Cabling help/who's done Baudelaire?

#1

PLEASE someone tell me you’ve done Baudelaire and can explain this cable to me! I can’t find a description of this anywhere on the net.

Front Cable Increase: Knit into the fronts of the next 4 sts, without dropping those stitches from the left needle; you will have 4 sts on your right needle which overlap 4 sts on your left needle; knit the 4 sts from your left needle through the back loops, dropping them from the left needle as usual. You will have increased 4 stitches, with the new stitches forming a cable twist (to the right) over the old stitches.

Back Cable Increase: Knit into the back loops of the next 4 stitches, without dropping those stitches from the left needle; you will have 4 sts on your left needle which overlap 4 sts on your right needle; knit the 4 sts from your left needle through the front loops, dropping them from the left needle as usual. You will have increased 4 stitches, with the old stitches forming a cable twist (to the left) over the new stitches.

I’ve tried this. The second time, I tried knitting the 4 the first time starting with the fourth stitch on the needle, then the third, etc, and I got something that could I suppose could pass for a kind of cable but it was not … well, horizontal/flat/symmetrical. Or cably.

If anyone knows how, please explain thoroughly.
I used to know what kfb meant - k into front, not dropping off left needle, then k into back, then drop off - but no-one actually said how to go from the first to the second knit. No-one explains that after the right needle comes out of the sittch the first time, you kind of twist the tip around the right side, around the left needle knit stitch, and go through the back of stitch that way. I needed the video to get it. That’s the kind of problem I’m having here. I can do cables easily (not these ones obviously). But there’s something I’m not getting. Can anyone figure it out? Or refer me to a page that may be helpful? I love these socks!

Thank you!

Sarah

#2

Hi redwitch,

This is definitely doable…if you’re not knitting too tight! I can imagine it’ll be alot more “fussy” on size 2 needles…I tried it on 11s.

You’re knitting the first stitch through the front loop, (do not remove from left needle), then the second stitch through the front loop (do not remove), then the third, etc. By the time you get to the third and/or fourth one, it’s kind of a pain…you may have to actually lift the stitch up with your fingernails in order to get the right needle into it. You want to be doing this relatively loosely or you won’t be able to get the needle around to do the knits in backs of loops.

Once you’ve got 4 sts on the right needle, you bring the right needle around to knit into the back of the first stitch, taking it off the left needle. Continue with the next three.

Good Luck! It’s a lovely sock pattern! :hug:

Diane

P.S. The “back cable increase” would be done opposite, first knitting into the BACKS of 4 sts (that was really unwieldy, but again, doable if your row below isn’t too tight!), and then pulling the needle/sts around to knit into the fronts of the same four.

#3

Okay, I think I have it down, it doesn’t look that much like a cable to me! But I can’t really think of anything else to call it, and I suppose it’s just a different kind of cable.
I think I’ll practice on my swatch, the stitches that need to be loose are ending up too big on this swatch, hopefully smaller wool and needles will help. Thank you so much Diane you’re a legend.
Sarah

#4

Okay guys, the front one’s working, but I’m having trouble with the back cable: when I knit through the back loop on stitches 2, 3, and 4, do I put my needle through, front to back, as for the ktfl stitches? Or do I keep my needle parallel to left needle, keeping it at the back of the work as I go through the back loops? I tried it with the second method and I think that looks best, any thoughts?
Thanks
Sarah

#5

you’re a legend
:roflhard: :aww:

nah…I’ll just try anything once… :shrug:

It is really a weird way to do “cables” but I guess that’s how folks come up with different patterns!

do I keep my needle parallel to left needle, keeping it at the back of the work as I go through the back loops

That’s the ticket…then when you’ve got the four on the right needle, bring needle around and start going through front loop of first st, then second, etc.

It may be that it will start looking more like a “cable” on following rows.

Ya know…I just looked through the entire directions for those socks & you never use that increase unless you plan on doing the larger instep!

Leg Instructions for Larger Instep:
If sts for top of foot have been placed on stitch holder, replace them now on needle(s). Leg will be worked in the round over all 60[64, 68] sts. When working next round (Set-up Round 1), beginning of round will be shifted 2 sts to the left. Place marker as instructed; remove any other markers currently in place.

Set-up Round 1: K2, place marker (this will be new beginning of round); [p0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], k4] twice.

Set-up Round 2: P0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], work Front Cable Increase, p0[1, 1], k0[0, 1], p2, work next row of chart pattern, p2, k0[0, 1], p0[1, 1], work Back Cable Increase. 68[72, 76] sts.

That’s the only place it appears!

Diane