I did it. I finally took some time and taught myself how to cable. I know, I know, it isn’t terribly difficult, but for some reason I was a bit intimidated by it.
After finishing my Christmas presents, I decided to make a washcloth with a cable pattern to learn and practice. And I am actually going to keep the washcloth! That hasn’t happened often.
When I started, I had to watch a video to understand how to position my needles when knitting the stitches on the cable needle. Once I saw it done, I was on my way.

Look! It is starting to look cable-y!
I was able to get about two-thirds of the way through the pattern so far today–but I need to take a break to play Stratego with my kid. Once I relocated from the quiet of my bedroom to the commotion of the family room, I started struggling to keep my place in the pattern. I jury-rigged a little something to help me:

I need to get my eleven-year-old to start programming apps for my iPad. I want one that you can enter your knitting pattern into, and it will highlight the row you are working on…make it bigger, or boldface it or both.

Here is my washcloth so far. Aren’t cables beautiful?