One of the things I really like about Natalie Warner’s Assembly Scarf (Ravelry link), the first pattern from our Something To Knit Together Winter Edition collection, is how she’s played with scale with the two featured cables. Both are right crossing rope cables, but they’re worked over different numbers of stitches and with different lengths to great effect. If you’ve not knitted cables before, this is the perfect project for building your cable confidence. And today, we’re bringing you video tutorials to show you how to work both cables used in the pattern using two methods. Read on!

Cables, with their wonderful three dimensionality, can look a bit intimidating if you’ve never worked them before. But if you know how to work a knit stitch (and we’re pretty sure that you do), well then, you can work these cables! A simple rearranging of stitches on your needle is all it takes. You can use a cable needle to help with this rearranging or not — the choice is yours! There’s no right or wrong way, so why not give both a try on this scarf and see which you prefer. Unlike some techniques where trying different methods can affect your tension (I’m looking at you stranded colourwork), there shouldn’t be any appreciable difference in your cable if you switch between methods.

Option 1: Using a Cable Needle

There are lots of different styles of cable needles, but they all do the same thing — hold stitches securely while you rearrange them to form your cable! The pro of using a cable needle is your live stitches are never loose and unsecured — you can have extra peace of mind that no stitches are going to start to drop as you execute your cable. The drawbacks of using a cable needle are 1) you need one about to use it, of course (if you’ve not got a cable needle around, a short DPN will do the job) and 2) you might feel using one interrupts the flow of your knitting, as you have to pick it up and put it down again (and not lose it…).

The Assembly Scarf uses a Three-Over-Three Right Cross Cable (3/3 RC for short), sometimes also referred to as a C6B and a Two-Over-Two Right Cross Cable (2/2 RC or C4B). You’ll work the 3/3 RC first, so let’s see how it’s done: 3/3 RC With A Cable Needle (video link to YouTube).

See? The cable needle makes it all very easy — it’s just a matter of slipping stitches (without twisting them!) and knowing where to hold the needle. And the 2/2 right cross cable works in the exact same way, just over four stitches, rather than six. Here’s how it’s done: 2/2 RC With A Cable Needle (YouTube link).

Option 2: Cabling Without a Cable Needle

When you forego the cable needle, you simply get your stitches rearranged as required for your cable on your left needle before you do any knitting, then work across them in their new order. This means there’s an exciting moment when you have some stitches hanging loose, but if you’re working in a yarn with lovely wool like Something To Knit With Aran, they’re going to stay put just fine. The pros of this method are if your project has a few cables relatively close together, as the Assembly Scarf does, you can get into a nice rhythm without having to constantly stop to pick up your cable needle. The con is loose stitches — but, as mentioned, they’re really not a problem. It’s definitely worth trying to see how you like it — even if you’re new to cabling, there’s no reason you can’t give it a go. One of our lovely knitters in The Knitalong Hub described it as follows: “It seems awfully risky, but I haven't engaged in any other high-risk activities lately.” And I’m pleased to report that she’s getting on well!

If you’re feeling at all uncertain, you could try it first on the 2/2 RC. Jen shows you how it’s done: 2/2 RC Without A Cable Needle (YouTube link).

Once you’re comfortable with that, try it over the 3/3 RC. And once you’re confident cabling without a needle, there’s no reason you can’t use it for all sorts of cables! 3/3 RC Without A Cable Needle (YouTube link).

So there you have it: two cables, two ways! Give them a go and let us know what you think … are you team cable needle yea or nay?

And if you’d like to knit the Assembly Scarf, you can of course still purchase a copy of the Something To Knit Together Winter Edition eBook. When you purchase, you’ll receive Natalie Warner’s Assembly Scarf + photo tutorials delivered straight to your inbox. And you’ll receive four more gorgeous patterns from Natalie, supported by photo tutorials, throughout December and January. We’ve also put together a range of kits giving you a little or a lot of yarn to work through the projects! And last but certainly not least, we’ll be knitting along together all December and January over in The Knitalong Hub, and we have some special Zoom calls scheduled so we can knit together in real time!