New to Crochet Cables? This Is the Project to Get You Started!
Can you think of anything better than being entwined in crochet cables this winter? I certainly can’t. If you can’t either, you need the Entwined in Cables Hat and Mittens by Kristen TenDyke from Love of Crochet Winter 2017. New to cables? This is the project to get you started. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know to work this basic cable stitch.
New to crochet cables? This is the perfect cable for you.
It’s really easy to remember. The pattern is repeated over 4 stitches and 4 rows. Of those 4 rows, you only have to cross your cables once! It’s also worked in the round, which means you don’t have to worry about a right side with front post stitches and a wrong side with back post stitches; you just work around and around in a circle with front post stitches the whole way.
What stitches do you need to know for this cable?
There are a number of stitches you’ll want to brush up on before you tackle this cable pattern.
Single Crochet (sc) – *Insert hook in stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through both loops on hook; repeat from *.
This is often the first stitch you learn as a crocheter. In this pattern, you will always work single crochet stitches into single crochet stitches from the previous round.
Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc) – Yarn over, insert hook from front to back to front around post of indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, (yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook) 2 times.
Post stitches are worked around the post of the stitch of the previous round rather than in the top of the stitch. To help you visualize a post stitch, check out this Post Stitch Primer.
Front Post Treble Crochet (FPtr) – Yarn over 2 times, insert hook from front to back to front around the post of the indicated stitch below, yarn over and pull up loop (yarn over, draw through 2 loops on hook) 3 times.
The FPtr is a longer stitch than the FPdc thanks to the extra yarnovers at the beginning. You need longer stitches like this to cross your cables.
What is the hardest part?
The majority of this cable pattern is pretty straightforward; the tricky part comes when it is time to cross the cable. Try the below steps for making the cable.
1. Work a single crochet in the first stitch.
2. Skip the next FPdc and sc, work an FPtr around the next post stitch.
3. Working behind the FPtr just made, sc in the skipped sc.
4. Working in front of the sc just made, and behind the first FPtr you made, work an FPtr around the skipped FPdc.
5. Ta-da! Cable made! Now just keep repeating those 4 stitches.
Bonus Video Tip!
To practice this stitch before you start the hat or mittens patterns, chain a multiple of 4 stitches and join, then begin working the 4 rows of pattern outlined in the Entwined in Cables Hat and Mittens patterns. You’ll be an expert at this cable before you know it! And if you’re hooked on cables, check out the products at the bottom of this post featuring our favorite crochet cable projects.
Have you made this pattern? Susanna has! Check out her post on why she loves this hat, and send us some pictures of your work in progress!
Happy stitching!
Sara Dudek
Associate Editor, Interweave Crochet
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