CABLES! CABLES! CABLES!

Cables are one of those scary patterns that most novice crocheters look at in terror, but once you understand how to do front posts and back posts the concept of cables comes a lot easier.  If you're looking to expand your crochet techniques and have yet to try a cable patterns yet, challenge yourself and go for it. It will change the way you look at crochet patterns.  When you get that "ah-ha" moment and it finally makes sense cables can be really fun! 

I started slow getting into the hang of front post/back post stiches with learning to do a cuff on mittens and hats. And then I moved on to something a little more complicated like this hat pattern from Sarah Arnold: Rheatheylia.com.

When I was confident with fpdc/bpdc I started to take on more complicated patterns like these:

Owl Slippers

Cabled Hat

Cables can be complicated if you're not used to reading patterns or if you are unsure how to do the fpdc/bpdc stitches, however, once you get the hang of the stitches and become more accustomed to reading the patterns I think that you will find cables to be a really great tool to have in your crochet toolbox.