What is the cable cast on?
The cable cast on is a method for casting on stitches that works into existing knitting, rather than creating new stitches from scratch. Unlike the long-tail cast on (which you use at the very beginning of a project), the cable cast on is inserted mid-work — you're adding stitches to a needle that already has stitches on it.
The result is a firm, stable edge with a slightly raised, cord-like appearance along the base. It's denser and less stretchy than a long-tail cast on, which makes it ideal for specific applications where firmness is an asset.
When to use the cable cast on
The cable cast on excels in situations where you need to add stitches partway through a piece:
- Buttonholes: After binding off a few stitches for the buttonhole opening, you cast back on the same number of stitches in the following row to close the hole.
- Sleeve openings in flat sweaters: When shaping the underarm, you sometimes cast on stitches mid-row to bridge between the body pieces.
- Thumb gussets in mittens and gloves: After putting thumb stitches on a holder, you cast on a few stitches over the gap to maintain the width of the hand.
- Button bands worked as part of the garment: If a button band is picked up and added to a finished front, a cable cast on can join new stitches to existing ones along the edge.
How to work the cable cast on — step by step
You need your project needle with existing stitches on it, your working yarn, and nothing else. No second needle required.
- Insert the right needle tip between the first and second stitches on the left needle. (This is the key step that distinguishes the cable cast on from the knitted cast on — you're going between stitches, not into the first stitch.)
- Wrap the working yarn around the right needle tip as if to knit.
- Draw a loop through the gap between the stitches.
- Place this new loop on the left needle by inserting the left needle tip from right to left through the loop. The loop should sit with its right leg in front of the needle.
- Gently snug the stitch — don't pull too tight.
- Repeat steps 1-5 for each additional stitch needed, always inserting the right needle between the first and second stitch on the left needle (i.e., between the most recently cast on stitch and the one before it).
After a few stitches you'll develop a rhythm: in between the first two, wrap, pull through, place on left needle, snug. In, wrap, pull, place, snug.
Difference from the knitted cast on
The knitted cast on is similar but you insert the needle into the first stitch (not between the first and second). The cable cast on goes between stitches, which produces a slightly firmer, more pronounced edge. For most mid-project applications the cable cast on is preferred, but they're often interchangeable. If a pattern specifies one, use that one — the resulting edge tension is part of the design.
Working the cable cast on at the end of a row
Sometimes a pattern asks you to cable cast on at the end of a row — for example, adding stitches for a sleeve extension. This is slightly awkward because the yarn is at the wrong end when you finish knitting. The standard approach:
- Turn your work.
- Cable cast on the required number of stitches.
- Turn your work back and continue knitting.
The brief "backwards turn" adds the cast on stitches to what is now the beginning of the next row.
Tension with the cable cast on
The most common problem with the cable cast on is casting on too tightly. Because you're going between two stitches rather than into an open stitch, the gap can be quite small, and knitters tend to compensate by pulling the new stitch snug. Resist this. Work each stitch at a consistent, relaxed tension — the edge should be the same firmness as the surrounding fabric, not tighter.
If you consistently cast on tight, try going up one needle size for the cast on rows and returning to your project needle afterwards.
Decorative qualities
The cable cast on creates a visible raised edge — a small cord-like ridge along the bottom of the added stitches. This is considered decorative on button bands and borders. It's less appropriate in places where you want the added stitches to blend invisibly into the fabric — for those situations, a backward loop or knitted cast on may look cleaner, at the cost of some stability.
Where the cable cast on doesn't work
Avoid using the cable cast on where you need a stretchy edge: sock cuffs, hat brims, necklines. Its firmness, which is an asset for buttonholes, becomes a problem for edges that need to slide over a hand or head. For stretchy edges, stick to the German twisted cast on, a long-tail on larger needles, or a tubular cast on.