[Lee]

Well as for the circle thing, the idea is that you transfer your stitches from one hook to the other back and forth and make rows. By introducing a third hook, it makes it one continuous row, ie, a spiral, that build up into a tube. Of course, most things you can just make one long rectangle and stitch the two long sides together, but you can do that with crochet, too.

With crochet cables, it's ridiculously simple. Once you have your desired row length (multiples of six), chain two (counts as your first double crochet) and double crochet into your next stitch (these will be your 'spacer' posts). Skip the next two stitches, then double crochet into the next two. Now here's where the magic happens: you go back to the second stitch you skipped, double crochet, then to the first stitch you skipped, and double crochet. Repeat this process all across your row. You should have a series of little 'x's. Now you turn your work, chain twice (first double crochet) and front post double crochet the next stitch, back post double crochet the next four (it can be a little bit tricky, these four make up your little 'x's, but you'll get the hang of it), and so on until the end of the row. Rinse and repeat, and you're cabling!