purl 4 stitches again through the front loop, sliding stitches off left needle (4 stitches increased).

I know how to purl through the back loop but I cannot manouver to get through the second stitch on the left needle due to the 1st stitch blocking my way.

I would appreciate any help you could give me.

Take care,
Arlene

[redwitch]

Try doing it more loosely, or maybe you are putting the needle through in the wrong direction?
Sarah

[Arlene]

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for replying. I am going into the back of the purl stitch correctly and I did try to loosen up a bit but it is a very awkward manouver trying to do all four through the back loop without removing any of them from the left needle.

Also it seems like a rather complicated way to obtain increase stitches. Much easier to just purl into the front and back of a stitch and then drop it off of the left needle. She must have some reason for doing the increase as she wrote it in the pattern. I just can't figure out why or how.

Take care,
Arlene

[redwitch]

Are you trying to go through the purls from the back, left-to-right? Or a different way? I don't see how having the other stitches closer to the tips could get in your way.
Yes, you could increase by doing a yo or anything easy, but she obviously has written it to preserve the look of the cables (and you must have liked it or you wouldn't have bought the pattern). If you can't find any reference to it online, I suggest you e-mail Cookie and ask clearly about anything you're finding difficult. Every time I've felt I had to e-mail a designer (okay, twice), they've been very helpful.
(Include a quick compliment on her beautiful designs to butter her up. Also, it's Cookie, her patterns rock, and she deserves it.)

Sarah

[Arlene]

Hi Sarah,

I checked with my How to Books to make sure I was purling through the back loops correctly and I am. Yep, left to right. I did have the thought of transfering each stitch to a cable needle after I worked it through the back loop and then purling them off of the cable needle through the front loop. This might work and if not, then I will write to Cookie as you suggest.

Take care,
Arlene