The Cable Stitch

I'm working on a new scarf. I bought this yarn that is really thin and feels almost like cool silk to the touch. I love it - but it unravels so easily I really have to be careful I'm catching the full strand when I'm knitting. Plus, per my hubby, I'm not supposed to buy any more yarn until I use up some of the ones I have already. So, that was enough to get me started on this scarf I've been wanting to knit my friend in Japan.

Following along my new favorite book Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook, I'm trying to teach myself how to make a cable stitch. I have some cheap yarn that I use for practice only. I've been using that yarn for the past three days, knitting and purling. Trying to perfect the cable stitch.

I thought I had it down, so I attempted the stitch on a section of the scarf I'm working on. UGH!!! It looks awful! I don't know what I did wrong! I guess the cable stitch wasn't meant to be on something that is reversable. On the back of the cable there looks like a big dent where the cable is. Horrible! I just had to put the whole thing aside. I just couldn't deal with it because I have to rip it to get the cable part out. Ripping it is no problem - just grab the loose yarn and pull. I hate it when I try to get my needle back into the little loops, and they get all twisted or unknitted (is that a word?). I'll deal with it later. I know there are tools out there to help with this sort of thing, but I get to the store and I'm lost. What am I supposed to get? It takes me long enough to choose yarn!