The Alternated Cable stitch creates a dynamic, textured fabric with cables that shift their crossing direction. This creates a visually engaging pattern that’s more complex than a simple cable but still relatively straightforward to knit. It’s excellent for adding visual interest to sweaters, scarves, hats, and blankets.
Pattern Instructions
This pattern is worked over a multiple of 10 stitches, and best shown against a background of Reverse Stockinette Stitch (Purl on Right Side rows, Knit on Wrong Side rows).
Key:
- K: Knit
- P: Purl
- St st: Stockinette Stitch (Knit on Right Side rows, Purl on Wrong Side rows)
- Reverse St st: Reverse Stockinette Stitch.
- RS: Right Side
- WS: Wrong Side
- C4B: Cable 4 Back – Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back, knit 2, then knit 2 from cable needle.
- C4F: Cable 4 Front – Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit 2, then knit 2 from cable needle.
- T3B: Twist 3 Back – Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in back, knit 2, then purl 1 from cable needle.
- T3F: Twist 3 Front – Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, purl 1, then knit 2 from cable needle.
Pattern:
- Row 1 (RS): P1, K8, P1.
- Row 2: K1, P8, K1.
- Row 3: P1, C4B, C4F, P1.
- Row 4: K1, P2, K4, P2, K1.
- Row 5: T3B, P4, T3F.
- Row 6: P2, K6, P2.
- Row 7: K2, P6, K2.
- Rows 8-10: Repeat Rows 6 and 7 once more, then Row 6 again. (So: Row 8 = Row 6, Row 9 = Row 7, Row 10 = Row 6)
- Row 11: T3F, P4, T3B.
- Row 12: As Row 4. (K1, P2, K4, P2, K1)
- Row 13: P1, C4F, C4B, P1.
- Row 14: K1, P8, K1.
- Row 15: P1, C4B, C4F, P1.
- Row 16: K1, P8, K1.
- Row 17: P1, K8, P1.
- Rows 18-20: Repeat Rows 14, 15, and 16 once. (So: Row 18 = Row 14, Row 19 = Row 15, Row 20 = Row 16)
Repeat these 20 rows for the pattern.
Important Considerations:
- Reverse Stockinette Background: While the pattern instructions focus on the 10-stitch cable panel, remember to work the surrounding stitches in Reverse Stockinette Stitch (Purl on RS, Knit on WS) to make the cables stand out. This means if you have more than 10 stitches, you’ll need to account for that. For example, if you had 16 stitches, you’d work 3 stitches in Reverse Stockinette, the 10 cable stitches, and then another 3 stitches in Reverse Stockinette.
- Cable Needle: You will need a cable needle to hold the stitches when creating the cable crosses and twists.
- keep track of the row you are on, so you will know what row you have to go to next.
