Tuesday Tip: How to Count Cable Rows
We all know how annoying it is to cross a cable on the wrong row. Although I teach how to fix that in Advanced Knitting Fixes, it’s so much nicer to avoid the mistake!
How to Count Cable Rows
Check a completed cable cross
Sometimes we come back to a project after a while and we don’t remember what row the cable cross was on.
#1 – Where the cable crosses, it creates a hole. Insert a dpn through the hole.
#2 – Put the tip of the dpn through the center of the last stitch on the cable on the cross row.
#3 – Repeat with a second dpn at the top of the cable cross.
#4 – Now you can just count the rows between the dpns. The cable crosses every 8th row!
Knitting in Progress
Sometimes we are in the middle of knitting and forget what row we’re on . . . is it time for the cable cross?
#1 Insert dpn in the last cable cross.
#2 Count the rows above . . . nope, I’m only on the sixth row, still 2 more rows to go
For more cable tricks enjoy Explorations in Cables.
This is very helpful. I taught my self to knit in the mid 80’s. I went to a yarn shop and bought yarn and a pattern with cables. The shop owner said it would be an easy pattern. She also told me to be sure and not put the knitting down, when working a cable, because she would not be able to help me. Well, I had a problem, went to the shop much later in time because I had a cable issue and another person told me to just rip it out and start over. I ripped it out and gave the yarn away.
Ugh. That’s a terrible story. I’m so sorry the yarn store told you that. Hopefully you’ve mastered cables by now. If not, you might like my Explorations in Cable class – https://pattylyons.com/product/explorations-in-cables/