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!

Live loop Crochet Cables

I've had a revelation!

I have been crocheting for over ten years and must be, by any definition, an experienced crocheter. And yet, the foundation of my crochet world has just shook. In my rush to learn everything it seems I have missed a basic understanding of crochet anatomy. I'm talking about the Live Loop or Golden Loop.

 

Let me explain!

When we are crocheting a Double Crochet (Sc-US) we begin with a loop on the hook. This loop will become the top of our next Dc.

 

Then we pull up a loop in the next stitch. This is the golden loop. This becomes the post of our Dc. The height of this loop determines the height of our finished stitch.

Next we have to join the post and top loops to complete the stitch. To do this we 'yarn over' and pull that loop through both the post-loop and top-loop.

Our Dc is completed. And the loop on the hook becomes the top of the next stitch.

 

But, what if we don't make that final stage?

What if we pull that final loop through just the post-loop?

We have created a Live Loop. A stitch which is still 'live' because it is not completed. 

 

Look we can create a whole row of 'live-loops'...

Then remove the hook and finish each in turn simply by pulling the live-loop through the preceding stitch.

 

Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest. Grounded in a thorough understanding of the physics of crochet, Sue Perez, aka Mrs Micawber, has found a way to create cable stitches using live-loops. She published her book, Live Loop Cables in Crochet, in 2020 and I have been putting off learning this skill for no good reason I can think of! Sue Knits and crochets, I think this idea is derived from her knowledge of both crafts. I am not a knitter and I am a little over awed by the whole idea!

 

Fortunately, Sue has made this handy video for us. She explains it all so much better than I ever can!

 

I made this using the Practice Swatch.

Working in the round, from the front only, the cables are straight forward and prove no difficulty.

 

Block One: Straight Cables

 

Working in rows, from the back and front, the cables are a little different and require more attention. There seems to be a lot of information at the beginning of the book which you might find off putting. Don't panic! The stitch patterns are organised in a systematic way. If you work through them, one by one, your skills will develop in easy steps. At the start of each new design you are told what you will learn and where, in the book, you will find the technical information.

 

Block Two: Meeting in the Middle

 

There are 25 stitch designs which each form a patchwork block. You can use the blocks to make the scarf in the pattern section. Or you could make one of the other ten patterns which are varied and interesting.

Block Three: Travelling Cables

In my first attempt at these cables I failed miserably! There is a lot to take on board, and, like a bad workman I blamed my tools. Sue recommends we begin with a worsted weight yarn and at least a 5mm hook. As a non wool user the right kind of yarn is hard to find. The samples I made here use VeganYarn.Co.UK's Chunky weight Cotton Bouclé.

We also need a stitch marker to park the live loops on. Sue recommends a hair grip bent in a certain way to form a sort of closed 'U' shape. Once I had the right tools and watched Sue's videos, I found I could finally make progress!

What's so good about live loop cables? Well for one thing they can be made to bend in any direction. They are soft and flexible. They can cross and create all of the classic knitted Aran designs. Unlike the post stitch versions they're not heavy or stiff. The cables are, in effect, made on the surface of your fabric, so they don't leave those little holes in the fabric that happen when working with post stitches.

Block Four: Raised Cables with Bobbles

Sue's book is still available, so I suggest you grab a copy quick. If you have it already and like me didn't initially make progress. Go on, give it another go!! My advice for using this book would be to gather together some Aran/Worsted weight yarn, large hooks and the stitch markers. Then read through the Chapter on Necessary terms before skipping ahead to the practise swatch. Work your way systematically through the stitch patterns. As you progress you will find your understanding growing. From time to time you may want to refer back to the other information in the book, when Sue directs you to. By the time you get to the projects you will be an expert!

Block Five: Curved Cables with Popcorns

 

At the start I struggled to make the most simple of cables. Indeed, experienced Live-Loopers will spot mistakes in these blocks! But, with each mistake my understanding increases and with each new challenge my skill level rises.

 

Block Six: Honeycomb Cables

 

It has reminded me of what it was like to learn to crochet in the first place. All of the things I once struggled with; like how to hold the hook and yarn, I no longer give a seconds thought. 

 

Block Seven: Flat Rope Cables

 

I have been recording my progress on my Ravelry page. Besides, I will continue to add my progress to this blog post, but I expect you will be wanting a new post next month, so progress may be intermittent! 

Block Eight: Ropes and Antlers

 

Fastening off...

 

  

Block Nine: Simple Crossed Cables

Block Ten: Offset Crossed Cables

Block Eleven: Double Helix

Block Twelve: Twisted Twist