Cable Knitting: How to Count Rows Between Cable Crossings

I absolutely love knitting cables. The texture they provide is unparalleled, they pack such a punch, and they're WAY easier to knit than they seem. Kelley's Knit Club project for April 2020, the Love and Hope Shawl, has a cable running up one of the edges.

There are a few great tips for knitting cables easier, and Kelley demonstrated one of them—keeping track of rows between cable crossings—this week on her Technique Tuesday Facebook Live (she also talked about the beautiful picot edging, so be sure to watch the whole video!).

If you've lost track of the rows between cable crossings, pull the cable apart slightly so you can see were the last crossing was. You'll see where the out-of-order stitches of the last crossing are knitted and joined to their new neighbors. Start counting with the second stitch above that slightly stretched stitch, and include the row on the needle. Find your cable crossing in your chart or instructions and carry on.

Another technique that can make your cable knitting more enjoyable, and quicker, is learning to cable without a cable needle. Here's my favorite way to lose the needle!

What are your favorite cable-knitting tips? Share them in the comments below, and don't forget to join us each Tuesday at 9:30 am Pacific on Facebook for Technique Tuesday!

Cheers,