Some people use a Cable Cast On to start their knitting, like a typical cast on, but it is more common to use it when you need new stitches in the middle of your project, like for an underarm or the handle of a bag. Our Double-Thick Pot Holder uses the Cable Cast On technique both to cast on the project and to create a hanging loop later on. Check out our video below, and then give it a try with a pot holder!

Here’s our Cable Cast On tutorial where we show you how we do it! 

Video Tutorial

Click To See Video Transcript

Hi, this is Whitney from Purl Soho. I’m going to demonstrate how to work a Cable Cast On. Sometimes you use a Cable Cast On to start your knitting like you would a typical cast on, but it is more common to use a Cable Cast On when you need new stitches in the middle of your project, like for an underarm maybe, or perhaps the handle of a bag. Or in this case, I’m demonstrating on our Double-Thick Pot Holder where we use a Cable Cast On to create a hanging loop. 

So if your pattern asks you to make a Cable Cast On in the middle or end of a row around, the first thing to do is turn the work so the wrong side is facing you. Then you pick up your right needle and you insert it between the first and second stitch on the left needle, right into the space between the stitches. You wrap your working yarn like you would for a normal knit stitch, and you pull the stitch through. You don’t let anything drop off of your left needle, and you take the stitch that’s on your right needle and slip it onto the left without twisting it. And then you repeat these steps. You insert the right needle between the first and second stitch on the left needle, wrap the yarn, pull a stitch through, don’t twist it and put it on the left needle.

You keep going like this for however many stitches your pattern tells you to cast on. And you remember while you’re doing it to be nice and loose. If you’re too tight, it’s going to be really hard to knit your next row or round. Also, keep track of how many stitches you’re casting on because it can get kind of tricky to count them, especially if you’ve started with more stitches than we did here. So if you want, you can place a stitch marker on the left needle before you begin. The double thick pot holder has you continue casting on, but that’s the idea of a Cable Cast On in the middle of your work.

Now I’m going to show you how to use a Cable Cast On to start your project. The best reason to use a Cable Cast On, as your actual cast on is if you don’t want your cast on to create a row of purl bumps on the first row of your project, like you’d get with a basic long tail cast. On the downside of starting your work with a Cable Cast On is that it doesn’t stretch much and it can be pretty tight if you aren’t careful.

So let’s do it. The first thing you do is put a slip knot on your needle. You don’t need a long tail for this kind of cast on you. Just put a slip knot right on there. Turn the work, and then we’re going to knit into this first stitch. Just a normal knit stitch that is the tail, a normal knit stitch. Wrap your yarn, pull the stitch through, and then like we did before, you, just without twisting it, place it on the left needle. Now we’re going to insert the left needle between the two stitches into that space. Wrap the yarn, pull it through. Don’t twist it, place it on the left needle. And you just repeat this until you have cast on the number of stitches that your pattern tells you to cast on being extra conscious to work loosely. And that is a Cable Cast On at the beginning of your project.

Cable Cast On: Step-By-Step Tutorial

Here’s the same information as our video, but this time shown with still photos and text…

CABLE CAST ON IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROW OR ROUND

If your pattern asks you to make a Cable Cast On in the middle or end of a row or round, the first thing to do is turn the work so the wrong side is facing you. 

Cable Cast On | Purl Soho

Now, insert the right needle between the first and second stitch on the left needle, right into the space between the stitches.

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Next, wrap the working yarn like you would for a normal knit stitch and pull the stitch through onto the right needle. Don’t let any stitches drop off the left needle.

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Then, without twisting it, place that stitch onto the left needle, as shown above.

Cable Cast On | Purl Soho

Repeat these steps for however many stitches you’re casting on, and remember that it’s key to cast on loosely. If the stitches are too tight, it’ll get really difficult to knit your next round or row. Also, make sure you keep track of how many stitches you cast on because it can be kind of tricky to determine which is the first cast-on stitch! If you’re worried you’ll lose track, you can always place a marker on your left needle before you begin your cast on.

CABLE CAST ON TO START A PROJECT

You can also use a Cable Cast On to start your project. The best reason to use a Cable Cast On, instead of the more common Long Tail Cast On, is if you don’t want your cast on to create a row of purl bumps on the first row of your project, like you’d get with a basic Long Tail Cast On. However, the downside of starting your work with a Cable Cast On is that it doesn’t stretch much and can be quite tight if you aren’t careful.

Cable Cast On | Purl Soho

To work a Cable Cast On at the beginning of a project, first make a slip knot on the end of your needle.

Cable Cast On | Purl Soho

Then knit into the slip knot…

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… and place the resulting stitch on the left needle. 

Cable Cast On | Purl Soho

From here, work just as if you were working a Cable Cast On in the middle of your project, inserting the needle between the two stitches, wrapping the yarn knitwise, pulling a stitch through, and placing it on the left needle. Repeat this until you have cast on the required number of stitches, being extra conscientious to work loosely!

So, that’s it! Now you know how to work a cable cast on at the beginning, or in the middle, of your project!

Cable Cast On | Purl Soho

Learn more about our super cute and fun to make Double Thick Potholder, a free knitting pattern, and the yarn we used to make it: our organically grown, 100% cotton, worsted weight Sunshower Cotton yarn.

Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!