I have never made a cable before. I now feel that I am ready. After researching it, I cannot find out if I need the same size cable needle as the one I am using for the project. Can anyone help me....thanks

Hanna,
Cable needles don't come in the same sizes as regular knitting needles. Just use one that is about the same size as the needle you are working with. Sometimes you can buy cable needles as sets or just alone. They can be straight with a little bump in the middle or curved like 1/2 of a paperclip. But they all work the same.

You can also use a double pointed needle to make cables.

Thank you so much!!

I have used a few different cable needles plastic and wood. I like the wood ones as the yarn doesn't slip as much on them.

Some folks cable with out at all but I find the cable need is just fine.

You can use absolutely anything as a cable needle--a spare stitch holder or double-pointed needle, a diaper pin, a paperclip....All that really matters is that the cable needle's circumference is smaller than the stitch's, so it won't stretch the stitch out of shape.

With that in mind, all you'd really want to buy would be one or two cable needles (a fat one and a thin one, for example) in a style that works well for you. Beyond that, just be flexible. The cable needle I generally use has a bump in the middle. But when it won't do for a project--when I'm using really large needles and/or slippery yarn, I just use a stitch holder or a double-pointed needle.

if you want to try cabling without the needle, Grumparina has a very nice set of carefully documented instructionsright here and I found them just after finishing a very cabled vest for my dad.

Thank you. How interesting all the replies are. I will try all the different methods to see what works for me.