Knitted Kitchen #38 – Simple Cables
The Simple Cable washcloth is pattern #38 in the 2017 Knitted Kitchen Blog Hop. If you’ve never tried cables, this pattern is a great introduction. They look much more intimidating than they really are! With this pattern and tutorial, you’ll learn how to make a basic “2 over 2” cable, crossing to the left and to the right.
The Knitted Kitchen Blog Hop is a knit-along event hosted by the Underground Crafter, and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it. Together with a great team of designers and will be bringing you 48 washcloth patterns throughout the year. Each pattern will include a photo and/or video tutorial, so it’s a fun way to learn new stitches and techniques.
Lion Brand has generously provided us with yarn for our designs. I’ve chosen their 24/7 Cotton for all my washcloths and am really enjoying working with it. For more information about the event and links to the patterns, be sure to visit the main #KnittedKitchen post. I hope you’ll join in the fun!
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Simple Cables Washcloth
Add this to your Ravelry Queue
Materials:
- 90 – 160 yds of Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton yarn – shown in Taupe
- Size 6 (4mm) knitting needles or size needed to obtain gauge
- Cable needle of similar size. If you don’t have a cable needle, a double point needle will do.
- Yarn needle
Difficulty:
Intermediate – Basic cables.
Sizes:
Instructions are written for a 9″ square, with changes for a 12″ square in [ ]
Gauge:
20 sts x 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette.
Abbreviations used:
- k = knit
- p = purl
- sl = slip stitch knitwise with yarn in back
- 2/2 LC = Slip 2 to cable needle, hold in front, knit 2, knit 2 from cable needle. (See Cable Stitches)
- 2/2 RC = Slip 2 to cable needle, hold in back, knit 2, knit 2 from cable needle. (See Cable Stitches)
- RS = Right Side
- WS = Wrong Side
Cable Stitches:
2 over 2 left crossing cable (2/2 LC): Slip 2 to cable needle, hold in front, knit 2, knit 2 from cable needle. (See video tutorial)




2 over 2 rightcrossing cable (2/2 RC): Slip 2 to cable needle, hold in back, knit 2, knit 2 from cable needle. (See video tutorial)




Recommended Resources:
Stitch multiples:
- The pattern section is a multiple of 16 stitches plus 13, and a multiple of 4 rows plus 1.
- The seed stitch border adds 4 stitches on each side, and 5 rows on the top and bottom
Instructions:
Jump ahead to chart | Jump ahead to video tutorial
Cast on 45 [61]
Seed stitch bottom border:
Row 1 (WS): K 1, (k 1, p 1) across.
Row 2-5: Sl 1, (k 1, p 1) across.
Main section of square
Row 6: Sl 1, k 1, p 1, k 2, (k 2, p 1, k 4, p 1) twice [3 times], k 3, (p 1, k 4, p 1, k 2) twice [3 times], k 1 (k 1, p 1) twice.
Row 7: Sl 1, (k 1, p 1) twice, (p 2, k 1, p 4, k 1) twice [3 times], p 3, (k 1, p 4, k 1, p 2) twice [3 times], p 1, (k 1, p 1) twice.
Row 8: Sl 1, k 1, p 1, k 2, (k 2, p 1, 2/2 RC, p 1) twice [3 times], k 3, (p 1, 2/2 LC, p 1, k 2) twice [3 times], k 1 (k 1, p 1) twice.
Row 9: Repeat Row 7.
Rows 10-58 [78]: Repeat rows 6-9 twelve [seventeen] times, then repeat row 6 once more.
Seed stitch top border:
Rows 59-63 [78-83]: Repeat row 2.
Bind off all stitches and weave in ends.
Chart:
Go back to written instructions | Jump ahead to video tutorial
Note: This chart shows the same pattern as the written instructions.

Video Tutorial:
Go back to written instructions | Go back to chart
I hope you enjoy the pattern. Thanks to Lion Brand for providing the yarn!
A downloadable pdf of this pattern is also available in my Craftsy store or on Ravelry, for a small fee. The fee for the pdf format is to offset the advertising revenue lost when you print or download the pattern rather than viewing it online.
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5 Comments
gerri nathanson-cook
Just wanted to thank you for the illustrations of the stitches I am new to knitting and it is nice to have the pictures in front of me when I try.
Pia Thadani
You’re welcome, and I’m really glad you said that! I almost left them out this time because I thought it made the post too long / bulky with both the pictures and the video. So it’s good to know they’re useful! 🙂
Pat
I’m on row 6, and I always have one extra stitch. When I count the stitches in the directions, there are 44, but we casted on 45. Where’s did we lose a stitch? I can’t frog this again!!
Thanks
Pia Thadani
You’re absolutely right. It should be sl 1, k 1, p 1, —K2— I’ll make that correction right now. Sorry about that!
Pat
Thank you so much. Love the washcloth, it’s so pretty.
It worked! Yay!