Supersize cables revisited

An anonymous reader commented that they couldn't get this technique to work - and I realised I'd never tried it myself and that I'd made no mention of tension. Knowing Bill King via his monthly techniques in MKM, I suspect he probably uses 3ply or industrial yarn, and possibly has the ribber on a loose tension, and possibly all of it on a looser tension than you'd normally use.

The principle is that for a 5x5 cable, you first cross 5 and 3 stitches, knit two rows, and then continue the cross with the same 5 and the remaining 2 stitches. Thus you create a 5x5 cable, but in two seperate crosses.

So anyway, I tried it, and I agree with anonymous - as written it's very hard to do. I did manage it in some 4ply, but I don't really like the "hole" you get in the middle of the cross. 

My preferred method for supersize cables is to manually knit the cable stitches with an end of yarn, making larger loops, and then do the cable cross. Yeah, I demoed "magic fairisle" above it.

Some hats and a scarf I made to use up some poodle yarn. Very ho-hum.

I'm still struggling with DAK and have emailed Softbyte - the SK840 won't do fairisle either (though it seems happy to jam!) so I suspect there's an issue with the drivers. As the last machine I used it successfully with was the Passap, I suspect perhaps I need to tell it I've switched drivers before telling it again in DAK. Hopeful I get some clarity, being spoilt with three flavours of electronic machines! 
 

And just for fun - this is my cat, thinking he can't be seen. Plonker!

Current mood: apathetic