How to knit cables without a cable needle

You want to knit cables and don’t have a cable needle at hand? Or you have a cable needle and can’t handle it? Knitting cables without a cable needle is no art. I’ll show you how to knit cables quick and easy without a cable needle.

Tutorial cabling without cabling needleIn my example, I show you symmetrical cables consisting of four stitches. These cables are also called 2/2 RC or 2/2 LC. Of course, you can also knit asymmetrical cables with this technique, such as 3/1 RC or 1/3 LC.

TIP: The proposed technique is easier to use if you use pointed needles.

In my video, I show you step by step how to knit cables without a cable needle.

How to knit a right-leaning cable without a cable needle

In the right-leaning cable, the left half of the cable stitches goes over the right half.
In my example, I have a cable with four stitches. The left half – 2 stitches – pass over the other 2 stitches of the cable before work.

Cabling without cabling needle right step 1 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken rechts Schritt 1Step 1
With yarn in front, slip the first half of the cable as if to purl.

Cabling without cabling needle right step 2 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken rechts Schritt 2Step 2
Knit the second half of the cable.

Cabling without cabling needle right step 3 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken rechts Schritt 3Step 3
Insert the left needle from behind into the 3rd and 4th stitch on the right needle.

Cabling without cabling needle right step 4 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken rechts Schritt 4Step 4
Make sure you have tension on the thread. Now pull the right needle out of the first four stitches and resume the first and second sts with the right needle.

Cabling without cabling needle right step 5 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken rechts Schritt 5Step 5
Knit the picked up stitches from the left needle.

TIP: With a right-leaning cable with only two stitches, you don’t need to slip the stitches or either use a cable needle.

Step 1
Knit in the second stitch on the left needle.

Step 2
Work the first stitch on the left needle and drop the two stitches from the left needle.

How to knit a left-leaning cable without a cable needle

In the left-leaning cable, the right half of the cable stitches goes over the left half.
In my example, I have a cable with four stitches. The right half – 2 stitches – pass over the other 2 stitches of the cable before work.

Cabling without cabling needle left step 1 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken links Schritt 1Step 1
With yarn in the back, slip the first half of the cable purlwise.

Cabling without cabling needle left step 2 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken links Schritt 2Step 2
Knit the second half of the cable.

Cabling without cabling needle left step 3 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken links Schritt 3Step 3
Insert the left needle from the front into the 3rd and 4th stitch on the right needle.

Cabling without cabling needle left step 4 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken links Schritt 4Step 4
Make sure you have tension on the thread. Now pull the right needle out of the first four stitches and resume the first and second stitches with the right needle.

Cabling without cabling needle left step 5 Zöpfe ohne Zopfnadeln stricken links Schritt 5Step 5
Knit the picked up stitches from the left needle.

TIP: With a left-leaning cable of only two stitches, you don’t need to slip the stitches or either use a cable needle.

Step 1
Knit from the back in the second stitch on the left needle.

The stitch is twisted but is not visible because the other half of the cable covers the twisted stitch.

Step 2
Work the first stitch on the left needle and drop the two stitches from the left needle.

Knitting patterns for practising the new technique

As you can see, you don’t need a special cable needle to knit. Since I have known this technique, I’ve been knitting cables only in this way, because the fiddling with the cable needle is too time-consuming for me. And how do you like to knit cables?

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