OXO Cable
the classic hugs-and-kisses Aran panel of alternating O rings and X crosses
The OXO cable, known affectionately as hugs and kisses, alternates two motifs up a panel: an O, a ring made by crossing a pair of cables toward each other and then apart again, and an X, a single crossing where the cables meet and part like a kiss. On a purl ground you work two columns of knit stitches, cross them left-over-right to start closing a ring, work straight, then cross right-over-left to close it, which draws the O; the next repeat crosses once to make the X. Stacking O, X, O, X builds the beloved traditional Aran panel. It is advanced because you track two travelling cables and must cross them in the right order to shape the rings, so a chart and row counter are worth using. It makes a rich, sculptural feature for a fisherman sweater, a hat band, or a cushion. Cables pull the fabric in, so swatch in pattern and allow extra width when sizing.