I taught myself how to knit over the christmas holidays thru KH. It’s a fabulous website. I made my 1st blanket and it turned out great. I want to try cables but I’m scared. It looks really hard. Has anyone found it to be hard or difficult to learn?
Scared to try Cables
Welcome! :waving:
No, cables aren’t difficult at all. Watch Amy’s video on cables (in the Advanced Techniques section, scroll down to Decorative Stitches)and you’ll see! They look complicated, but the process is so simple. The more complex cables just require concentration. Give one a go! 
cables are MUCH MUCH MUCH easier than they look. All you really have to do, is slip some stitches onto a cable needle, then knit some stitches from your left hand needle (usually the same number as you have on the cable needle) and then knit the stitches from the cable needle. that’s it.
Anyone who can teach themselves to knit is a winner to start with. Give it a try. Just a small suggestion, you might want to use a u-shaped holder so the held stitches don’t slip off as easily, which was my worst problem when I first tried.
Cables are surprisingly simple to do. It may feel just a bit awkward at first, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. And watch the videos here…They will be very helpful. Cables are fun!!!
:XX:
I am going to give cables a shot for the knitting olympics–I’m doing the irish hiking scarf–I’ve watched the videos and the cables look SO MUCH EASIER than I anticipated–I’m just worried about getting the length of the scarf completed before the flame goes out (I’m a slow knitter I think).
Give cables a shot–I haven’t been knitting long–pm me, maybe we can set up a knit along or something so we could try it together.
Don’t be scared…cables are sooooooooooo easy to do!
Using the u-shaped one for me is the easiest. I always had trouble with the other types. Cables are fun. I love doing them. Actually I love the end result. Go for it…don’t be scared!
I use the U-shaped one as well, unless I happen to have a larger sized dpn that won’t let the needle slip out. (Apparently wooden dpns work well, too, since wood helps hold the stitches.)
I just tried cables for the first time myself, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was! It’s such a complicated look that doesn’t take much in technique. I liked the U-shaped cable needle, too, only because it was the right size and helped hold my stitches best.
Jax descirbed it perfectly:
All you really have to do, is slip some stitches onto a cable needle, then knit some stitches from your left hand needle (usually the same number as you have on the cable needle) and then knit the stitches from the cable needle. that’s it.
Go for it! Can’t wait to see what you create!
If you have bamboo DPNs those work great in place of a cable needle – a pencil works in a pinch, too, if the diameter matches. 
So easy you won’t be able to believe you were ever worried about it. Give it a shot!
Cables are on my “to do” list, but these are a couple recommended first cabling projects…
I was always afraid to do cables as well, but I started doing the Irish Hiking Scarf and found that they are really easy. I use a DPN in place of a cable needle and it works great. Try them. It is not hard. Trust me. 
Ditto what everyone else has said. I was suprised how easy they are!
I thought I was the only one who’s used a pencil to work cables! :rofling: I’ve also used a drinking straw; it worked okay, but something firmer works better.
Thank you for all your suggestions…I’m going to put my intimidation behind me and try cables this weekend. Thank everyone 
They’re so much fun–it’s like magic, watching them form their squiggle! Enjoy!!
Cables are fun and very addictive! I was intimidated at first too, but I spent the entire weekend a couple of months ago learning how to do it and couldn’t believe how easy it was! Granted, I’m having troubles firguring out what went wrong on a couple of hats I made, but that’s not stopping me. I’m now working on my third and fourth cable projects (the Irish Hiking Scarf and a hat that I got from a pattern book Cabled Accessories by Patricia Kim) and they are both going well.
Like everyone has said, cables are amazingly simple! I’ve been knitting for only about 3 and a half months and I’ve managed to knit cables without much difficulty. I found this great article about cables on the Dummies website and it helped me understand them better: