Cable knitting diagrams

Harlan ,, you just have to be BRAVE and try it yourself , on a piece
of other knitting,wonderfull oportunity to prepare some `hot pads `as
neat presents for yourself or others, try your cables , write down
what you did and choose /use the proper one for your bigger project .
mirjam

WoolyGooly wrote:
On Fri, 17 Nov 2006 21:55:18 -0500, Harlan Messinger
wrote:

Can anyone direct me to a Web page that illustrates the general rules
for interpreting cable knit stitches in pattern diagrams? The book I'm
using ("Knitting With Balls") shows a few examples and explains what
each one means, but I can't figure out the general rule for how to get
from these diagrams how many stitches to slip onto the cable needle, how
many to stitches to work after that before working the stitches on the
cable needle, and whether to knit or purl.

There is unfortunately no "general rule". The Harmony Guides maybe
come closest for English (ie, speakers of English, not throwers)
knitters but should not be relied upon when knitting from someone
else's pattern.

The pattern you're working from should provide a chart key (like a map
key, heh) that tells you what you're to do for each symbol. Possibly
there are typos, or possibly the sample garment in the photo is
incorrect but you won't know for sure until you knit it.

Oh no! That's actually what I was getting at. In one of the pattern, the
difference between two of the stitch sequences didn't seem to have
anything to do with the differences between the diagrams used to denote
them. I was afraid there was a mistake. If it's all arbitrary, I'll take
it on faith. :-)