Twists – LT, LPT, RT, RPT
When two stitches are crossed without using a cable needle, they are often called “twist-stitches”. The method for twist-stitches usually requires working the second stitch on the left needle before the the first. However, if you’re knitting up a pattern of twisted ribs, such as in my Ripple Hat, this method won’t work, as one or both stitches need to be twisted first individually, and then crossed over one another.
One solution is to use a cable needle – each stitch can then be worked as needed to maintain the twist in the ribs. In my opinion, using a cable needle for a single stitch every three stitches in a twisted rib motif is a pain in the you-know-what. One alternative is to slip both stitches together knitwise, then slip them back one at a time either purlwise or knitwise, depending on the type of twist, so that each stitch has the proper orientation and position. For the sake of knitting speed, however, I prefer the dropped stitch method:
