With so many different garments and bags and plant hangers and so on to be made using crocheting techniques, learning new stitches to increase your stitch repertoire is always a great thing to do. When you know a variety of stitches, for example, you can make ten different blankets using the same color and make of yarn and still manage to give each blanket its own unique appearance. The differing appearances can be accredited to the fact that you used a different stitch for each blanket; or that you used different combinations of stitches for each blanket. Either way, you could give all ten blankets to ten different mothers in a room at the same time and receive differing responses of gratitude and wonderment regarding - how you did that!
Adding the cable stitch to your repertoire is a good idea because it is an elevated stitch that could work well for purses, baby booties, sweaters, and hats, to name a few. Cable stitches are basically rows of twisty lines that look almost like braids. This guideline will provide instructions on how to make consecutive cabled rows.
Before working cable stitches into a project, you might want to practice the stitch to get the hang of it because it is a bit tricky. This can be done simply by crocheting a chain of say twenty or so stitches and then following the upcoming instructions.
First Row: After creating a loose chain of desired length, double crochet in the fourth chain from your hook. Continue double crocheting all the way across to the end of your chain. After completing the double crochets, chain one on the hook and then turn.
Second Row: Now you must make single crochets in every stitch going back the other way. Once the single crochets are completed, chain three and turn again.
The three you just chained will count as a double crochet. As you continue crocheting left to right and back again, the three chains you make in this fashion will also count as the first double crochet when you make a turn.
So far you should have made a chain your desired length, double crocheted beginning in the fourth chain from your hook and across the chain length, chained one, turned and single crocheted all the way back to other end, chained three and turned. Remember these three count as your first double crochet.
Third Row: *Next, you must double crochet in the next two single crochets. Skip one single crochet. After skipping a single crochet you must work what's called a front post double crochet (FPdc). This portion of the stitch is accomplished by yarning over and then inserting the hook from the front to the back around the post of the next double crochet that is located below the next single crochet. Then you must yarn over again and pull a loop up until it is even with the last stitch you worked. Complete this as you would a double crochet. Now work a FPdc around the post of the next double crochet in the same row. After you've made two double front post crochets, you must work a FPdc around both of them.
To work a FPdc around the two you just made, you must cross over them and work a FPdc around the post of the double crochet to the right of the first FPdc.
After completing the FPdc group, skip the next three single crochets and repeat the steps beginning at the star (*) and work your way back until you arrive at the last three single crochets. Now make double crochets in the last three single crochets.
Fourth Row: After making double crochets in the last three single crochets, chain one and then turn. Now proceed to single crochet in each stitch all the way across.
Fifth Row: Now chain three and turn again. * *Then double crochet in next two single crochets the same way you did before starting the first FPdc.
To complete the FPdc and continue its twisty appearance, you must now skip the first FPdc you made and work FPdc's around the posts of the second and third FPdc's. After that, work a FPdc around the post of the FPdc you skipped. Now your first FPdc is complete.
Continue working your garment by skipping three single crochets and repeating the process from the two stars (* *).
After you make your way back to the other side of the garment, the amount of cables you've made will depend on how long of a chain you started the procedure with. Finishing off each row will also have a bearing on the length of your chain. To determine how long you want your chain to be, try crocheting a practice chain of twenty-six. Follow above instructions and when you get to the end - after (* *) - double crochet in the last three single crochets.
Working the front post double crochet portion of the cable stitch is probably the most difficult part. This is why practicing it is a good idea, especially for the less experienced hobbyist, prior to using it in garments you make. Once you get the hang of it, however, you'll enjoy the graceful elevation it brings to your work.