Braided Cabled Ear Warmer

It's amazing how intimidating cables can be! For those not as familiar with knitting terminology, a cable in knitting "is made by working a group of stitches out of order. A cable needle (a short, double-pointed needle) is used to temporarily hold stitches out of the way while knitting the next ones, thus reversing their order and crossing them over one another."(Vicki Square, The Knitter's Companion: Deluxe Edition (Fort Collins, CO: Interweave, 1996) 117) I've known knitters who spend years avoiding this knitting technique, just because of it's visually daunting appearance. Well, I am here to tell you cables are truly a breeze and with a good pattern and some confidence, you too can concur the infamous cable. 

Close up of the 12-Stitch Plaited Cable executed in the
Braided & Cabled Ear Warmer Pattern.

Below is the pattern to my most popular selling design, that displays the gentle beauty of the cable. This pattern is knit flat and then joined in the round using a three needle bind-off, so for those with anxiety about circular knitting, this pattern is even more so for you. For any visual learners out there, the execution of the "cable 8 back" and "cable 8 front" can be viewed here, The combination of these two cables from the 12-stitch plaited cable shown above. Enjoy!

Braided & Cabled Ear Warmer

Skill Level: Intermediate

Materials:

            US 7 straight needles

            100 yards worsted weight yarn

            1 yard contrasting yarn for provisional cast-on

            Tapestry needle

            Cable needle

            US 7 dpn for 3 needle bind-off

Pattern:

          CO 22 sts with contrasting color yarn, using the provisional cast-on

          Row 1,5 (RS): K22 sts

          Row 2,4,6,8 (WS): K5, P12, K5

          Row 3: K9, “Cable 8 front (K4 and 4)” (slip the next 4 sts onto a cable needle

                      and hold at front of work, K4 from left-hand needle, then knit the 4 sts

                      from the cable needle.), K5

          Row 7: K5, “Cable 8 back (K4 and 4)” (slip the next 4 sts onto a cable needle 

                      and hold at back of work, K4 from left-hand needle, then knit the 4 sts 

                      from the cable needle), K9

          Repeat Rows 1-8 till piece measures 16”

          Keep the 22 sts on the needle and pick up 22 sts from the right side of the 

          provisional CO edge using the size US 7 dpn needle. Holding right sides 

          together, join both ends using the three needle bind-off.

          Use the tapestry needle to weave in ends.