Cables are definitely classic and beautiful, but truth be told, they have a way of interrupting the knitting flow: Stop, fish out the cable stitch holder, fuss around, breathe, and hope for a stretch of smooth sailing. Not so here!

No-Cable Cable Scarf | Purl Soho

Our No-Cable Cable Scarf allows you to stay in rhythm, employing nothing more serious than some “through the back loops” and simple decreases and increases. No cable stitch holders lost in the couch cushions!

No-Cable Cable Scarf | Purl Soho

The surprising result is intertwining “cables” that form selvage-to-selvage latticework, perfectly classic and, in our Worsted Twist 100% merino wool, wonderfully soft and cozy.

No-Cable Cable Scarf | Purl Soho

Our Worsted Twist now comes in 11 new colors, including this absolutely lovely Mountain Rose, a soft pink with a little complexity. Whatever color calls your name, pick up 4 skeins and enjoy the flow!

No-Cable Cable Scarf | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!

Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoNoCableCableScarf, and #PurlSohoWorstedTwist. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

No-Cable Cable Scarf | Purl Soho
  • 4 skeins of Purl Soho’s Worsted Twist, 100% merino wool. Each skein is 164 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 656 yards required. We used the color Mountain Rose. (NOTE: We no longer offer Worsted Twist, but choose from one of our other worsted/aran weight yarns.)
  • US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular needles

Gauge

20 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern

Size

Finished Dimensions: Approximately 10½ inches wide x 73 inches long

Notes

Slipped Stitches

Slip all slipped stitches purlwise, unless pattern indicates otherwise.

Stitch Multiple

This stitch pattern works over a multiple of 16 + 27 stitches, repeating stitches in brackets as many times as necessary.

Increases

RLI (Right Lifted Increase): Lift right leg of stitch below next stitch on left needle onto left needle and knit it. [1 stitch increased]

LLI (Left Lifted Increase): Lift left leg of stitch 2 rows below stitch on right needle onto left needle and knit it through the back loop. [1 stitch increased]

For more information on these techniques, please visit our Lifted Increase Tutorial. Please note that the lifted increase is referring only to the stitch created by the increase, knitting the stitch from which the increase is created is included in the written instructions of the pattern.

Decreases

Slip 1 knitwise, k2tog, pass (Slip 1 Knitwise, Knit 2 Together, Pass): Slip 1 stitch knitwise, knit next 2 stitches together, pass slipped stitch over k2tog and off needle. [2 stitches decreased]

K3tog (Knit 3 Together): Insert right needle into 3 stitches on left needle and knit the 3 stitches together. [2 stitches decreased]

Pattern

Begin

Using a Basic Long Tail Cast-On, cast on 59 stitches.

Set-Up Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 3 (see Notes) with yarn in front (wyif), k2, p3, [k11, p5] 2 times, k11, p3, k2, slip 3 wyif.

Set-Up Row 2 (right side): K3, p2, k3, [p11, k5] 2 times, p11, k3, p2, k3.

Set-Up Row 3 (wrong side): Repeat Row 1.

Body

Row 1 (right side): K3, p2, k3, [p11, knit 2 together (k2tog), k2, yarn over (yo), k1] 2 times, p11, k3, p2, k3.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 3 wyif, k2, p3, [k11, p1, p1 through back loop (tbl), p3] 2 times, k11, p3, k2, slip 3 wyif.

Row 3: K3, p2, yo, k2, [slip slip knit (ssk), p9, k2tog, k2, yo, RLI (see Notes), k1] 2 times, ssk, p9, k2tog, k2, yo, p2, k3.

Row 4: Slip 3 wyif, k2, k1tbl, p3, [k9, p3, k1tbl, p3] 2 times, k9, p3, k1tbl, k2, slip 3 wyif.

Row 5: K3, p3, [yo, k2, ssk, p7, k2tog, k2, yo, p1] 3 times, p2, k3.

Row 6: Slip 3 wyif, k3, [k1tbl, p3, k7, p3, k1tbl, k1] 3 times, k2, slip 3 wyif.

Row 7: K3, p4, [yo, k2, ssk, p5, k2tog, k2, yo, p3] 3 times, p1, k3.

Row 8: Slip 3 wyif, k4, [k1tbl, p3, k5, p3, k1tbl, k3] 3 times, k1, slip 3 wyif.

Row 9: K3, p5, [yo, k2, ssk, p3, k2tog, k2, yo, p5] 3 times, k3.

Row 10: Slip 3 wyif, [k5, k1tbl, p3, k3, p3, k1tbl] 3 times k5, slip 3 wyif.

Row 11: K3, p6, [yo, k2, ssk, p1, k2tog, k2, yo, p7] 2 times, yo, k2, ssk, p1, k2tog, k2, yo, p6, k3.

Row 12: Slip 3 wyif, k6, [k1tbl, p3, k1, p3, k1tbl, k7] 2 times, k1tbl, p3, k1, p3, k1tbl, k6, slip 3 wyif.

Row 13: K3, p7, [yo, k2, slip 1 knitwise, k2tog, pass (see Notes), k2, yo, p9] 2 times, yo, k2, slip 1 knitwise, k2tog, pass, k2, yo, p7, k3.

Row 14: Slip 3 wyif, k7, [k1tbl, p5, k1tbl, k9] 2 times, k1tbl, p5, k1tbl, k7, slip 3 wyif.

Row 15: K3, p8, [yo, k2, slip 1 knitwise, k2tog, pass, yo, p11] 2 times, yo, k2, slip 1 knitwise, k2tog, pass, yo, p8, k3.

Row 16: Slip 3 wyif, k8, [p1tbl, p3, p1tbl, k11] 2 times, p1tbl, p3, p1tbl, k8, slip 3 wyif.

Row 17: K3, p8, [k1, yo, k2, ssk, p11] 2times, k1, yo, k2, ssk, p8, k3.

Row 18: Slip 3 wyif, k8, [p3, p1tbl, p1, k11] 2 times, p3, p1tbl, p1, k8, slip 3 wyif.

Row 19: K3, p7, [k2tog, k1, LLI (see Notes), yo, k2, ssk, p9] 2 times, k2tog, k1, LLI, yo, k2, ssk, p7, k3.

Row 20: Slip 3 wyif, [k7, p3, k1tbl, p3, k2] 3 times, k5, slip 3 wyif.

Row 21: K3, [p6, k2tog, k2, yo, p1, yo, k2, ssk, p1] 3 times, p5, k3.

Row 22: Slip 3 wyif, [k6, p3, k1tbl, k1, k1tbl, p3, k1] 3 times, k5, slip 3 wyif.

Row 23: K3, [p5, k2tog, k2, yo, p3, yo, k2, ssk] 3 times, p5, k3.

Row 24: Slip 3 wyif, [k5, p3, k1tbl, k3, k1tbl, p3] 3 times, k5, slip 3 wyif.

Row 25: K3, p4, [k2tog, k2, yo, p5, yo, k2, ssk, p3] 3 times, p1, k3.

Row 26: Slip 3 wyif, k4, [p3, k1tbl, k5, k1tbl, p3, k3] 3 times, k1, slip 3 wyif.

Row 27: K3, p3, [k2tog, k2, yo, p7, yo, k2, ssk, p1] 3 times, p2, k3.

Row 28: Slip 3 wyif, k3, [p3, k1tbl, k7, k1tbl, p3, k1] 3 times, k2, slip 3 wyif.

Row 29: K3, p2, k2tog, [k2, yo, p9, yo, k2, k3tog (see Notes)] 2 times, k2, yo, p9, yo, k2, ssk, p2, k3.

Row 30: Slip 3 wyif, k2, p3, [k1tbl, k9, k1tbl, p5] 2 times, k1tbl, k9, k1tbl, p3, k2, slip 3 wyif.

Row 31: K3, p2, k3, [p11, yo, k3tog, k2, yo] 2 times, p11, k3, p2, k3.

Row 32: Slip 3 wyif, k2, p3, [k11, p1tbl, p3, p1tbl] 2 times, k11, p3, k2, slip 3 wyif.

Repeat Rows 1-32 fifteen more times.

End

Row 1 (right side): K3, p2, k3, [p11, k5] 2 times, p11, k3, p2, k3.

Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 3 wyif, k2, p3, [k11, p5] 2 times, k11, p3, k2, slip 3 wyif.

Bind off with the right side facing you in stitch pattern.

Weave in the ends and block as desired.

No-Cable Cable Scarf | Purl Soho