half-assed knit blog
half-assed knit blog
half-assed knit blog

Happiness is a Cabled Goat

If you ever need proof that I am way too easily amused… this entry should do it.

Yesterday, I was browsing the forums on Ravelry, and saw a topic that was intended to read “Need a good first go at cables pattern”. But a space had been left out, so it actually read, “Need a good first goat cables pattern“.

Oh, you know where this is going.

Here is something you may not know about me: I think goats are hilarious and awesome. I heart goats. Even the word “goat” is funny. GOAT GOAT GOAT GOAT. I of course clicked on the thread, hoping it would contain some real live goat cables. Apparently half of Ravelry also clicked on it hoping the same thing, judging from the posts. Clearly there is some serious demand for cabled goats.

Of course there is! Goats are fabulous. Cables are fabulous. You do the math. I already did the math, and so…

IMG_5057.JPG

Does it look like a goat? It sort of looks like a goat. It would probably look more like a goat if I knew what the hell I was doing. I’ve never tried to design a cable from scratch before. I don’t really know how to design a cable. But I did it anyway, and it’s not perfect, but damned if it isn’t recognizable as a goaty type thing.

When I started knitting – less than two years ago – my first project was a hat. And my second project was another hat, only with cables and i-cord ties and an improvised pattern. This was probably not something I should have been doing for my second project ever, but it never occurred to me that I couldn’t do it, so I did. And my cables looked great, and my i-cord looked… um… adequate (to this day, my i-cord is still kind of, well, knitted ropes of ass).

This is pretty much the attitude I’ve always taken with knitting (and for that matter, most other things). And it’s why I’ve never been afraid to modify a pattern, or make up a pattern completely, or try things that probably won’t work but sometimes they will and hell, it’s worth a try. It’s why I was designing my first sweater when I hadn’t even been knitting a year. And guess what. It sucked! But that’s okay. Sometimes it doesn’t work out and that’s no big deal.

So that’s my advice to any newbie (or slightly timid oldbie) knitters out there. If you think you can’t do something, do it anyway! You’ll either figure it out along the way, or you’ll fuck it up, frog it, and figure it out the next time around with the knowledge of what not to do.

You can even make goat cables!

Um, so yeah, here’s a pattern for the goat cable. All the cables are small enough that you can do ’em without a cable needle if you like.

Row 1 (RS): p6, RC2, LC2, p6.
Row 2: k6, p4, k6.
Row 3: p6, k4, p6.
Row 4: k6, p4, k6.
Row 5: p6, LC4, p6.
Row 6: k6, p4, k6.
Row 7: p5, RPC3, LPC3, p5.
Row 8: k5, p2, k2, p2, k5.
Row 9: p4, RPC3, p2, LPC3, p4.
Row 10: k4, p2, k4, p2, k4.
Row 11: p4, k2, p4, k2, p4.
Row 12: k4, p2, k4, p2, k4.
Row 13: p3, RC2, k1, p4, k1, LC2, p3.
Row 14: k2, LC2, p2, k4, p2, RC2, k2.
Row 15: p1, RC2, k3, p4, k3, LC2, p1.
Row 16: k1, p5, k4, p5, k1.
Row 17: p1, k1, RPC2, k2, p4, k2, LPC2, k1, p1.
Row 18: k1, LPC2, k1, p2, k4, p2, k1, RPC2, k1.
Row 19: p4, LC3, p2, RC3, p4.
Row 20: k4, p1, RC3, LC3, p1, k4.
Row 21: p4, k2, LC2, RC2, k2, p4.
Row 22: k4, p3, k2, p3, k4.
Row 23: p4, k3, p2, k3, p4.
Row 24: k3, LC2, LPC2, k2, RPC2, RC2, k3.
Row 25: p3, k1, RPC2, p4, LPC2, k1, p3.
Row 26: k3, LPC2, k6, RPC2, k3.

LC2 (RS): slip 1st st in front of 2nd st, k2
RC2 (RS): slip 1st st behind 2nd st, k2
LC2 (WS): slip 1st st in front of 2nd st, p2
RC2 (WS): slip 1st st behind 2nd st, p2
LPC2: slip 1st st in front of 2nd st, p1, k1.
RPC2: slip 1st st behind 2nd st, k1, p1.
LC3 (RS): slip 1st and 2nd st in front of 3rd st, k3.
RC3 (RS): slip 1st st behind 2nd and 3rd st, k3.
LC3 (WS): slip 1st st in front of 2nd and 3rd st, p3.
RC3 (WS): slip 1st and 2nd st behind 3rd st, p3.
LPC3: slip 1st and 2nd st in front of 3rd st, p1, k2.
RPC3: slip 1st st behind 2nd and 3rd st, k2, p1.
LC4: slip 1st and 2nd st in front of 3rd and 4th st, k4.

(Vertical lines are knits, horizontal lines are purls, and you should be able to eyeball the cables. Cable stitches coloured grey are purls, the rest are knits.)

Go forth and knit goats! I might have to design something around the goat cable. I’m thinking a sleeveless empire waist tunic, with a seed stitch top and columns of cables (goat and otherwise) interspersed with triangular seed stitch panels for the bottom… oh dammit. I’m going to need another Happy Fun Box of Yarn and I have no money. CABLED GOATS ARE TROUBLE.

47 Comments

  1. errs says:

    That is an awesome goat — though a little demonic from the right angle.




  2. Lindsey says:

    …Satan?




  3. Amanda says:

    Awe. Some. I don’t know if it’s because I’m sick at home with a cold or what, but this totally makes my day.




  4. marianne says:

    LOVE the goat and yeah, what’s not to love about goats? They’ll keep your yard ‘mowed’… well, that and those crazy eyes of theirs…




  5. Elin says:

    My knitting philosophy is very similar to yours. My first project that I acutally finished was a hat on DPNs. It was plain stockinette, but I’d borrowed elements of different patterns and mashed them up together. Then I made socks, again on DPNs. I had brief moments of thinking I was going too fast, but I quickly realized that knitting is really just knits and purls. It’s only as hard as you make it and you’re better off knitting something you really want to make than getting so bored with a “beginner’s” project that you quit before you ever really started.

    Love the goat!




  6. melissa says:

    omg, you are hilarious.
    my family raised goats when i was young, i just love them.
    i’m totally going to knit the goat cable!




  7. becca says:

    Oh My God. I need to make goat cables. Right Now. forget finishing my best friend’s christmas sweater (which she’s allowed me to alter to short sleeve, so that it may actually possibly get done before she goes back to school). forget everything. goat cables. I want to make a scarf. and a hat. and mittens. and a sweater. OH MY GOD I AM MAKING ELLIOT GOAT MITTENS! ….er, so I made my friend elliot one mitten last christmas. and have still not made the second. bugger it all, he is getting a great gallumphing goat.
    I am so excited.




  8. leigh says:

    That is the coolest cabled goat ever! I totally want to make it into something now…what? I do not know but something….hmm…




  9. Sarah R says:

    That is too cool.

    I am a timid knitter, but I’m trying to be better.

    And now I think I need to knit a goat.




  10. Floderten says:

    The first thing I thought was “Oh my god, she knit the Devil!!”

    … and then I realized it’s supposed to be a goat. ;) I like goats too. They’re so much fun.




  11. Donna says:

    I saw this on Craftzine and had to click on it because all I could see was an upside down penguin. After I stared at it (you know like one of those puzzles!) I finally saw the goat and wondered how I missed it in the first place. Anyway, great goat! and if you ever need a penguin, just turn the pattern upside down! Two in one!




  12. Sonia says:

    I saw that post on Ravelry as well and assumed there was some cable pattern called The Goat. Glad to see a)someone else thought that was odd and funny and b)you actually did something about it. Seriously great.




  13. cheekie says:

    …knitted ropes of ass….LOL

    you just described every 3 outta 5 projects I try!
    I LOVE your go-at and plan on attempting it tonight…after the Kate Nash gig I am going to. If I can hold the needles…

    thanks for the encouragement cause I love to just ‘do it’ regardless of the outcome…it’s all unravellable….




  14. goatie says:

    goat? goat my beard! that’s a fish!!!




  15. amanda says:

    you are hysterical! I LOVE it.




  16. Kelly says:

    Cabled. Goats. You’re brilliant. It definitely looks like a goaty-type thing!




  17. ldp says:

    Every Capricorn needs a goat cabled something.

    YOU FRIGGIN’ ROCK!

    The Linux folks should be happy as well. :D




  18. Stepho says:

    I think this may top the brain monster hat.




  19. MonkeyGurrl says:

    Nothing can top the brain monster hat. But this is purty close. :) Very satanic looking (and that’s a good thing, most times). Hmmm. I wunner if my friend would like it on a blankie for his new baby…




  20. Cathy says:

    Awesome goat cable, thanks for sharing. :)

    I started liking goats when I saw a really cool looking black goat at a Ren Fair a couple years ago. It had long hair and black horns. It made a little kid cry. I’m not joking. My husband and I now lovingly refer to it as “evil goat”.




  21. jamie says:

    Interesting.

    You have me thinking about what other things could be cabled.

    Cats? Ears? Feet? Toilets? The possibilities are endless really.




  22. merp says:

    GOAT! !

    I am with you – goats are the awesomest. As are alpacas. In my zonier moments, I imagine a career raising goats and alpacas, mainly for the amusement value.

    (It totally looks like a goat)




  23. leethal says:

    i just have to tell you you’re awesome. i have to figure out what cabled item i can make for my metalhead, goat-loving boyfriend now.

    and i’m a completely self-taught knitter with the same attitude as you, and many fucked up projects to show for it – high five!

    i was clicking around your site before commenting and saw that you too make teethed monter hats! i’ve been making them for years, knit for friends, and sewn from recycled sweaters for my store. brain eating monsters rock!




  24. Sarah says:

    Goat!
    you’re right! ha ha!




  25. Cole says:

    Its a very lovely goat… and its also an upsidedown penguin. Good job!




  26. Stasia says:

    Oh, that is awesome! Thank you for posting it! As a “goat mom” I am just thrilled with this – an afghan may be in order… Woo hoo!




  27. Debbie says:

    Love it. Sure is a goat to me and a fine pattern to make a pocket by. Or a wash cloth! Either is a go for me!




  28. Kate says:

    I love it! I shall call it “Pan” and put it on a project completely inappropriate for a goat, like a can cozy. Pan Can Cozy. DIBS! (I’m starting that on Ravelry RIGHT NOW! I’m AfterKate, if anyone wants to see how I try hard to get it right, butcher it, then happily show it off anyway…)

    I sense some goat adorned dishcloths too…




  29. Twitchy Knitter says:

    My friend Goat (not a furry critter, an actual human called Goat) needs some knitted lovin! Yay!




  30. Janny says:

    a goat? it looks more like a penguin when you turn it over. so i’ll be makin’ cabled penguins instead!




  31. Stacy says:

    yeah for the goat! but I really think it looks like an upside down penguin. so…yeah for the penguin!




  32. Sanjay says:

    His have me thinking about what other things could be cabled.




  33. Tanglegirl says:

    That is the best cable I have ever seen! Amazing! Thanks for sharing it.




  34. Relster says:

    goats, penguins and comments.. oh my!
    never before has a cable been so fabled….

    the never say die d.i.y. attitude of many knitters is the common thread (pun intended!) that brings us together.

    give me two stix some string and a place to sit… i’m as happy as a… a…. a goat!




  35. laura says:

    good job!




  36. Sharon Rose says:

    You rock in so many ways I cannot express them. Go you!
    Sharon
    aka Needlegrrl on the Rav




  37. Dani says:

    I too love goats! I wish to someday own a goat…a smallish black one with littel horns and i will call him Guff. I will also knit goats into the next fifteen things that i make because i just discovered cables and now i can cable freaking goats! (also, funny things that come out of typos rock!)….all hail your goat cables!




  38. Man Hat, Goat Mitt « merp says:

    […] to ravelry (though I doubt it’s really true), I am the first to put Cyn’s brilliant goat cable to practical use.  I made it up as I went along, but did write it down, so I should be able to […]




  39. kasmin says:

    i am liking this goat yes please




  40. Brandy says:

    Wonderful! I have spent months looking for a cable pattern resembling a stag’s head. Your goat here is right on the money! Thank you!




  41. NINA says:

    I thought it looked like an upside down penguin.




  42. SHEILAGH FALCIGNO says:

    Genius! As a Capricorn and a longtime haphazard knitter, I salute you.




  43. melissa says:

    Fabulous! Don’t let anybody tell you you can’t do something. ;o) I’m definitely going to find a reason to use a goat cable pattern.




  44. do stuff! » Gifts from the past: Pete’s Secret Goats Hat says:

    […] came upon this Goat Cable pattern by Cyn a couple years ago and knew I had to use it in a project for Pete at some point (since, you […]




  45. april miranda says:

    it looks like a phat dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hes sayin wheres my joint and wheres my drank :)




  46. jes says:

    I’ve been knitting for a month now. Or about a month. I don’t know if you should count my first project, which was a rather uneven scarf with more dropped stitches than I should admit. And my second project was an attempt at circular needles with the end result being a tube of yarn which is only fit for a beer cozy (but it does make a nice cozy).

    This was the most amusing and interesting post I’ve read about a pattern, and it gives me hope about my capacity to learn knew things and possibly make up my own. Thank you so much!




  47. Robyn says:

    We have 9 kids jumping around our paddocks right now with their nannies. I just love the goat cable! Instantly recognisable! Just love goats too! Sweet inteligent gentle creatures. One nanny has adopted a rejected lamb and is feeding it!
    Alpacas, goats, sheep … total amusement value! Love them all!
    Now back to knitting….