I have a bit of an obsession going with cables right now. It’s fueled by my recent purchase of Norah Gaughan’s Knitted Cable Sourcebook
So of course I have been on the hunt for some knitted cable inspiration lately. Here’s a list of just a few of my favorite cable designs that I’ve noticed floating around the knitting world lately.
1. Marylebone Cardigan by Bristol Ivy
I love the look of the cables along the back of this cardigan. And the buttons! Oh my, I really need to knit myself a cabled cardigan one day (soon).
2. Byway Cabled Wrap by Jared Flood
This thick cabled wrap looks so cozy! Maybe it’s just because I have a thing for extra wide scarves, or maybe it’s the beautiful photography, but this cabled wrap is gorgeous.
3. Ossify Mitts by Whitney Hayward
Whitney Hayward, knitwear designer at Twig and Horn, has created some stunningly elegant mittens. The twisted rib cables knit up beautifully using Stone Wool’s Cormo yarn, a sustainable and local choice for North Americans. A very classy cable knitting pattern to try.
4. Mount Gilead Cowl by Whitney Hayward
The Mount Gilead cowl is a second pattern created as part of Twig and Horn‘s collection featuring Stone Wool’s Cormo wool. This would make the perfect knitted gift for someone on your list next year, for those of you wanting to get a real head start on your holiday knitting .. 😉
5. Journey by Alina Schneider
I am in love with the patterns that Alina, of the Gift of Knitting blog, has come up with. Her Journey sweater features Moeke’s worsted weight yarn, Elena, a sustainable and environmentally friendly yarn from Romania.
6. Sourcebook Chunky Cardigan by Norah Gaughan
How could I possibly write this blog post without featuring at least one of Norah Gaughan‘s beautiful cabled patterns? Her Sourcebook Chunky Cardigan is quite possibly my favorite of them all, I could easily see myself wrapped up in this in front of a campfire. It looks so cozy!
7. Aspen Robe Cardigan by Michele Wang
I’ve saved this extra advanced cable knitting pattern for last, as this cabled pattern could very well be the pattern to end all patterns. A cozy knee length robe covered in cables. What a beauty! I’ll save this one for when I’m feeling just a wee bit more ambitious …
Cables can make your knitting look unbelievably gorgeous and full of texture, but they can also be the source of a lot of frustration. I won’t deny that I went through a bit of a learning curve when I learned to knit cables. So if you do happen to be one of those knitters who may be feeling just a tad intimidated by all the ‘cablyness’ going on around here, here are a few of my favorite tips to help you get started …
A couple of tips to make knitting with cables a breeze
Tip No. 1: Learn to knit cables without a cable needle.
This trick was a total game changer for me. I hate having to pick up and put down a cable needle endlessly in a pattern, and once I got this figured out, my cable knitting became much faster and much more enjoyable. You can find a great tutorial for knitting cables without a cable needle here.
Tip No. 2: Start with a swatch.
Before you start on a new pattern, play around with the cable design once or twice by swatching. See what makes the cables turn to the right, or to the left. This helped me develop a much more “intuitive” approach to working with cables and made them seem much less intimidating. If you’re at a loss for inspiration, I strongly suggest you check out Norah Gaughan’s Knitted Cable Sourcebook
Tip No. 3: To make your cables “pop”, knit in a lighter colour.
You wouldn’t want to go through all the work of knitting a beautifully cabled pattern only to have your cables not show up, would you? Make sure you choose a lighter yarn to knit with, otherwise darker colours can hide the texture of your knitting, masking the cables. If you want good stitch definition, go light!
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning that if you click on the product and make a purchase, I would make a small commission. Of course, all of the items I list here are items that I use and love! Plus you’ll be helping to support this blog by making a purchase through this post. 🙂
