Braid Cable

The braid, or plait, cable takes three columns of knit stitches on a purl ground and crosses them in turn so they interlace exactly like a three-strand hair braid. On one cable row you cross the left pair of strands, and a few rows later you cross the right pair, alternating which crossing you make so each strand travels over and under its neighbours up the panel. Repeating that rhythm plaits the three strands into a continuous woven braid that is wider and more eye-catching than a simple rope cable. It is one of the more advanced cables because you must track three strands and remember which pair crosses next, so a chart and a row counter really help. The payoff is a bold central feature for a sweater, a headband, or a cushion. Like all cables it draws the fabric in noticeably, more so because three strands are gathered, so swatch in pattern and allow extra width when you plan a size.