Mission Impossible: Cable Knitting

Cable Knitting
Originally uploaded by littledevilworks.

I was just explaining to a new-ish knitter (she crochets a bit but is re-learning to knit from childhood) how there are parts of knitting that are easy and parts that aren't. For instance, once you know knit and purl, and can read a pattern, most patterns are just a simple mixture of those two basic stitches with a few yarn wraps and knitting stitches together thrown in.

Then. I. Got. To. Cabling.

For years any pattern that has the slightest mention of cabling throws me into a series of apopleptic fits. But today, upon trying to explain what I meant, I stumbled upon this. This wonderful Wendy proves that half a dozen pictures are worth a thousand words of explanations, plus books devoted to the topic.

P.S. Knitting is seriously catching on. In addition to this friend who started this weekend, I have been helping a friend at work too. We'll call him Knitmeister S for now.

(Edited to add: Friend referred to above shall now be referred to as (UN)Hooked based on a silly knitting/crochet pun she made.)