Cable Cast On

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.