Thursday, October 21, 2010

Socktober

Since it is Socktober (and who am I to pass up some good old fashioned organized knitting?) I got started on a pair of Snicket Socks.


I really love the colors in this Noro Kureyon Sock yarn. They are so rich and vibrant.


Starting the cuff was fine. But then I got to the first row in the main leg pattern and apparently I need to slip some stitches onto a cable needle. I'm fine with cabling but do I really need to go out and buy a mini cable needle? I'm no sock pro, so this goes out to you sock knitters. Would you just use a spare dpn or do I really need a cable needle?

16 comments:

  1. Depends. Cable needles are shorter so there's less to get in the way--things can get pretty "fiddly" with all those needles sticking every which way. Also, cable needles have a little "jog" in them that helps keep the stitches from falling off. If you're experienced with doing cables and don't mind working with lots of needles at the same time, you can skip buying the special cable needle. They aren't expensive, however, and even Michaels carries them.

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  2. I usually just go with an extra dpn for making cables, whether on socks or larger projects. It does involve lots of sliding stitches a long way from one end to the other (cable needles are shorter, so there's less of this), but I haven't had problems with dropped stitches or anything.
    That yarn is going to make such beautiful socks!

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  3. Forget them both! Do cables without the needle. Live on the edge. That's what I do depending on the cable, and on the yarn. If there are no more than two stitches that I'm slipping off and the yarn is grabby (i.e. hairy enough for the stitches to hold for a few seconds) I'll forgo the cable needles altogether.

    However, if I don't feel confident that my stitches won't go sliding down, then I'll usually just use a spare dpn.

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  4. you can even unfold a paper clip and use that - if you make it into a U-shape, you don't have to worry about the stitches falling off. no need to buy a new thing (unless you want to!)

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  5. I've never owned a cable needle. When I started out, I used whatever I had around, a DPN, a pencil (and then I could slip them back to the left hand needle), an unfolded paperclip.

    Now, I've learned to do cables without an extra needle, and I haven't really looked back.

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  6. I'm no expert on socks, but yeah, I cable without a needle. The paper clip idea sounds pretty good, too. That's some gorgeous Noro you've got there!

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  7. I have a smaller cable needle but when I don't have it with me I would use a spare dpn. I have been known to use a toothpick! lol
    I just learned to cable without a needle so I can recommend it. It's a good tool to know when you find you don't have a cable needle available.
    Nice yarn. How do like working with it? I find Noro to be scratchy.

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  8. Those are all some great suggestions! Here's another one, use a toothpick, its short and won't poke you like a dpn would (since the shortest dpn I've seen is 5"), there's no curve in the middle, but the curve doesn't really do anything for me unless the cable needle is too small for the stitches, so they slip off if they don't have a curve, but you're only leaving the stitches on there for 10 or less seconds anyway, so the toothpick should fine :)

    ~ Eliana ~

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  9. i recently started doing cables without a cable needle, and it revolutionized cable knitting for me! but if you're not ready for that i like the toothpick idea. very clever.

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  10. I prefer a cable needle, but an extra dpn would definitely work. Can't wait to see your Snickets. I've been wanting to make them for quite a while. The Noro yarn is so pretty. For me it is excessively itchy and I will have to enjoy it vicariously through you. ;-)

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  11. I do like my J-style cable needles. I used a spare DPN before, but it was always in the way and a bit cumbersome.

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  12. Love Noro Kureyon Sock yarn!!
    If I don't have the cable needle handy I just use a spare DPN. In fact, I am doing that now on the gloves I am making. Works like a charm.

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  13. oh, and yes, i like the book. it's the second in the series.

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  14. I'm with Amy, cable without a cable needle! Since I learned the technique from Grumperina's excellent blog, I haven't looked back. It enabled me to finish an Aran sweater in record time, and with very little fuss.

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  15. That yarn looks great! I always go for the spare DPN. Works better for me.

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