Stuart Hillard’s Cosy Cable Blanket Knitalong Part 1

What you need to know

Cables might seem daunting to newer knitters or those that have never tried the technique before, but they’re a lot easier to master than you may at first think. In this exclusive six-part knitalong, designer Stuart Hillard will guide you through creating a beautifully panelled cable blanket using sumptuous chunky yarn in fabulous bold colours. This week we start things off with simple left and right twists – we can’t wait to begin!

“Welcome to the first in my six-part knitalong series, starring my very favourite knitting technique... cables! I’ve always been fascinated by cable knitting – the twisted ropes, plaits and honeycombs that adorn traditional Aran sweaters and cardigans have always intrigued and excited me, and I started knitting them as soon as I could. Cables are much simpler to knit than you may first imagine. Simply put, you’re knitting and purling a ‘rope’ or cable, and ‘taking it for a walk’ across the surface of your knitting. The complexity of working numerous different patterns across a sweater, often working in completely different stitch and row repeats, puts a lot of knitters off – so I designed this beautiful cable blanket to be simplicity itself! It’s worked as a series of ‘single design’ panels, so you only have to learn and work on one cable pattern at a time. Before you know it, you’ll absorb the pattern of stitches and barely need any guidance! I’ve worked this blanket in beautiful Stylecraft Special Chunky, which comes in a fabulous array of gorgeous colours and knits up very fast, so your efforts will quickly be rewarded. Most panels are worked twice, giving you ample opportunity to become comfortable with the technique before you move on to the next. The most complex panel is only worked once, allowing a bit more time to really enjoy working the pattern. Have fun!”

Stuart Hillard

LKT Designer

"Cables are much simpler to knit than you may first imagine. Simply put, you’re knitting and purling a ‘rope’ or cable, and ‘taking it for a walk’ across the surface of your knitting."

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