Easy Mock Cables Stitch Pattern — Cable Look Without a Needle (US 8 / 5 mm)
The Knitted Mock Cables Stitch creates the look of traditional cables without using a cable needle. This easy-to-memorize 8-row repeat builds rich texture that works well for scarves, sweater panels and textured borders. Below you'll find the pattern, abbreviations, a few helpful notes, and photos of the right side and the reverse of the stitch.
Carbonized bamboo US 8 (5 mm) knitting needle used for the sample swatch.
With one of my favorite carbonized bamboo knitting needles (US 8 – 5 mm). Double-pointed, smooth, and durable.
Abbreviations
- CO: Cast on
- st: Stitch
- RS: Right side of the work
- K: Knit
- P: Purl
- BO: Bind off
- WS: Wrong side of the work
How to Knit the Easy Mock Cables Stitch
CO multiples of 7 st + 2. For example: 7 * 3 = 21 + 2 = 23 st.
Row 1 (RS): *P3, K4*. Rep from * to *, to last 2 st, P2
Row 2: *K2, P3, K2*. Rep from * to *, to last 2 st, K2
Row 3: *P2, K1, P2, K2*. Rep from * to *, to last 2 st, P2
Row 4: *K2, P1, K2, P2*. Rep from * to *, to last 2 st, K2
Row 5: *P2, K3, P2*. Rep from * to *, to last 2 st, P2
Row 6: *K3, P4*. Rep from * to *, to last 2 st, K2
Row 7: *P2, K5*. Rep from * to *, to last 2 st, P2
Row 8: *K2, P5*. Rep from * to *, to last 2 st, K2.
These eight rows create the pattern. Repeat them until the desired length is reached.
When finished, BO working each st as it presents after row 7 (WS).
This is the other side of the work:
Reverse (wrong) side of the mock cables stitch sample, showing how the texture reads from the WS.