It’s time for a new Loopy Ewe Challenge! One of the things we try to do around here is to move you forward in your knitting, encouraging and inspiring you to try new things. Sometimes it’s a technique, sometimes it’s a new yarn, and sometimes it’s a new type of project. For our First Quarter 2011 Challenge, we’re focusing on Cables. Cables add texture to whatever project you are knitting up. They look impressive, but they are amazingly easy to do. Bottom line – it’s just a matter of knitting your stitches in a different order – that’s what forms the twist. The other nice thing? You usually only do the cable row every 4-8 rows, so it’s not something you do on every row. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is.
The challenge is to pick a project with cables, and jump in. It can be mitts or gloves, hats or scarves, sweaters or vests, etc. Whatever project works best with your timeframe and your interests. Now some of you have been cabling for a long time, so you need to make this challenge a bit more difficult for yourself. Don’t pick an easy-peasy project with a simple cable. You’ll want to do something that lives up to the name “challenge”, for you. (Have you been following Wendy’s cabled sweater in her blog? So gorgeous. If you’re an old hand at cables, try something with multiple cable variations going on, like Wendy is doing with her sweater.)
Here are a few patterns/links to get you thinking, but of course you can pick any pattern with cables.
Socks:
Nine to Five Socks
Firestarter Socks (10th pattern down)
Calendula Cable Socks
Highland Fling Socks
Hats:
Habitat Cabled Beanie
Knotty But Nice
Gretel
Claudia
Mitts/Gloves:
Fetching (this pattern was my first try at cabling)
Knotty Gloves
Linda K’s Yummy Mummy Wristwarmers
Fine Cabled Mitts
Scarves/Cowls:
Cabled Keyhole Scarf
Palindrome Reversible Scarf
Irish Hiking Scarf
Hollygrove Scarf
Irish Cabled Neckwarmer (pictured, finished last week for a gift!)
Sweaters:
Hooray Cardigan
Central Park Hoodie
Tangled Yoke Cardigan
Cassidy Cardigan
If you’ve done cabling before but never tried it without a cable needle, check out Grumperina’s great tutorial on cabling without a needle, found here. (If you have not cabled before, you might first try with a cable needle.)
Final details: Start date is today (or any time thereafter), and your project needs to be completed by 3/31. To be eligible for one of the Quarterly Prizes, photos must be submitted to our Photo Gallery by 4/4, and it needs to be a yarn that is available here at The Loopy Ewe. If you need to purchase yarn for this new challenge, we are offering a 20% off discount, valid until 1/7/11. Simply leave us an order note telling us which yarn you’re using for the challenge, and we’ll manually adjust it to 20% off when your order comes through. (Make sure that the discount doesn’t take you under the $75 level, if you’re going for free shipping in the U.S., otherwise we’ll have to add the shipping back in on that.)
So – who is up for the Cable Challenge? I’m making the Hollygrove Scarf out of Cascade Eco Alpaca and starting it today!
Sheri whowillbelearningtocablewithoutaneedleonthisproject
What a great idea. I’m into destashing, so I’m hoping to knit some socks with a simple cable or a baby sweater using cables–only time will tell….
My cabled scarf has an end in sight! (Maybe within the next few days or sooner.) Very happy about that. I do hope the surprised gift will be appreciated. 🙂
I’m in…just ordered my yarn..Fiberphile…2 skeins to make the large Batik.
Thanks so much for the discount as well!
My cable project for this challenge is Gretel (hat by Ysolda Teague) and it is my second cables thing. The first was a small bookmark. This time I am doing it without a cable needle. I am using DIC Classy in colourway Dusky Aurora. Thanks for the inspiration.
I have never done a KAL beforeo but thought this was the time to jump in.
I have just become proficient with W&T and decided to do a sock from Wendy’s book SOCKS FROM THE TOE UP. Since this is a cable KAL, I decied to start small and have chosen the Lace & Cablle sock. Only two small cables but enough to be a challenge when combined with the W&Ts and lace. I’m excited about this and hope it will keep me on a knitting schedule. ( I tend to get SS syndrome when knitting on 2 needles). LOL
This is one of my favorite sites for knitting and love the variety that you offer to knitters. Keep up the good work.
Fetching was my first try at cabling too!
I’m making Ysolda’s lovely Vivian! It’s like crack-knitting for me!
I am so glad I happened upon this page: I got a DV D from my son for Christmas called “Cabling 101” so I would like to take the challenge and do my first project. I have an embarrassingly large stash getting stale, time to dig some out and begin. I’m thinking I’d like to do a scarf (although I swore off scarves for a while, I had done so many). Oh boy, I’m getting jazzed now!
I’m in with the Hollygrove Scarf (and I’m thinking I’m probably crazy for picking this one!). I’ve completed numerous cable projects before but,….well, we’ll see. If I finish this one, it’s going to be with a tremendous sense of accomplishment (and if Sheri can do it…..etc.)
I think I am going to knit my husband’s favourite cable socks!
Sheri,
This is awesome, and falls in line with my self imposed knitting goals for the new year.
Finished my reversible cables scarf and am preparing it to give away next week. 🙂 Thanks for the “challenge” to get me going.
Hey….received my yarn yesterday, Fiberphile…so lovely and it looks exactly the same as it did in the picture…how often does that happen?!
So after casting on 363 stitches (only took me three tries) I’m about to start my project, Batik by Kitman Figeuroa.
Woo hoo!
I’m working on “Painted Cables Scarf” in Noro Silk Garden. Watching the colors change keeps me knitting…knitting…knitting. A few more evenings and it should be finished.
How/where do we post pics of our completed cable projects? I have never participated before, so I’m in the dark.
i second what suzy said… where do i post pics? i’m done too!