Cables on a knitting loom

I remember the first time I saw knitted cables, my Grandma was calmly sitting on her rocking chair watching her favorite Mexican soaps on the telly, she was knitting a stunning v neck red sweater and it had the most gorgeous cables I had ever seen. I remember looking at her fingers knit away and manipulate the stitches from one way to another. I swear she was able to knit a complete adult sweater in 3 days! I was only 11 years old and since then cables have been one of my main attractions to knitted garments. Maybe it is my connection to my Grandma that makes me want to knit them, maybe it is the intricacy of the twists, whatever the reason, I have an attraction to them that will never end.

I have been trying to find a way to make the cables on the looms without having to move and stretch the loops too much. In this tutorial, you will find one of the methods I have found that make a nice 6 stitch cable on rake (round loom) that won’t stress the stitches too much.

Enjoy!

Materials:

• Any loom with at least 12 pegs (I used a small gauge loom in sample)
• Bits bulky weight yarn
• Knitting tool
• Cable Needle (or stitch holder)

Pattern Notes:

• Work loom from right to left
• 6 stitch cable demonstrated
• Flat Panel knitting
• K=Knit=Single Stitch
• P=Purl
• Pattern Stitch: multiple of 12; Cable consists of the middle 6 stitches; the 3 stitches at each side are background stitches.

Instructions:

Starting at peg 1: Cast on 12 stitches

Garter Stitch Border:

Row 1: Purl

Row 2: Knit

Row 3: Purl

Row 4: Knit

End Garter Stitch Border

Row 5-9: P3, K6, P3

Prep for cables:

E-wrap peg 4 once, e-wrap peg 5 twice, e-wrap peg 6 twice, e-wrap peg 7 twice, e-wrap peg 8 twice, e-wrap peg 9 once (pegs 5-8 have 3 e-wraps on them, pegs 4 & 9 have only 2). Purl the last 3 stitches. Knit over 1 over 1 on pegs 4 & 9, knit over 1 over 2 on pegs 5, 6, 7, and 8) You should have 1 loop on each peg, except pegs 5-8 will show 2 wraps.

Take off the loops from pegs 6, 5 and 4 (unwrapping the 2 e-wraps on pegs 5 & 6 and thus elongating the stitches**). Place them on the cable holder (in this order 6, 5 and 4) let it fall to the back of the work.*

Take the loop from peg 7 and elongate it and place it on peg 4.

Take the loop from peg 8 and elongate it and place it on peg 5.

Take the loop from peg 9 and place it on peg 6.

Now, you will take the loops off the cable holder and place them in this order.

Place the loop that was on peg 6 on peg 9

Place the loop that was on peg 5 on peg 8

Place the loop that was on peg 4 on peg 7

Row 10: P3, K6, P3.

Repeat rows 5-10, 4 more times. Repeat rows 1-4 Bind off: Remove with flat removal method. You can find the PDF for this tutorial at Loom Knit

Enjoy!

**I take the top loop off the peg and tug it a bit with the knitting tool and this unwraps the bottom loop.

*If you place them towards the back it crosses the cables to the right. If you place them to the front, it will cross the cables to the left.

For complete instructions, please download the PDF file.

(c)Isela Phelps. All rights reserved.

Comments

[Kamal]

Hi. The first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it.
I am from Laos and also am speaking English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "It far insists that almost a admittance of degrees are seen by this warning."

Thank you so much for your future answers :-). Kamal.

[Sara J.]

wow, your site is the be-all-end-all of all loom knitting sites that i've visited (its a lot believe me). Your tutorials are wonderful and easy to follow for a brand new beginner like me. Thank you for your work and effort to put this site together, I'd have dusty looms if it weren't for you! Thank you Thank you, Thank you... etc...
Sara

[Sydney]

I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful contributions to this fabulous world of loom knitting! You are a brillant young woman and mom! Thanks

[Sydney]

Isela I am still not having luck with the cables stitches for your throw. If you go to knifty knitters loom group at yahoo and click on photos (syd"s sinful knits) you will see posted pictures of my goofs. I think the working yarn is the problem. I have these long loops of yarn stretching across the panel.

[Ngoc]

I've tried and tried and cannot seem to get it tight enough. Then I bought a pdf to learn and I still cannot get it. Now I have purchased your books and I am definitely sure it's because I just can't make cables. I am going to keep on trying however. Thanks for the info.

[OkieDeb]

Oh thank you Oh thank you. In '88 I painfully learned every kind of knitting known to woman, and made myself an Aran fisherman's sweater (Curse that issue of Threads!!!). Now my hands are not what they used to be, and I have gone to looms to ease my pains. I was about to order an expensive book and came across this as the first on the list! WOO!!! Thank you. You are too generous!

[Melissa]

Thanks so much! I've been looking for different ways to use my knitters.

[Elizabeth Posey]

Isela, You explain the cables very nicely, even I can understand them now! Thank you so much.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, we all love you!

[sally]

im not sure i know that i am using wool yarn and if you wash it in the washer on hot water w/t cloathing cleaner stuff yeah it will make a worsted(sp) style u cnat even see its knitted that may help out abit. if you use a acrylic(sp) any yarn thats like red heart, lion brand etc etc.. it iwll curl and u can't iron it ive becomea expert on yarn lol im a "yarn-o-holic" they may have classes for this addiction.... just try diffrent style of stiches email me and ill gladly give you tips and links

[Laura]

What a great website for those of us who are learning how to knit using a loom! I have been making scarves, and have been having problems with the knitting curling up on the ends/edges. I read elsewhere online that using a purl stitch on the edges will prevent curling - does anyone know if that really is the case?

[Debbie K.]

Wow... thanks for the instructions. I'll have to give it a try!

[Lori]

You are amazing! Your writting a book and still finding new ideas to share with us.
Thank you so much!

[Sylvie]

Great! I'll making cable on my sock. With this technique, I think, that will work.

Thanks

[Zonda]

Unreal! The things you do on looms is amazing! Awesome there!!

ps. email me :)

[rocky mtn. monica]

Orale Iselita! No te imaginas el gusto que me da ver una hispana ser lo que tu estas haciendo. Eres un ejemplo para todas latinas que pueden realizar sus suenos.
Ahoo-aahh! (& Blessings, too!)
Monica
http://tspnofflower.blogspot.com/

[Carla]

I have printed it out and will try it on my long,long road trip , heading to Disneyland! Thank you Isela for the pattern, I have my felted bag packed with knitting projects to work on.
Carla

[Lynn Markman]

Isela, You are Brilliant! Thanks, for sharing your story. You are an inspiration:)

Go Girl!!! I look forward to your book.

[Cassy]

Free tutorial on cables...wow, you are very generous. I must try it. Thanks

[LoriB.]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I was hoping your book would have this-bonus!! I am dying to make this- http://www.margaretnicole.com/ I am still too chicken to try hand knitting cables - I have a deep fear of frogging hand knits - and a crochet version isn't the same. I will try this tonight. I have the yarn and bangles just waiting in my stash!!

P.S. Any news on the double secret loom?

[Piper]

Yeah!!!!!! Wooohoo!!!! Fantastic!!!!! This is most exciting - I am trying this today!

You're incredible. :o)