In her "Bookshelf" column in the Spring 2009 issue of Interweave Knits, Clara Parkes included Cables, Volume 1: The Basics in her list of "The Essentials"—invaluable reference books for every knitter. She said:

"Among the many cable-related books on the market, Szabo's stands out for its depth and breadth. You'll find no garment patterns, just a master class in the art of cables. Szabo gives clear explanations of why, how, when, and where cables work best—and how to fix the ones that don't. And she also provides more than two hundred cable patterns, from simple to inspiringly complex, in chart and written form."