Purlbed

Hand knitting › Cables

Braid cable (plait)

Three strands woven over and under each other like a braid of hair, over 9 knit stitches. Two overlapping 6-stitch crosses on 9 stitches, in turn: first the right 6 stitches are crossed, then a few rows later the left 6, crossing the other way.

What you work it with

Hand knitting · Tools: Needles for the yarn, a cable needle, markers; smooth yarn.

Symbol chart

One or two repeats of the stitch pattern, drawn as seen from the right side.
123456Purl on RS, knit on WSKnit on RS, purl on WSC6F: 3/3 left cross (hold 3 in front)C6B: 3/3 right cross (hold 3 in back)Read from the bottom: RS rows (odd) right to left, WS rows (even) left to right.

Steps

  1. Set up: p1, k9, p1 (RS) and k1, p9, k1 (WS) for 2 rows.
  2. Row 3 (RS): p1, slip 3 to the cable needle in front, k3, k3 from the cable needle (C6F), k3, p1.
  3. Row 4 (WS) plain.
  4. Row 5 (RS): p1, k3, slip 3 to the cable needle at the back, k3, k3 from the cable needle (C6B), p1.
  5. Row 6 plain.
  6. Repeat rows 3–6.

The full card

What it looks like
Three strands woven over and under each other like a braid of hair, over 9 knit stitches.
How it behaves
Dense and raised, with a strong draw-in; the braid looks the same all the way up.
How it works
Two overlapping 6-stitch crosses on 9 stitches, in turn: first the right 6 stitches are crossed, then a few rows later the left 6, crossing the other way. Each group of 3 stitches moves over one neighbour and under the other[inference].
Tools
Needles for the yarn, a cable needle, markers; smooth yarn.
Parameters
Panel: 9 knit stitches with a purl stitch at each side. Crosses on every 4th row, alternating front and back [inference].
Steps
1) Set up: p1, k9, p1 (RS) and k1, p9, k1 (WS) for 2 rows. 2) Row 3 (RS): p1, slip 3 to the cable needle in front, k3, k3 from the cable needle (C6F), k3, p1. 3) Row 4 (WS) plain. 4) Row 5 (RS): p1, k3, slip 3 to the cable needle at the back, k3, k3 from the cable needle (C6B), p1. 5) Row 6 plain. 6) Repeat rows 3–6.
Charting
Read from the right side: the lower bar (row 3) is C6F over the right-hand six of the nine knit stitches, the upper bar (row 5) C6B over the left-hand six; the two bars overlap by 3 stitches. WS rows are plain.
Limits and common problems
Mixing up the order of front and back crosses gives a twisted rope instead of a braid. Mark the cable rows on the chart as you go [inference].
Combines with
4-stitch cable, 6-stitch cable, Seed stitch (moss stitch)
Pieces and assembly
Centre panel of a sweater, a cabled headband or hat band; a braid looks good between two 4-stitch ropes.

Written in our own words from machine manuals, knitting references and swatching. Knit a test swatch before a whole piece.

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