Obsessed with Cables

Since returning from Ireland, I've been obsessed with cable knitting. I'm designing a sweater and have been swatching and knitting for it and other cable-y projects.

Winter is upon us and I thought a nice hat with cables would be in order. I found Declan's Hat on Ravelry and thought it would be a quick knit.

I used some Evergreen Aran yarn from my stash and in short order I had finished. I knit the medium size because the instructions said the adult large size made a hat for a very big head. I have a small head. The circumference wasn't the problem. It was the depth of the hat.

I should have knit another couple of inches of ribbing before starting the cables or improvised an extra cable.

Oh well. Maybe I'll be able to find a child who would like a great cable-y hat.

I did learn a trick for knitting cables from the knitting workshop I took with Carol Feller. Sometimes the first stitch of the reverse stocking stitch after the cable is loose and sloppy.

Carol suggested wrapping the yarn the other way (clockwise) on this first purl stitch after the cable. Wrapping the yarn this way uses less yarn than wrapping the other way, hence eliminating looseness. The stitch in question will be oriented the wrong way on the needle with the left 'leg' in front but when you encounter it in the next row or round, just re-orient it and knit as usual. Try it!

It really tightened up my cable knitting.