Loom-Knit Cable Stitch Leg Warmers

Making cables with your knitting loom can be fun and gratifying. It also makes you feel like you've really knitted something special! However, it's no easy task. It's really easy to make your working threads too tight and have them snap on you when you're making you piece. I highly recommend that you make a mock up of every new yarn you use when you set out to make a cabled piece. Every gauge and fiber has its own strength and elasticity. It's better to know the limits of your yarn before you've put time into the actual garment.

 

What you'll need:

• 1 red (round) 31 peg knifty knitter
  
• Black/dark sharpie
  
• Aprox. 6oz gauge 5 (bulky) yarn
  
• Nifty knitter loom tool
  
• Crochet hook (for crochet cast on – optional)
  
• Stitch holder
  
• Yarn needle
  
• Scissors
  
• Measuring tape
  
• Piece of paper to keep track of where you are in the pattern
   

Stitch Key:

• E-wrap – the basic loop-a-loop cast on for your loom
  
• P – purl stitch
  
• K – knit stitch
  
• C – cable work
   

How to:

1. Measure the length or the leg that requires a warmer – write that down
    
2. Take your red round knifty knitter, get your sharpie and number all your pegs (if you've never done this before, you should, it really helps. If you're worried that you'll permanently disfigure your loom, you won't – the sharpie wears off eventually – usually within one project).
   
   
   
3. Cast on all 31 pegs using either the e-wrap or crochet cast on method.
   

*NOTE* we're now going to make one of the end borders. This is a garter stitch
border. You may knit any border you like, but keep in mind a few things, a) this stitch makes a fabric that may roll a little bit, b) if you choose a different border you might want to make a simple one since the cable work will command a lot of attention. FYI, this IS the border I used in my original,

1. Garter stitch border:
   
   Row 1: purl
   
   Row 2: knit
   
   Row 3: purl
   
   Row 4: knit
   
   *row means to P or K all the way around your loom – all 31 stitches will be purled or knitted*
   

You may extend this a few more rows if you'd like – measure and write down the length of the border. Assume that the bottom border will be this same length. Double the number you just wrote down and subtract if from the leg length. The resulting number is the length of cable pattern you will have to knit.

1. Pattern work:
   
   
   
   Row 5 – 9: (beginning at peg 1) P3, K6 – repeat until peg 30; K peg31
   
       Should be: PPP KKKKKK PPP KKKKKK PPP KKKKKK PPP K
   
   
    
   Cable prep: (this starts row 10)
   

• P peg 1 -3
  
• e-wrap peg 4 once; 5, 6, 7, 8 twice; 9 once
  
  (pegs 5-8 have 3 loops, 4 + 9 have 2)
  
  *note*
  keep your loops loose! This is an art in itself. If you make the loops too tight you will not be able to cross your threads over and if you try, they'll snap! If, however, you make the wraps too lose, your cables will be droopy (although it seems to be hard to make the wraps too lose).
  
• P next 3
  
• Knit the last (bottom) loop over all other loops on pegs 4 -9. When this is done peg 4 + 9 will have 1 loop left, pegs 5 – 8 should have 2
  
• Grab your stitch holder; take the loops from peg 6, 5 and 4 (elongating the threads where possible) and place them on your stitch holder. Let this fall to the back of your work.
  
• Take the loop from peg 7, elongate it to place it onto peg 4
  
• Take loop from 8 and place onto 5
  
• Take loop from 9 and place onto 6
  
• Now, take the stitches from your stitch holder and place the loop from 6 onto peg 9; the loop from peg 5 onto 8; and lastly the loop from 4 onto 7.
  

So, how'd it go? Were your loops too tight? Too lose? Take your time, do not force any loop onto a peg! If it is too short, it is too short. This is why I urge you to practice! If you force a loop onto a peg you could hurt yourself, break your loom, or snap your yarn! None of those options are optimal!!

If you're confidant in your loops, please continue on. . .

1. Repeat cable prep until peg 30. Your loom should be as follows
   
   PPP CCCCCC PPP CCCCCC PPP CCCCCC PPP
   
   Knit peg 31
   
   
   
2. Row 11: PPP KKKKKK PPP KKKKKK PPP KKKKKK PPP K (knit all former cable stitches)
   
   
3.  Repeat steps 5 – 7 until cable work is the length calculated in step 4
    
4. Repeat step 4 to make last garter stitch border. Remove with removal method of choice. 
   

   

   This is what a page of my knit book for this project would look like. this helps (me) to make sure I've made all the necessary stitches and also helps me to remember how large of an area I'm to knit. 

   
   
    

There! You now have a leg warmer! Might I suggest making another?

Questions? Please let me know, I'll try to help.