Monica Knits

The cable cast on is an ideal border for a garter stitch pattern, providing both structure and flexibility. As a decorative edge, it looks like twisted rope or cable. Although it is an excellent foundation for a knitted row, it is more time consuming to execute than a simple cast on or a long-tailed cast on, so beauty comes at a cost. Read more ..... for additional advantages of the cable cast on as well as full illustrated instructions.

Like the knitted cast on, the cable cast is a good choice for adding stitches at the end of a row, or in the middle of a work, for example when casting on buttonhole stitches. The cable cast on was used for the Cotton Candy Cascade Ruffle scarf, where it not only provided a decorative edge, but there was no guessing how much yarn was required for the cast on. This method is a "knit-as-you-go" approach not requiring a long tail, or calculated measure of yarn beforehand.

The cable cast on is also a good choice when you are casting on with multiple colors.

Cable Cast On Instructions
The first 4 steps are identical to the knitted cast on procedure.

1. Start with a slip knot on the left hand needle.
2. Form a regular knit stitch, by passing the right hand needle through the loop, yarning over, and drawing the yarn through. Do not draw the first stitch off the left hand needle.
3. A loop (stitch) is on the right hand needle and left hand needle.
4. Return the this stitch to the left hand needle.
5. The next stitch is created by picking up a loop from between the two stitches on the left hand needle.
6. All subsequent stitches are created by picking up a stitch from between the last 2 stitches on the left hand needle, drawing the yarn through, and placing the loop on the end of the left hand needle.Note, the right hand needle does not pass through a loop on the left hand needle, but through the space between the 2 stitches closest to the end of the needle.

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