Cabling without a cable needle

[Girlymomwithsons]

Hi. I know it is possible to knit cables without a cable needle, but how do you do it? I just tried it out, but dropping the first 3 stitches off the needle, knitting the next 3, then putting the first 3 back on the left needle and knitting them. It was way faster than using a cable needle, but is it the best way?

[lovesdaffodils]

I think there's a video on knittinghelp.com that demonstrates doing exactly that. I know I've seen a video somewhere anyway. You just have to be careful not to move around too much and totally drop the stitches.

[kdmama33]

That's exactly how I do cables without a needle. I find it only works if I'm cabling just a few stitches, though. Any more than that and I end up dropping stitches. That's probably just me, though.

[aishy]

I just use a DPN, I find it a lot easier than the cable needle (which I tried out at knit night once, and kept dropping).

[lnupermom]

I think that is the only way to do it. It is so much faster and smoother than cabling with a needle IMO.
Unfortunately I'm doing a project right now with US1s and I can't see the darned stitches when I try to do needleless cables so I'm having to use a toothpick!

[iowaorganic]

I pinch the stiches while I knit the next ones. It is way faster than even a dpn. but yeah- size 1's would be rough going....

[texmati]

Was it grumpierna that had a good article on how to do this?

I just wanted to suggest trying this with wool yarn, and wooden needles just to get the hang of it.

I use chopsticks when I want to learn something new.

[mamasthree]

yup, grumperina. here is the page, just click on right-twist or left-twist. this is how I do it and it works nicely.

[Girlymomwithsons]

Thanks for the help Mama's! lnupermom, you are brave and inspirational! Thanks!