Crochet cables and ribbing

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about crochet cables. Back when I was just a newbie I understood that the only way to make cables and ribbing was with post or raised stitches. Now, it occurrs to me that over the years I have worked quite a few cables that don't include a single post stitch. So how about, this month we look at some of the solutions that I've found.

 

Post-stitch ribbing is chunky, heavy and has almost no stretch. I used to think it looked OK until I realised that there were better solutions.

 

Possibly the revelation arrived when I discovered I could make ribbing using Slip-stitches. Fortunately for me this coincided with my ability to make a slip-stitch fabric! Really, I had forgotten how hard it was in the beginning. My first swatch ended up in a tight little knot where, the rows got shorter and tighter. It requires a lighter grip on the yarn and a bigger than normal hook. Probably, for the first time it would have helped to use a stretchy lofty wool yarn rather than unforgiving cotton. I'm afraid that everyone who over comes this pain barrier becomes a slip-stitch evangelist. You will just have to forgive me when I wax lyrical on this subject!

Slip-stitch ribbing is not only light weight and stretchy but it also looks like knitted ribbing. I've even discovered that it is possible to hold shirring elastic thread along side your yarn to create a rib that is truly elastic.

 

Linda Skuja's Mals Clay Sweater*

There is of course another kind of ribbing which has been around, probably, since before post stitches. Worked horizontally to the main fabric in short rows, back loop only (BLO) Double crochet (Sc-US) or Half Treble (Hdc-US) gives the appearance of ribbing, but it has very little stretch. Linda Skuja uses back loop only Htr (Hdc-US) ribbing, seen here, on her Mals Clay Sweater. Despite the lack of stretch it is visually very appealing.

 

When it comes to cables I suppose my first question is; what is a cable? Is it something like an knitted Aran sweater or do we say, hey this is crochet we make our own definition?

 

Tea Cozy design by Saichika from Japanese Wonder crochet*

For me, in the beginning there was only this kind of heavy and unforgiving post-stitch cable which is accompanied by those dull rows of Double crochet (Sc-US). But then I made new discoveries.

 

Charmer Cowl by Lena Fedotova*

Lena Fedotova (aka Ravliki), on her Charmer and Adventurer cowls,

Adventurer Cowl by Lena Fedotova

uses long intertwining rows of Foundation Dc (Sc-US) and BLO Dc. This requires you to carry the working yarn with you on the foundation row of the interlocking cable, as it winds it's way in and out of the last cable. The yarn magically un threads itself on the return row! Interestingly, there is no supporting structure behind the cables. Without the ugly Dc base the cables make a 3 dimensional lace and a soft fabric.

 

ZigZag Hat by Tanja Osswald*

Tanja Osswald should certainly feature here, she has a whole collection of stylish and complex cable fingerless-gloves. I have yet to find an excuse to make one, so instead, here is her Zigzag cable hat. It is made using three different slip-stitches in combination, but she also sneaks in extra chain and short rows. This allows the cables to wiggle their way along the hat.

Cabled Slip Stitch Mittens by Anna Lindmark*

Anna Lindmark (aka Mmatildas Virkstad) uses the same combination of slip-stitches in short rows to create her signature cables. The cables are built one section at a time. They seem to appear magically as you move along the row.

 

All of these ribbing and cable solutions produce cables running horizontally in rows. By turning the fabric 90 degrees we can make them appear to run vertically. Indeed, Anna's gloves are worked from wrist to fingertips. She makes them in one moulded shape rather than separate pattern pieces. I often think that this aspect of crochet is vastly under appreciated. So often we view designs as a knitter or dressmaker would. We are missing out on this ability to mould our fabrics to fit.

 

Lady Mabel Sweater by Susan Walsh

Another example of fooling the eye by turning the fabric at 90o is Susan Walsh's (aka Peppergoose) Lady Mabel Sweater. The sweater is worked from cuff to cuff to enable the cable to run vertically.

The cable is built from short rows of Dc (Sc-US) worked one by one.

 

Now we are getting into muddy waters! So far everything I have shown you is unmistakably a traditional rib or a cable, with the possible exception of the Lady Mable Sweater. Now, I leave it to you to decide what is a crochet cable and if it matters. Possibly, I am the only one of us that feels this compulsion to name and categorise all things crochet!

 

For Them Sweater by Tatsiana Kupryianchyk*

I offer you Tatsiana Kupryianchyk's (aka Lilla Bjorn) 'For Them Sweater'. She uses a combination of BLO Dc (Sc-US) and Slip-stitches in short rows to create the interlocking leaf and wedge shapes.

Ivy Hat and Cowl by Liudmyla Hefny*

Having bought far too much yarn, I had enough left over to pair Tatsiana's sweater with the Ivy hat and Cowl by Liudmyla Hefny. Her leaf shapes are perhaps the linking step between Tatsiana's interlocking shapes and traditional cables. Liudmyla's leaves are not only linked but seem to grow organically out of each other. The ribbing and cable are made with those extra tall Yarn-Over Slip-Stitches, with a few taller stitches thrown in to give spacing between the rows, and of course, short rows.

 

Block23 Kiss and Hug by Sue Perez*

You may be aware that my current cable obsession has sprung from Sue Perez' (aka Mrs Micawber) Live Loop Crochet cables. I wrote about it myself, here. Having now made each of the 25 cable block designs, I have moved onto finding out how they might work in practise.

Woolly Bowl by Sue Perez*

Unlike the other cables I have shown here, these cables can be worked in any direction and can be of various widths. The cables are created as the base fabric is made. Although the single loop cables, above, appear to be made after the bowl, they were both made simultaneously.

 

Bonus Points Shawl by Sue Perez*

My current work in progress is Sue's shawl design which moves away from the straight forward Dc base stitches. It offers new exciting possibilities!

 

I have thrown up a few questions for you and possibly you have thoughts about other cables I have not yet tried?

 

fastening off... 

 

 

 *All items shown here have me made by me, any errors are mine not the designers!