Casting on is the start of your knitting project and there are many ways to accomplish this however in this post I will be exploring the cable cast on method. This method creates a sturdy and clean edge but not as stretchy as other methods and therefore can be used for edges where you need a little bit of extra stability. It also creates an edge that is good for picking up stitches. The cable cast on does not require any sort of tail so no complicated calculations to make sure that you don't run out of yarn as you never will. This also makes this method a good choice for when you need to cast on extra stitches in the middle of a project.
How to knit the cable cast-on
1. Make a slip knot and place it on the tip of your left knitting needle.
2. Insert the other needle into the loop created by the slip knot from left to right.
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3. Wrap the yarn around the right needle counter-clockwise.
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4. Pull the yarn through but don't drop the slip knot off the left needle.
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5. Slip the resulting stitch/loop onto the left needle. From here, you can start with the actual cable cast-on repeat.
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6. Insert your right knitting needle into the gap between the two stitches on your left needle coming in from the front.
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7. Wrap the working yarn around your right knitting needle counter-clockwise.
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8. Pull the yarn through.
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9. Slip this loop onto the left needle.
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Repeat steps 6-9 until you cast on the desired number of stitches.
The Next Row
The next or the first row of your project can be worked into as is but if you would like a neater or squarer corner you could cast on one more stitch than is needed and then knit or purl two together at the start of the row.
Identifying the cable cast on in your work
The cable cast on can be seen as a tidy cable like or twill edge, it has a twisted appearance often looking like a series of small braided stitches.
Variations of the Cable Cast On Method
Twisted Cable
This method involves twisting the stitches as you slip them onto your needle. This creates a look that is a little more braided.
Purl Cable
Sometimes you need to start your work on a purl row and therefore the purl cable could be ideal as it leaves the cable edge on the knit side of the fabric. It also makes the cable lean in the other direction.
Ribbed Cable
The Cable method can also be done in rib stitch however it is not very stretchy and could restrict your edge.
The slip stitch is a utility stitch, one that is used for joining chains or rounds. It can also be used to move the yarn from one point in your project to another without having to break and rejoin it.
This stitch is almost invisible in the body of your work and therefore is generally not used to make up the entirety of the project. It could however be used to generate a pop of colour or to make a decorative joining seam.
How to work the Crochet Slip Stitch.
1. Insert your hook into a stitch, yarn over and pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook.
Identifying the Stitch in your work
This stitch is easier to identify from the reverse of the work where it shows up as a chain across the row.
In the image above I have highlighted 3 stitches, the slip stitch was done in blue on the highlighted line.
Reading The Crochet Slip Stitch in Patterns
In a written pattern the abbreviation is 'slip st' or 'sl st'
In a charted pattern its symbol is
Common Mistakes
Work sitting weirdly
Beginners can often mistake the slip stitch used for joining the round as a standard stitch leading to an incorrect stitch count. Try adding a stitch marker at the start of the round to avoid this.
The quadruple treble is an exceptionally tall crochet stitch. This technique, often used for lace or extreme height, results in a tall, open fabric.
How to work the Quadruple Treble Crochet Stitch.
1. Yarn over four times. Insert the hook into the next stitch.
3. Yarn over and pull up a loop (six loops on hook).
4. Yarn over, pull through two loops (five loops on hook).
5. Yarn over, pull through two loops (four loops on hook).
6. Yarn over, pull through two loops (three loops on hook).
7. Yarn over, pull through two loops (two loops on hook).
8. Yarn over, pull through the last two loops to complete the stitch
Identifying the Stitch in your work
The stitch is very long and narrow, making it easily distinguishable from double (dc) or treble (tr) crochets with multiple horizontal bars. Because you wrap the yarn four times, the completed stitch has 4-5 horizontal "bars" or wraps running down its post. One has been highlighter in the image above.
Reading The Quadruple TrebleCrochet in Patterns
In a written pattern the stitch is abbreviated to 'Quad tr' or 'quad'
In a charted pattern its symbol is
Working the Next Row
To start the next row you should do a turning chain of 6 but you can bring that down to 4 or 5 with bulky yarns.
Common Mistakes
Saggy Stitches Because the stitch is so long, uneven tension can result in messy or loose stitches, which ruins the fabric's appearance. Try keeping your yarn overs slightly tighter than normal, but not overly tight.
Wrong Stitch Height It is common to miss a wrap, resulting in a treble treble (triple) or double treble instead. Make sure to count your wraps before inserting the hook into the stitch.
Not looking neat after Finishing Tall stitches, because of their open structure, rarely look perfectly neat immediately after crocheting. Therefore blocking is essential for shaping and evening out the tension of tall stitches in your project.
The triple treble crochet stitch creates a very loose and holey fabric. It is commonly used in lacy designs.
How to work the Triple Treble Crochet Stitch.
1. Wrap the yarn three times around the hook. Insert the hook into the stitch.
2. Yarn over and pull through the stitch. 5 loops on the hook.
3. Yarn over and pull through the first 2 loops.
4. Yarn over and pull through the next 2 loops.
5. Yarn over and pull through the next 2 loops.
6. Yarn over and pull through the last 2 loops.
Identifying the Stitch in your work
The triple treble crochet is identified by its extreme height (usually spanning 5-6 chain spaces), a very loose or lacy appearance, and a long post with three horizontal "wraps" or "bars" visible in the center, created by wrapping the yarn three times before inserting the hook. one has been highlighted in the image above.
Reading The Triple Treble Crochet in Patterns
In a written pattern the stitch is abbreviated to 'Trtr'
In a charted pattern its symbol is
Working the Next Row
To start the next row you should do a turning chain of 5 but you can bring that down to 4 with bulky yarns.
Common Mistakes
Stitches that look too short or too tall
Most likely caused by wrapping too many times at the start of the stitch or not enough. Make sure to count your yarn overs carefully before inserting your hook into the stitch.
Loose Stitches
This is possibly a tension issue. Practice keeping the yarn towards the tip of the hook to prevent loops from becoming too loose.
Edges are shrinking
typically caused by an improper turning chain height. Make sure your chain matches the height of your stitches.
This stitch produces a loose fabric, therefore if you create a sweater with the double triple stitch you might want to wear something underneath or you could risk revealing too much.
How to work the Double Treble Crochet Stitch.
1. Wrap the yarn over your hook twice. Insert the hook into the desired stitch.
2. Yarn over and pull through, leaving 4 loops on the hook.
3. Yarn over and pull through the first two loops. 3 loops left on hook.
4. Yarn over and pull through the next two loops. 2 loops left on hook.
5. Yarn over and pull through the final two loops to finish the stitch.
Identifying the Stitch in your work
The double treble crochet stitch features two distinct horizontal bars across its "post" resulting from the two yarn-overs made at the beginning of the stitch. One has been highlighted in the image above
Reading The Double Treble Crochet in Patterns
In a written pattern the stitch is abbreviated to 'Dtr'
In a charted pattern its symbol is
Working the Next Row
To start the next row you should do a turning chain of 4 but you can bring that down to 3 with bulky yarns.
Common Mistakes
Stitches not looking correct
This could be caused by not wrapping the yarn the correct amount of times around the hook, or missing a pull through in the stitch. the best way to avoid this is to just take your time when practicing the stitch.
Large gaps between stitches
This can be caused by a tension issue, try pulling the yarn slightly tighter between each pull through.
The treble crochet is one of the most common stitches. A fabric made of this stitch is fairly solid but not stiff, it is great for sweaters, shawls, blankets, placements and any other home decor items.
How to work the Crochet Stitch.
1. Yarn over your hook
2. Insert the hook into the next stitch in a row.
3. Yarn over again and pull through the stitch, leaving 3 loops on the hook
4. Yarn over and pull through the first 2 loops on the hook, 2 loops remaining
5. Yarn over and pull through the final 2 loops to complete the stitch
Identifying the Stitch in your work
The treble crochet has a distinct "post" (the main vertical body of the stitch) that is longer than a double crochet.
One has been highlighted in the image above.
Reading The Treble Crochet in Patterns
In a written pattern the stitch is abbreviated to 'Tr'
In a charted pattern its symbol is
Working the Next Row
To start the next row you should do a turning chain of 3 but you can bring that down to 2 with bulky yarns.
Common Mistakes
Gaping edges
You can get gaps at the edge of your work when you have made a turning change too long. To avoid this try using less chains in your turn or you could try a stacked double crochet to start the new row.
Lop sided work
This could be caused by skipping stitches at the start or end of a row. Avoid this by counting your stitches or using stitch markers.
Distorted Stitches
This can be caused by pulling the yarn too tight or holding it too loose, remembering to keep an even tension will help you avoid this.
