Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Another New Trick

I generally don't mind working with a cable needle, but I've been swatching a stitch combination for a sock. Since I'm an unreconstructed dpn user, that leads to close quarters with a lot of needles ends already. I didn't feel that I wanted to introduce still another. So I decided it was time to learn a new skill - cabling without a cable needle.



I spent some time with Grumperina's tutorial. It took quite a few pattern repeats of blind following before the logic of it sunk in. Now I can do it pretty smoothly, though it isn't quite automatic yet. It does seem quicker than picking up and putting down (and then searching for) the cable needle. So having semi-mastered a 2 over 2 Left Twist, my next challenge is to progress to a Right Twist.





*********

My tulip bulbs arrived yesterday, along with some crocus. Planting bulbs is my annual "faith that spring will come" ritual.





This lot includes some purple, some orange and a bunch of mixed color Darwins.

3 comments:

YarnThrower said...

You new sock looks really nice so far! Though I've cables without a cable needle, I still prefer to use one...though who knows -- that could change, too. After all, I used to be a confirmed top-down sock knitter, too :-)

I just got some bulbs, too! Actually, I should call them "squirrel food".....

Cindy G said...

Ah, squirrel food indeed!

I've gone on to swatching with some cables for another design idea, and the left twist is now almost automatic. I'm definitely liking the 'no cable needle' method.

Molly Bee said...

Ooo! Pretty cables! Are you going to Knitting tomorrow?