Right- and left-slanted cables are both pretty easy to make, but the right-slanted or cable back cable is probably a little easier for most knitters because the cable needle is at the back of the work, out of the way, while you're knitting the other stitches.
It's good to know how to make left-slanting cables, also known as cable front, because sometimes it's nice to use both kinds of cables in a design.
The good news is, the basics are the same in both kinds of cables, and if you know how to make one, you will very quickly know how to make the other.
As in the right-slanting cable tutorial, the swatch being made in the example is a 12-stitch swatch. The cable is worked on the middle six stitches in Stockinette Stitch, while the three stitches on each side are worked in Reverse Stockinette Stitch to help the cable stand out.
To begin, work two rows in this pattern so you can form the cable on the third row:
- Row one: P3, K6, P3
- Row two:K3, P6, K3
At the beginning of the third row, purl the first three stitches.
