How to knit twisted cables (video tutorial & written pattern)

A twist is one of the simplest, most classic forms of cable to knit. The cable twist can easily dress up other knits. Try knitting one into a stockinette or moss stitch scarf or into a plain, slouchy hat pattern beginning after the brim.
The following twisted cable is worked over 8 stitches, though the cable itself is 4 stitches wide. You can create wider twists by increasing by an even number of stitches and dividing them evenly amongst the stitches you knit on the standard needle and cable needle to form the twist.
Advertisement
Watch the twisted cable tutorial:
Extra Materials Needed
Cable needle (A small dpn also works fine. Use the same gauge as your yarn calls for or go one needle size up to prevent the cable stitches from slipping off.)
Abbreviations
CO - Cast on
K - Knit
P - Purl
C2F - slip two stitches onto the cable needle purl wise and hold on the front, or right side, of your work
Written pattern
For 4 stitch cable twist to the left, flanked by 2 reverse stockinette stitches - perfect for swatching in the middle of a stockinette stitch square:
Row 1: p2, k4, p2
Row 2: k2, p4, k2
Row 3: p2, slip two stitches onto the cable needle purl wise and hold to the front of your work (also read as c2f), k2 stitches off your left hand needle, k2 from the cable needle (knit either directly off the cable needle or slip the stitches back onto the left needle and knit them off of it), p2
*** Abbreviated Row 3: p2, c2f, k2, p2 ***
Row 4: k2, p4, k2
Repeat rows 1-4
Advertisement
This pattern creates a left-leaning twist. Turn it into a right-leaning twist by simply holding your cable stitches to the back of your work instead of the front.