Cable Left Cable Right by Judith Durant

216 Pages
Publisher: Storey Publishing, Storey Publishing LLC
Release Date: May 31, 2016

Nonfiction, Crafts, Yarn, Knitting

The book is divided into the following chapters.

Chapter 1: Cable Basics
Chapter 2: Simple Cables
Chapter 3: Angels and Curves
Chapter 4: Braids and Pretzels
Chapter 5: Fillers, Ribbings, and Allover Patterns
Chapter 6: Dressing Up Your Cables
Chapter 7: Design Considerations

Being new to knitting, I was somewhat overwhelmed with the terms and patterns. I appreciated the thorough terminology, definitions, and chart symbols provided. I love the photos that go with the step-by-step directions. It makes it easy to follow the instructions. The author also gives great tips for maintaining tension to keep the cables neat and even. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning how to knit cables.

Great introduction on how to knit cables, which many think are terrifying and which are actually very easy. Durant demystifies how to cable, and the book provides some interesting patterns for both novice and experienced cable knitters.

Interesting and useful, I think - I knit, but I've never done cables. I found several patterns here that I'd like to do (just need to think of a project they'd work on). The instructions seem clear - I prefer the written ones to the charts, but I can see the utility of the charts for a pattern with a long repeat. And I suspect I'll like the charts better when I'm more familiar with them. Besides the patterns, each accompanied with a knitted and nicely photographed swatch, there's several chapters of discussion of what cables are and how to use them, and tips and tricks for working with them, including one at the end on dealing with the fact that cables draw in the work - since they cross over, a piece with cables in it will be narrower than a piece with the same number of stitches and no cables. There are methods of dealing with that, and the author goes over them pretty thoroughly. I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

As a knitter, learning new stitches are always fun. This book is really informative with great pictures. I'm always learning something new when I look at this book. It's a great reference book and a must have for every knitter's own library.

While we have many stitch dictionaries available to us, sometimes it’s the little ones that step out from the pack and surprise and delight us. Cable Left, Cable Right is one of those great companion titles. Whether you are new to cables or highly experienced, there is something for you in this book. Over seven chapters we learn the basics and advanced techniques in beautiful clear detail. This is the book I wish existed early in my knitting career when I crossed my first cable, the step-by-step tutorials show attention to detail with helpful photos and accompanying descriptive text. Durant includes general tips for tightening up loose stitches in cables, and other tips when working specific cables throughout the book. After mastering the basics the chapters progress through different styles from simple ropes to curves to braids and pretzels. The final two chapters cover design. In chapter six we learn ways to dress up cables with textured stitches or embellishments. The final chapter covers design considerations whether we need to balance a the cable on fabric or to work on fit based on how cables influence take up and splay. I highly recommend this book if you love to knit cables.