BASKET CABLE

Stitch of the Month – June 2016

The Basket Cable stitch is an all-over cable pattern that produces a thick and highly-textured fabric. It resembles an intricate basket weave and looks more complicated than it actually is to knit.

The dense texture of this stitch pattern will:

1. significantly narrow the gauge because the stitches are twisting throughout the row so it will be really important to check the gauge (and critical when combining the Basket Cable pattern with another stitch pattern)
2. will use more yarn vs a knit/purl stitch pattern
3. require additional ease in garments because of the thickness of the fabric

This dense fabric is best knit with a yarn that has elasticity so that the weight of the cables doesn't cause the garment to 'grow' in length so avoid using yarns such as cotton, silk or linen that are inelastic.

Basket Cable

(Multiples of 8 sts + 4)

Row 1, 3 (RS) - Knit

Row 2 and all even rows - Purl

Row 5 - K4, *C8B; repeat from * to end of row

Row 7, 9 - Knit

Row 11 - *C8F; repeat from * to last 4 stitches, k4

Row 12 - Purl

These 12 rows form the Basket Cable Pattern.

Abbreviations
C8B - Cable 8 back. This is worked by sliding 4 stitches from the left needle onto a cable needle. Move the cable needle to behind the left needle. Knit the next 4 stitches from the left needle and then knit the 4 stitches from the cable needle.

C8F - Cable 8 front. This is worked by sliding 4 stitches from the left needle onto a cable needle. Move the cable needle in front of the left needle. Knit the next 4 stitches from the left needle and then knit the 4 stitches from the cable needle.