And you were scared of cables?!

[AngieLanigan]

Ok, maybe you weren't, but I was! They look so complicated! Well, if you're like me, and felt intimidated by cables, I'm here to tell you... don't be! I'm doing my first cable pattern, the Palindrome Scarf, and I'm blown away by how easy cables are! Who knew?!

[margz3]

Amazing how easy they are, huh Angie! The first "breakaway" aka scary project I tried was a cabled baby sweater - two firsts....a sweater and cables. That project gave me so much confidence! And I love doing cables now! Sometime I'll branch into doing them without a cable needle, but I tend to drop stitches enough as it is, so for now I'm sticking with 'em!

[Jan in CA]

I was a little bit because they "look" so complicated. After I did one I kind of thought....that's all it takes to make these? LOL I like that people are soooo impressed with them and they are so easy!

[AngieLanigan]

I know! I know how easy they are, yet I can't help but be impressed with myself whenever I look at them

[Anarfea]

I'm still scared of cables!

I've done lace and entrelanc and fair isle, but I tried knitting a cabled scarf only once and gave up after about 20 rows. I kept twisting the wrong way...

Ah well, maybe someday. Yours look lovely, though.

[pinktoque]

This gives me confidence to try cables... thanks!

[wezyus]

Mee 2 dont like cables but when seeing others' works i want to do it...actually i am doing cables for my son's jacket..n found it ok

[Lisa R.]

I love cables! I, too, was afraid in the beginning, but I did a little project (a cell phone case) that was quick and oh, so easy.

I love the fact that it LOOKS so impressive for very little effort.

[knittingymnast]

Amazing how easy they are, huh Angie! The first "breakaway" aka scary project I tried was a cabled baby sweater - two firsts....a sweater and cables. That project gave me so much confidence! And I love doing cables now! Sometime I'll branch into doing them without a cable needle, but I tend to drop stitches enough as it is, so for now I'm sticking with 'em!

Ha. I agree. Once I was scared of them too....

[ArtLady1981]

Yup, cables are just stitches that trade places on the needles!
Very easy, especially with the use of charts!

Color coding the charts helps IMMENSELY!

Each individual 'symbol' is colored the same.
No mistakes about what gets crossed, and when!


Color code the KEY first, then translate that color coding to your chart.
It helps to make an enlarged copy of the chart in the first place.

On my partial chart (seen above) you will notice that I also wrote in little numbers that tell me if the cable involves 3, 4, 5, or 6 stitches! This also prevents errors.

Cuz doubling back to fit mis-crossed cables is a PITA.

Here is an (partial) example of a KEY that has been color-coded: