Knitting standing up is one of my favorite tricks, but for it I prefer to cable with the needle. Super quick and less likely to drop things, which is a boon on the train.

Lmao! I thought I was the only geek who thought the pattern looked like some sort of space vermin. You are too clever for your own good Alice. Keep it coming. I don't even knit and love to see the next project.

Jessica ... Aw! Thanks for the sweet comment.

A swatch with a bunch of yarn ends sticking out of it does a great impression of a big spider when you catch sight of it in a dim room. I have only done this in crochet, so don't know if it will work with knit (snort).

Texchanchan ... Sounds awesome.

You are turning me into a wannabe cable knitter!!!!!

This is scrumptious! I want to touch it so bad.

This is really cool, and maybe its super obvious... what are the needles running length-wise for? I've only done cables once so maybe I'm missing something!

Thanks!

Jenni Rucinski ... Oh! Sorry for being confusing. I just threaded those up the sides to hold the swatch flat. :)

I think I must have learned to cable without a cable needle from a book, but I'm pretty sure I picked up the skill during my second cabled project and have never looked back . . . Anyways, here's a Knitty article on the subject: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter07/FEATwin07TT.html I like her technique fine for back cross cables, but I prefer this one here for front cross: http://wendyjohnson.net/knit/cabling.htm Also this video from Knittinghelp I think is overly cautious but it uses a lot of the words and gestures I've used when teaching this technique in person: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6DB6WhAKvY

TONS of other resources & variations on these techniques can be found by Googling "cabling without a cable needle" but given what I know of your analytical temperament I think it's the sort of technique you'd enjoy!

Eleanor (undeadgoat) ... Definitely good to know if I drop my cable needle down a sewer grate (hasn't happened yet) or leave it in a movie theater (has happened). :)

Jenni, I think the needles length-wise are merely to stretch out the swatch for the picture.

Alice, have you seen the cable tutorial to cable without a cable needle? It would be perfect for this. I think it's by Grumperina.

Nicole ... You were right about the side-needles. I couldn't hold the swatch flat and photo it at the same time. :) I just checked out the cable without a cable needle tutorial on Grumperina ... my question is, wouldn't there be a long bit of yarn that would cause loose stitches? Must investigate!

(15 min later ...) There can be a tiny bit of slack, but if you pull tight on the first stitch of the cabling the slack mostly disappears. All in all, I prefer my clover cable needles, but this trick would do in a pinch (or if my cable needle was on the ground, ha!).

OK, thank you! I thought that's what is was, but didn't trust my knitting skilz enough to say for certain... thanks Nicole too for the clarification :) I was worried I was missing some crucial piece of cable knitting all these years!