Cables look fancy, but they are just knit stitches worked out of order. If you can knit, purl and follow a short row repeat, you can knit cables. The trick is picking a first project with one simple cable that repeats again and again, so your hands learn the move.
That is what this list is for. We gathered 13 free cable knit patterns that are kind to beginners: chunky hats, quick cowls, wristwarmers and a couple of scarves. They start very easy and finish with a few patterns to grow into.
Cable Knit Pattern Ideas for Beginners
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What You’ll Need
- Cable needle (a bent or U-shaped one is easiest to hold)
- Smooth, light-colored yarn so you can see your stitches
- 16″ circular needles for hats and cowls
- Double-pointed needles for crown decreases
- Stitch markers
- Row counter
- Tapestry needle
1. Easy Cable Knit Cowl
Photo: A Box of Twine
This cowl uses one cable move, a 6-stitch front cross, with five purl stitches between each cable. The repeat is only six rounds, and you work it twice between ribbing, so it is short and finishes fast. Bulky yarn on big needles makes every stitch easy to see. The designer suggests it for beginners who are also new to knitting in the round.
- Designer: A Box of Twine
- Skill level: Easy
- Yarn: Bulky (#5), about 85 yards
- Needle size: 9 mm (US 13), 24″ circular
- Price: Free written pattern + paid ad-free PDF
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
2. Beginner’s Cable Hat
Photo: Purl Soho
A seamless cabled beanie worked bottom-up in super bulky yarn, so the cables are big and bold. The real bonus is the size range: Baby, Toddler, Kid, Adult Small and Adult Large. That makes it perfect for practicing on a small hat first and then knitting a matching one for yourself. The pattern is hosted free on the Purl Soho site.
- Designer: Purl Soho
- Skill level: Beginner
- Yarn: Super bulky (#6)
- Needle size: 8 mm (US 11), 16″ circular and DPNs
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
3. Golden Waves Toque
Photo: Mama in a Stitch
Not ready for knitting in the round? This chunky hat is knit flat and seamed. It mixes small 4-stitch cables with a 6-stitch double cable that looks like waves. The designer notes that the cable needle is optional. You only need one skein of super chunky yarn, and the eight-row repeat is easy to memorize.
- Designer: Mama in a Stitch
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Super bulky (#6), 1 skein
- Needle size: US 15, straight or circular
- Price: Free written pattern + paid ad-free PDF
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
4. The Bordeaux Cable Hat
Photo: Handy Little Me
The Bordeaux uses just one cable, a 4-stitch front cross, in a four-round repeat of knit and purl columns. Jumbo yarn and 15 mm needles mean only 36 stitches to cast on, so you can finish it in an evening. It is a great hat to make right after your first cable swatch.
- Designer: Handy Little Me
- Skill level: Intermediate (designer says advanced beginners can make it)
- Yarn: Jumbo / super bulky
- Needle size: 15 mm (US 19), 16″ circular
- Price: Free written pattern + paid ad-free PDF
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
5. Easy Cabled Hat
Photo: Tracy Pipinich
This bottom-up hat was written to teach basic cabling. The designer says that once you can do this cable, you are ready to tackle any cable you see. It is one size and fits many adults, with a 16.5″ brim. Bulky tweed yarn gives it a classic, outdoorsy look.
- Designer: Tracy Pipinich
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Bulky (#5)
- Needle size: 6.5 mm (US 10.5) and 5 mm (US 8)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
6. Ripple Cable Hat
Photo: Amy Grace
The Ripple Cable Hat is a bottom-up beanie worked on circular needles, then moved to double-pointed needles for the crown. The designer calls it a perfect pattern for a beginner who wants to learn cables. Bulky yarn keeps it quick and cozy. It is a good pick if you already know how to knit in the round.
- Designer: Amy Grace
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Bulky (#5)
- Needle size: 5.5 mm (US 9)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
7. Cable Hat by Lucía Castellanos
Photo: Lucía Castellanos
A soft, comfy beanie knit from the bottom up on circular needles, described by the designer as ideal for cable beginners. Aran yarn gives more stitch definition than chunky yarn, so this is a nice second hat once you have tried a bulky one. It makes a lovely everyday hat in a neutral color.
- Designer: Lucía Castellanos
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Aran (#4)
- Needle size: 3.75 mm (US 5) and 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
8. Ombre Cable Hat
Photo: NeedleRender
This seamless cabled beanie was designed with a gradient yarn, so the colors slowly shift as you knit up the cables. The designer wrote it early in their own knitting life and calls it an easy first cable project, and the PDF was recently updated to make it clearer. It is sized for an adult woman.
- Designer: NeedleRender
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Aran (#4)
- Needle size: 4.5 mm (US 7) and 5.5 mm (US 9)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
9. Cable Me Wristwarmers
Photo: Megan Delorme
Small projects are perfect for learning cables, and these wristwarmers can be done in an evening or a weekend. They use a rib and cable pattern with a main and a contrast color, come in S, M and L, and include both flat and in-the-round instructions. Make a pair to keep and a pair to give.
- Designer: Megan Delorme
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Worsted (#4)
- Needle size: 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
10. Whirling Winds Cowl
Photo: Susan Brown
This soft bulky cowl uses a fully reversible cable, so there is no wrong side when it flips around your neck. The designer suggests skipping blocking so the stitch pattern can open up naturally. It is a cozy fall and winter cowl and a nice way to see how cables work on both sides of the fabric.
- Designer: Susan Brown
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Bulky (#5)
- Needle size: 8 mm (US 11), 24″ circular
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
11. The Flow Scarf
Photo: Leelee Knits
The Flow Scarf is a wide, flowy scarf with staggered 8-stitch cables that cross only twice in a 16-row repeat. That means lots of easy rows between each cable row. It is knit flat in a soft, fluffy worsted yarn and finishes at about 13.5″ by 64″ after blocking.
- Designer: Leelee Knits
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Worsted (#4), about 624 yards
- Needle size: 5 mm (US 8)
- Price: Free written pattern + paid ad-free PDF
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
12. Antler Toque
Photo: Tin Can Knits
The Antler Toque is a modern classic. A band of antler-shaped cables circles the hat, which is knit in the round from brim to crown. It is a great step up once you can cross cables both ways, and thousands of knitters have made it. Worsted yarn makes it a warm everyday hat.
- Designer: Tin Can Knits
- Skill level: see pattern
- Yarn: Worsted (#4)
- Needle size: 4 mm (US 6) and 5 mm (US 8)
- Price: Free
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
13. Meadow Vine Reversible Cable Scarf
Photo: Studio Knit
Save this one for when you feel confident. The scarf has five columns of 4/4 rope cables worked in rib, so it looks good on both sides. It is knit flat on straight needles, and the page includes a chart and a video tutorial. Bulky yarn keeps it from taking forever.
- Designer: Studio Knit
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Yarn: Bulky (#5), 400–440 yards
- Needle size: 6.5 mm (US 10.5)
- Price: Free written pattern + paid ad-free PDF
- Get the pattern: Get the free pattern →
Which One Should You Make?
- Brand new to cables? Start with #1, the Easy Cable Knit Cowl. One cable, short repeat, big yarn.
- Don’t knit in the round yet? #3 Golden Waves Toque is knit flat and seamed.
- Want to practice small first? #2 Beginner’s Cable Hat comes in baby and kid sizes, and #9 Cable Me Wristwarmers is an evening project.
- Prefer scarves? #11 The Flow Scarf has lots of plain rows between cable rows.
- Ready for the next level? #12 Antler Toque and #13 Meadow Vine will build real skills.
FAQ
Do I need a cable needle to knit cables?
Not always. A cable needle makes it easier to hold stitches while you cross them, and most beginners like having one. Small cables of two or four stitches can be crossed without one once you are comfortable. Some patterns, like the Golden Waves Toque, say the cable needle is optional.
What yarn is best for a first cable project?
Pick a smooth, light-colored wool or wool blend in worsted, bulky or super bulky weight. Light colors show each stitch clearly, and thicker yarn makes the cable cross easy to see. Avoid fuzzy, dark or very textured yarns until you can read your cables.
Why do my cables look loose or have holes?
Gaps usually show up at the edges of a cable cross, where the yarn stretches between the cable needle and the next stitch. Tug the yarn gently after the first stitch of each cross, and keep the cable needle close to your work. Blocking also evens out loose stitches.
Pick one simple cable from this list, cast on, and you will be surprised how quickly cables start to feel easy.
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