Special thanks to Mark Rougeux for this guest blog post.
Cables can really spice up your knitting. Traditionally, the simplest way to do 2×2, 3×3, or larger cables is to use a cabling needle. There is a very simple way, however, to get the same effect when doing a 1×1 cable that requires no cabling needle. A 1×1 cable that leans to the left is a C2F. A 1×1 cable that leans to the right is a C2B. The F and B refer to the traditional front and back placement of a cable needle if you were using one. For this exercise, you will not be using one.
When you are at the point where you want to do a left-leaning cable stitch, simply slip the first stitch as if to knit off the left needle onto the right one.
Then do the same with the second stitch.
Then slip them knitwise back onto the left needle.
Then knit the two stitches as they come.
That’s it. Yep, it’s that easy and will save you a ton of time when doing a project with lots of 1×1 cables.
Let’s do a test swatch.
C2F – Left-leaning cable.
Cast on 18 stitches.
Rows 1 – 4: K all the way across the row. This is a garter stitch border.
Row 5: K3, (P2,K2)x3, P2, K3.
Row 6: K3, (K2,P2)x3, K2, K3.
Rows 7 & 8: Repeat rows 5 & 6 two more times.
Row 9: K3, (P2, C2F) x 3, P2, K3.
Repeat rows 5 – 9 until you reach your desired length.
For garter stitch border, repeat Rows 1 – 4.
Bind Off.
C2B – Right-leaning cable.
Once you have the C2F mastered, you are now ready for a C2B, which is a 1 x 1 cable that leans to the right.
When you are at the point where you want to do your right-leaning cable stitch, slip 2 together as if to knit onto the right needle.
Then slip both stitches purlwise back onto left needle.
Because the stitches will be twisted at this point, you will need to knit both stitches through the back loop as they come.
Let’s give it a try.
Cast on 18 stitches.
Rows 1 – 4: K all the way across the row. This is a garter stitch border.
Row 5: K3, (P2,K2)x3, P2, K3.
Row 6: K3, (K2,P2)x3, K2, K3.
Rows 7 & 8: Repeat rows 5 & 6 two more times.
Row 9: K3, (P2, C2B) x 3, P2, K3.
Repeat rows 5 – 9 until you reach your desired length.
For garter stitch border, repeat Rows 1 – 4.
Bind Off.
If you work the pattern as written, it will make a very interesting 4” scarf with lots of little cables that will amaze your friends. It really does look quite impressive. Because the reverse side doesn’t show the cable stitches, the scarf is reversible with what appears to be nice K2 x P2 ribbing for the length of the scarf.
You may want to stick with either the C2F or the C2B for the entire scarf for consistency.
Will you try this technique?
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i did this years ago and had forgotten. thanks for reminding me. nice in a baby blanket. also good for a fancy dish cloth
I found some mistakes in this pattern.
1. CO is 20 stitches NOT 18
2. On C2F Left leaning stitch pattern , after finish row # 9, start on row # 6 to begin repeat NOT row # 5 or the pattern will be off sync. So go back to row 6, 7, 8, then 9 again for C2F and repeat for desired length.
3. These same mistakes hold true for the Right leaning C2B.
4. I would personally clarify what is happening to the stitches when you are making the Left and Right lean because it took me trial and error to figure out exactly what was happening..To say ; knit wise did not work for me. Perhaps I did not understand what you meant by purlwise and knitwise. At any rate I figured it out so that with Knit wise I was crossing the 2 slipped stitches…making the first slipped stitch onto the R needle going back on the Left needle 2nd and the second slipped stitch onto the Right needle ending as the first stitch back on the Left needle (This makes these two stitches cross each other producing the “mock” cable look)….