increasing for cables

Holly · 02-04-2005, 11:39 AM

Hi all! I just watched the Knitty Gritty show that was all about Aran knitting, and I love the sampler afgan pattern! However, I am a little confused about something:

"Note that whenever you knit cables, you must increase the number of stitches before beginning the panel. Increasing helps compensate for the tendency of cables to draw up the yarn; without increases, cabling would produce ripples in the finished piece. "

So....how do you know how many and where to place the increased stitches? When they say "increase the number of stitches before beginning the panel" do they mean increase by the number of stitches you will be putting on the cable needle? Example, if I repeat the cable instructions 8 times in a row, and there are 2 stitches on the cable needle for each cable I knit, do I have to increase a total of 16 times somewhere in that row?

I guess this is one reason why the project is rated advanced on the "knit-o-meter!!"

Holly

oshnpashn · 02-04-2005, 07:12 PM

Not a clue on this one, but definately interested in the answer!

Holly · 02-04-2005, 07:28 PM

Aha! As I read the pattern more closely, I noticed that it says to work 5 rows of garter stitch, increasing 5 sts evenly across the last row. You end the panel with 5 rows of garter st, decreasing 5 stitches evenly across the first row.

When I read the FYI about increasing, I assumed it was because the actual increases were not stated in the pattern. I have to give this a try. I love the idea of doing a sampler of panels (each panel is 82 rows long by 60 sts wide)

I'd say it is time for a visit to the LYS!!

Holly

feministmama · 02-05-2005, 12:10 AM

I saw that show and got confused about the exact same thing! I would like to make my own cable paterns though so I'm going to have to investigate this more thouroughly. Hmm.....

amy · 02-06-2005, 01:42 AM

I haven't tried this, but I've read that this is the rule of thumb: if you've been working in stockinette, or something similar, and want to then begin a cable, but don't want it to pull in compared to the stockinette, you increase stitches below each cable, adding as many stitches as half the cable's width. So, if the cable is two stitches crossed over two stitches, you'd increase two stitches before beginning it.

Haven't tried it....

Amy