Cables Without a Cable Needle

For some patterns a cable needle can be fiddly and slow you down! Here’s how to do left and right crossing cables without a cable needle. It works best for cables that are only a few stitches wide and works especially well for cables with slipped stitches like Lùbach, Lùbach Socks and Tìorail. These examples are worked as 1/2 cables. If you’re working cables of a different size, adjust the stitches to suit.

Left Crossing Cable:

The left hand needle has a slipped stitch followed by two knit stitches
1/2 LC. The first stitch on the left hand needle will be crossed over the next two stitches.
The right hand needle is inserted into the back of the 2nd and 3rd stitches on the left hand needle
1. Insert the right hand needle into the second and third stitches on the left hand needle.
The three stitches have been slipped off the left hand needle leaving one hanging at the front and two on the right hand needle
2. Slip all three stitches off the left hand needle. The first stitch is loose at the front of your work.
The left hand needle is inserted into the loose stitch
3. Pick up the loose stitch with the left hand needle.
The two stitches from the right hand needle have been slipped back to the left needle
4. Slip the two stitches from the right hand needle purlwise to the left hand needle.
The three stitches have been knit onto the right hand needle completing the cable
5. Knit the stitches.

Right Crossing Cable:

The right hand needle has two knit stitches followed by a slipped stitch
1/2 RC. The first two stitches on the left hand needle will be crossed under the next third stitch.
Three stitches slipped from the left hand needle to the right hand needle
1. Slip three stitches purlwise from the left hand needle to the right hand needle
The left hand needle is inserted into the back of the 2nd and 3rd stitches on the right hand needle
2. Insert the left hand needle into the second and third stitches on the right hand needle. Slip all three stitches off the right hand needle.
The right hand needle is inserted into the stitch hanging at the front of your knitting
3. Pick up the loose stitch with the right hand needle.
Slip the stitch from the right hand needle to the left hand needle
4. Slip the stitch from the right hand needle purlwise to the left hand needle.
Knit the three stitches on to the right hand needle
5. Knit the stitches.

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