How to knit a cable

There are many different cable stitches. The following tutorial shows how to knit a basic front cable stitch on a small knitted swatch.

The knitting abbreviation for this particular cable stitch is,

C6F = Cable 6 Front

Work knitting until you reach the 6 cable stitches then:
1. Slip the next 3 stitches onto the cable needle,
2. Hold the cable needle in front of the work,
3. Knit the next 3 stitches from the left hand needle onto the right hand needle.
4. Then knit the stitches from the cable needle onto the right hand needle.


You will need
to be able to cast on
to do knit stitch
to do purl stitch
a small amount of left over yarn
one pair of knitting needles
one cable needle (or you can use a double pointed needle)

Cable Swatch
Cast on 14 stitches.
Row 1: Purl 4, Knit 6, Purl 4.
Row 2: Knit 4, Purl 6, Knit 4.
Row 3: as row 1.
Row 4: as row 3.
Row 5: Purl 4, C6F, Purl 4.  
(Row 5 is shown in the following images).

Keep repeating rows 2-5 to practice the stitch.

Row 5: Purl 4 stitches, then  
1. Slip the next 3 stitches onto the cable needle.

2. Hold the 3 stitches in front of the work.

3. Knit the next 3 stitches from the left needle to the right needle.

4. Knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle onto the right hand needle.

Purl the remaining 4 stitches from the left needle to the right needle, Row 5 is completed.

Continue knitting Rows 2 to 5 and repeat as many times as needed to practice C6F.