Step by step instructions on how to knit this beautiful scarf.
When I wanted to knit a cable scarf, I couldn't find a nice simple pattern. They were way to complicated and most of them were too wide. So I designed this one. Cable knitting isn't hard at all once you know how to do it. Yet it can give the simplest project a very expensive look.
Contents at a Glance
Things you'll need
Needles - That goes without saying. I'll give you the needle sizes when we get started.
Row Counter - This is a very important tool. As you knit, you'll need to keep track of the row number so you know when to do the cable. It's a very handy item that slips right on your needles.
Cable needle - This is a small double pointed needle to keep the slipped stitches safe until you need them. A safety pin won't work because it needs to be "open" at both ends.That's all you need besides your yarn of course. So Let's get started.
Symbols
P = purl
sl = slip the stitches onto the cable needle
That's all you need to know for this pattern.
Cast on
The best method I've found
I've tried various methods of casting on the stitches and found this one to be the easiest and give the nicest edge. It also eliminates the guess work on how much yarn to start with.
1. Create a slip knot on your left needle.
2. Knit into slip knot, leaving the stitch on the left needle.
3. Place the new stitch onto left needle. You now have two stitches on the left needle
4. Knit into the gap in between the last two stitches on left needle.
5. Place knitted stitch onto left needle. You now have three stitches on the left needle
6. Repeat this step until the number of stitches required are on your left needle.
7. Now, begin knitting normally
The Pattern
Yarn - I used 2 balls of Lions Brand worsted weight yarn and size 8 needles for this scarf. Use a solid light color yarn so the cable shows well.
Cast on 38 stitches.
K2,P2 for 2"
Pattern
Row 1 - K6,P2,K6,P2,K6,P2,K6,P2,K6
Row 2 - P6,K2,P6,K2,P6,K2,P6,K2,P6
Row 3 - repeat row 1
Row 4 - repeat row 2
Row 5 - K6,P2,sl 3 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, K3, knit the three stitches from the cable needle, P2, K6, P2, sl 3 stitches to cable needle and hold in back, K3, knit the three stitches from the cable needle, P2, K6
Row 6 - repeat row 2.
That's the whole pattern. Now you just repeat the pattern until you have the length scarf you want. Then:
K2, P2 for 2"
Cast off
Using bulkier yarn
Use size 10 needles and use the pattern below
Pattern
Cast on 38 stitches.
K2,P2 for 2"
Row 1- K6,P2,K6,P2,K6,P2,K6,P2,K6
Row 2 - P6,K2,P6,K2,P6,K2,P6,K2,P6
Row 3 - repeat row 1
Row 4 - repeat row 2
Row 5 - repeat row 1
Row 6 - repeat row 2
Row 7 - K6,P2,sl 3 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, K3, knit the three stitches from the cable needle, P2, K6, P2, sl 3 stitches to cable needle and hold in back, K3, knit the three stitches from the cable needle, P2, K6
Row 8 - repeat row 2.
With the bulkier yarn, you need to add the extra two rows to stretch the cable out a bit to make the bulkier yarn sit smoother.
I tried doing 3 cables with the bulkier yarn but I found it to be just a bit too heavy.
Variations
1. Instead of doing the middle row just knit/purl, cable knit that section as well to make 3 cables. You can make all the cables go the same way by holding all the sl 3 stitches to the front.
2. Decrease the number of stitches and do the center panel with only 2 stitches instead of 6.
3. Do the center panel with another pattern
Seed StitchRow 1 = K1,P1
Row 2 = P1,K1
The Double Moss StitchRow 1 = Knit two, purl two across.
Row 2 = Knit two, purl two across.
Row 3 = Purl two, knit two across.
Row 4 = Purl two, knit two across.
The possibilities are endless. Be sure to choose a stitch that looks good on both sides.
Online sites you'll find very helpful
Basic Knit Instructions
About.com-Learn to Knit
The Knitting Site
Library of knitting stitches
Knitting Forums
Knitting Help
Knitting Forums.com
About.com-Knitting
Free knitting patterns
Free Knitting and Crochet Patterns
Knit Picks
Knitting Pattern Central
Here are some great books
For beginner knitters to advanced.
The Friday Night Knitting Club
Amazon Price: $10.78 (as of 07/14/2009) 
Knitting In the Sun: 32 Projects for Warm Weather
Amazon Price: $15.63 (as of 07/14/2009)
The Knitting Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask
Amazon Price: $9.72 (as of 07/14/2009)
Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book
Amazon Price: $25.71 (as of 07/14/2009)
Knitting For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies))
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 07/14/2009)
Magazines worth looking into
Get tip,tricks and patterns sent right to your door every month
Vogue Knitting International
Amazon Price: $21.97 (as of 07/14/2009)
Creative Knitting, May 2008 Issue
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
Creative Knitting, November 2008 Issue
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
Knit'N Style
Amazon Price: $24.97 (as of 07/14/2009)
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buteoflyer wrote...
in reply to erin I' so glad I cleared that up. I was afraid I was making things worse. It was a very late night when I replied and realized that I was just confusing the issue more by mixing up the regular pattern with the bulky knit pattern. I'm glad you managed to make sense of my blabbering. I would really like to see your piece when your finished.
Posted July 01, 2009
buteoflyer wrote...
in reply to carrie The first cable of the row is always held to front and the second in the row is always held to the back. This will make the cable twist in the same direction each time. It's actually not necessary to do the first one to the front and the second one to the back. You can have it go either direction. But once you start one way, you must continue doing it that way through out the whole piece. If you change it the next time, you won't get the twist look.
Posted July 01, 2009
erin wrote
in reply to buteoflyer
oh! i get it now! thank you so much for your help.
Posted June 30, 2009
carrie wrote
in reply to buteoflyer when doing the cable stitches, do you alternate the cable needle to the front and back every time you do the cable knitting, or do you keep the cable needle on the front every time or the back every time.
Posted June 29, 2009
buteoflyer wrote...
in reply to katie Lets see if I can make this a bit more clear for you. Each row is knit 6, purl 6 ... etc or Purl 6, knit 6... etc. Only row 7 is the actual cable row. Only in row 5 do you use the cable needles and slip the 3 stitches off, knit the next 3 stitches then knit the three on the cable needle. The slipping off of the 3 stitches is done twice in this row. The first time, you hold the three stitches to the front, the second time you hold the stitches to the back. This will give the two cables the opposite twist directions. When you finish row 5, you do one more row of just knit 6, purl 6....(row 6) and you have finished one pattern. You then start with row one again. Does that help? Don't forget to count each row as you finish them to keep track when you are on the 7th row and need to do the cable.
A NOTE TO ERIN - I was looking at the bulky yarn pattern I meant to say When you get to row 6, you have completed one pattern. And you just keep repeating the 6 rows.
Posted June 29, 2009
