Six-stitch rope cable
Crossing two groups of three stitches makes a six-stitch cable on a purl background.
Counted practice swatch
Cast on 12 stitches: 3 background stitches, 6 cable stitches, 3 background stitches. C6F: hold 3 stitches in front, k3, then k3 from the cable needle.
Work the repeat
Rows 1, 3, 5 (RS): p3, k6, p3. Even rows: k3, p6, k3. Row 7: p3, C6F, p3. Row 8: k3, p6, k3. Repeat rows 1–8.
Read the fabric
A cable draws fabric inward. Measure gauge across a completed cable, not a smooth stockinette square; use C6B for the opposite crossing.