As I stare down the end of the 2016, I’m more than a little contemplative about what changes hover over the horizon. This year, for me, has been pretty huge – selling a house, cross-country move, farewells, new town, major adjustments. With 2017 only two days away, I’m craving comfort something fierce. A soft balm of relief, easing away theย emotions that come hand in hand with the strike of midnight. So, I picked up our Superwash Six, a delicately textural bulky with just enough weight to make you feel grounded, centered.
It has a gentle twist of six plies, with each strandย doing its part to offer up a delicious loftiness that lends itself beautifully to cables and textured stitches. The 100% superwash merino content just absorbs color like no tomorrow, making the hand-dyed hues all the more captivating. It’s a yarn that is rich and luxurious, yet undeniably soothing.
Honestly, all I want to do is knit myself a big, cushy blanket and cuddle up in bed to watch the ball drop come New Year’s Eve. These lush cables that I knit would be the perfect stitch to use for that blanket, too. Dancing back and forth across a loose fabric, the results are everything you’d expect – free-form and warming.
I chose US 11 (8 mm) needles for these swatches, preferring a fabric that was loose, allowing the cablework to surrenderย some of its traditional heaviness. Worked in Stormchaser, the cables allow the short colour changes to move across the fabric, back and forth like … well, a perfect storm! It looks bright, bold, and exciting. I really love the muted effect the allover cablework has in the semi-solid Jade colourway, a soft undulating movement that doesn’t overwhelm. In fact, looking at these swatches, I know a blanket (or big squishy scarf) is in my immediate future.
Soothing Cables (mult of 6 sts + 2)
Set-Up Row (WS): K1, purl to last st, k1.
Row 1 (RS): Knit.
All WS Rows: K1, purl to last st, k1.
Row 3: K1, *K2, 2/2 LC; rep from * to last st, k1.
Row 5: Knit.
Row 7: K1, *2/2 RC, k2; rep from * to last st, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 –ย 8 for pattern.
Here’s how to work the cable abbreviations:
- 2/2 LC:ย Slip next two stitches onto cable needle and hold to front; knit next 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle.
- 2/2 RC:ย Slip next two stitches onto cable needle and old to back; knit next 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle.
I highly suggest learning to cable without a cable needle because it’ll save you a lot more time in the long run (that, and it makes you feel like a BOSS!). You can find a tutorial on that HERE.
What say you? How are you feeling as we approach the end of the year? Craving a big, cable-rich blanket like me?
