Up + Down Cables Blanket
Big, chubby cables in softer than soft wool is one of the top ten reasons we knit. Our Up + Down Cables Blanket pattern supplies the classic cables, while our new Plenty extra fine merino brings the plumpness and good feelings!
Here, simple cables get interesting by fading in and dissolving out at irregular intervals, like the tide washing ashore. An 8×2 rib creates soft and cuddly edges, while columns of cables give the blanket substance and heft.
And for a huge boost of cozy, we cast on with our new Plenty, wonderfully sumptuous and squishy, incredibly soft and snuggly, and also 1000% beautiful. We used Heirloom White for a creamy, classic cable, but choose from our whole palette of 18 gently heathered colors for some truly happy knitting!
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, #PurlSohoUpAndDownCablesBlanket and #PurlSohoPlenty. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 10 (17) skeins of Purl Soho’s Plenty, 100% extra fine merino wool. Each skein is 139 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 1,390 (2,363) yards required. We used Heirloom White.
- US 9 (5.5 mm), 40- or 47-inch circular needles, depending on size you are making
- A cable stitch holder
Gauge
20 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in 8×2 rib
16 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Sizes
Crib (Throw)
Finished Dimensions: 32 inches wide x 43¼ inches long (42 inches wide x 54¼ inches long)
Sample: We knit the Crib size.
Notes
C8F (CABLE 8 FRONT)
Slip 4 stitches onto cable stitch holder and hold in front of work, k4, then k4 from cable stitch holder.
Our Cable Tutorial shows you the basic steps of working a cable. The cable in the tutorial requires you to slip 3 stitches instead of 4, but the concept is the same!
STITCH MULTIPLE
This pattern works over a multiple of 50 + 10 stitches.
Pattern
Cast on 160 (210) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1 (wrong side): P4, *k2, p8, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, k2, p4.
Row 2 (right side): Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Repeat Row 2 until the piece measures 3 inches from cast-on edge, ending with a wrong-side row.
BEGIN CABLES
Row 1 (right side): K4, *[p2, k8] 3 times, p2, C8F (see Notes), p2, k8, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p2, k4.
Rows 2–8: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Rows 9–16: Repeat Rows 1–8 once more.
Row 17 (right side): K4, *[p2, k8, p2, C8F] 2 times, p2, k8, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p2, k4.
Rows 18–24: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Rows 25–40: Repeat Rows 17–24 two more times.
Row 41 (right side): K4, *[p2, k8, p2, C8F] 2 times, p2, C8F, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p2, k4.
Rows 42–48: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Rows 49–64: Repeat Rows 41–48 two more times.
Row 65 (right side): K4, *p2, k8, [p2, C8F] 4 times, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p2, k4.
Rows 66-72: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Rows 73–88: Repeat Rows 65-72 two more times.
CONTINUE IN ALLOVER CABLE PATTERN
Row 89 (right side): K4, *p2, C8F, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p2, k4.
Rows 90–96: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Repeat Rows 89–96 eleven (20) more times.
END CABLES
Row 1 (right side): K4, *[p2, C8F] 3 times, p2, k8, p2, C8F, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p2, k4.
Rows 2–8: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Rows 9–16: Repeat Rows 1–8 once more.
Row 17 (right side): K4, *[p2, C8F] 2 times, [p2, k8] 2 times, p2, C8F, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p2, k4.
Rows 18–24: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Rows 25–40: Repeat Rows 17–24 two more times.
Row 41 (right side): K4, *p2, k8, p2, C8F, [p2, k8] 2 times, p2, C8F, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p2, k4.
Rows 42–48: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.
Rows 49–56: Repeat Rows 41–48 once more.
Row 57 (right side): K4, *[p2, k8] 4 times, p2, C8F, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p2, k4.
Row 58: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches,
Repeat Row 58 for 3 inches, ending with a wrong-side row.
FINISHING
With the right side facing you, bind off in pattern. Here’s how…
Bind-Off Row (right side): K2, [pass first stitch over, k1] 2 times, *[pass first stitch over, p1] 2 times, [pass first stitch over, k1] 8 times, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, [pass first stitch over, k1] 4 times.
Cut yarn and pull tail through last stitch.
Weave in ends and gently block your finished blanket.
So pretty! I would love to make a baby blanket in this pattern. Do you think it is too heavy (because of the cables) for this purpose? Would Cashmere Merino Bloom (night blue, heather) work?
Thanks!
Diane
Hi Diane,
You could certainly use Cashmere Merino Bloom to knit a version of this blanket! Since it’s a thinner yarn than Plenty, you’ll need to adjust your needle size down a bit so that your finished fabric isn’t too loose and most likely also adjust the number of stitches cast on. I’d recommend working up a gauge swatch with a US5 or US6 needle before beginning your blanket, and use your finished gauge to determine how many stitches you’d need to cast on to get the same dimension. You can take a look at our tutorial All About Gauge for more information, or reach out to us at customerservice@purlsoho.com for additional help!
Warmly,
Kelsey
This is so pretty! Do you think I could substitute Campo? I have been having so much trouble with the Woodblock blanket I am thinking I should give up and start a new project with the Campo yarn I have.
Hi Regina,
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re having trouble with the Woodcut Blanket! If there are any specific questions you have about that pattern, feel free to reach out to us at customerservice@purlsoho.com and send photos of your work. We can definitely give you help on that pattern too!
You can absolutely substitute Campo for the Up + Down Cables Blanket though. I think that would work very nicely! The two yarns do have a bit of a difference in weight, so I’d recommend making sure to work up a gauge swatch beforehand, to make sure you’re using the correct needles. If this is daunting, I’d recommend checking out our tutorial called All About Gauge, which covers some incredibly helpful information.
All the best,
Lili
Please recommend a cotton yarn that I could use with this beautiful pattern.
Hi Jan,
Thanks for reaching out about this! I’m happy to hear that you like this pattern. If you’re looking for a 100% cotton yarn, I would recommend Blue Sky Fibers’s Worsted Cotton. This yarn has a similar gauge to Plenty, but it’s important to keep in mind that cotton fiber behaves really differently from wool. I also want to recommend Campo, which is 50% cotton and 50% wool and will be a closer match to the feel of Plenty.
As always, we recommend making a gauge swatch before starting a project to be sure you’re working with the right needles, especially when substituting yarns. If this is daunting, I’d recommend checking out a helpful tutorial we have called All About Gauge.
All the best,
Lili
thank you
This is so beautiful!
I was looking at Coorie when I saw this pattern. Would that work for this ?
Would I need about 20 skeins ?
Thank you !🦋
Hi Donna,
Thanks for writing in! I would hesitate to use Coorie for the Up + Down Cables Blanket, mainly because it’s a sportweight yarn, whereas this pattern is designed for a heavier worsted weight yarn. However, you could consider holding Coorie along with another yarn (I would suggest with Cashmere Merino Bloom). I also wanted to let you know that while Coorie is an incredibly soft yarn, it won’t match the plush-ness of Plenty. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it, but it will have a very different texture.
As always, we recommend making a gauge swatch before starting a project to be sure you’re working with the right needles, especially when substituting yarns. If this is daunting, I’d recommend checking out a tutorial called All About Gauge, which covers some incredibly helpful information.
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lili
Thank you so much for your recommendation.
I appreciate your help.
I would like to make this in the larger size but I can’t find how much yarn I need for a bigger size.
Thank you. Love Purl Soho & the service you offer.
Hi Rita,
Thank you so much for your kind words and your interest in the Up + Down Cables Blanket! You will need 17 skeins of Plenty to make the larger size blanket. Have a wonderful day!
Best wishes,
Catherine
Is this a reversible pattern? Is there a photo of the other side?
Hi Rita,
This blanket in particular isn’t reversible; the main star is definitely the cabling on the front! We don’t have any photos of the back, but essentially the cabled sections would appear as recessed, since the cables pop out on the front, and be composed of purl stitches. Similarly, any stockinette on the front would be garter on the back, and any purls on the front would translate to knit stitches on the back. I hope this was helpful! Have a wonderful day!
All the best,
Catherine
This blanket is so beautiful! I am putting it on my wish list. As always, love Purl Soho and it’s wonderful patterns!
Hi. I love this pattern but would like to adapt it into a scarf. If it can be done, how would I figure out the amount to cast on? Thanks for your help.
Hi Shirley,
Thanks for reaching out! I think this pattern would be absolutely beautiful as a scarf, and luckily, this is pattern is pretty easy to adjust! The stitch works over a multiple of 50 + 10 stitches. So, you could cast on 60 stitches, which would be one repeat of the pattern and the width would come out to approximately 12″ wide if your gauge is consistent with the pattern!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
When knitting the knits and purling the purls during cabling are the knitted cable stitches purl stitched or cabled on reverse/wrong side?
Hi Rhea,
Thanks so much for your question! On the reverse/wrong side, the cabled parts would comprise of purl stitches and not be cabled. They would also look slightly recessed, since the cables pop out on the front/right side. I hope this was helpful! Have a wonderful day!
Best wishes,
Catherine
Here’s perhaps a silly question. In reading over the pattern, after row 96 it says END CABLES. However, the pattern then continues on a new row 1 (to row 57)and includes more cables within these rows. I’m sure it would become clear why it says “end cables” there once I start knitting, but I prefer to understand the whole pattern before casting on.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for reaching out! In this pattern, each of the cables begin and end at different points. The section called “END CABLES” is just there to denote when the process of ending each cable starts! So during this section, a different cable ends every few rows. Hope this clarifies things!
All the best,
Lili
I’d like to make this in a bright red for the holidays. Could I sub Plenty for your Worsted Twist and get a similar result? Thanks!
Hi Kate,
Thanks for reaching out! Worsted Twist would be great for this blanket! It’s a bit thinner than Plenty is so I would suggest starting out by working a gauge swatch to ensure you are consistent with the pattern. I would also suggest checking out our wonderful tutorial All About Guage, it is an excellent resource to use!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
Hello and good afternoon! I love this blanket and have cast on the 210 for my new granddaughter arriving in March, 2022. I am adding color to the blanket in a, what I call, drip pattern splash. lol! however, I am in need of a chart for this pattern. Can someone help me with this? I have the 1st 3″ done but I want to make sure where I want to incorporate the color. I hope I am making sense. I have a picture and pattern of the colorway I want to create on the blanket but I need help. I’ve watched many Youtube tutorials and taught myself knitting 20 yrs ago based off of those tutorials. But charting is stumping me. Do you have a chart for this pattern?
Hi Melody,
Thanks for writing in. We may be able to help out better if we could see the picture and pattern of the colorwork you’re hoping to incorporate! I’d recommend sending us an email at customerservice@purlsoho.com, so that we can visualize exactly what you’re thinking of.
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lili,
I sent the email with the color pattern I am interested in. I would consider any advise or if you think another colorway pattern would look best, I am open to suggestion. I like the sporadic drip of color as well.
Hi Melody,
Thanks for checking in! I saw your email and sent you a reply yesterday. Can you let me know if you’ve seen that?
All the best,
Lili
Hi, I’ve made a swatch for the Up + Down Cables Blanket using the recommended #9 needles, and my gauge was way too big. I’m an experienced knitter & usually, my swatches match the gauge, occasionally I have to drop down one size needle. With a #8 and I only get 16 stitches to 4″ (not 20). I’m thinking I have to drop to a #6 but I’m really surprised that I’m so far off. I don’t see any comments on this issue; can you confirm that the instructions are correct? I’m concerned about the quantity of yarn and a very tight fabric. Thank you!
Hi Lois,
Thanks for reaching out. I just want to confirm–is your gauge swatch in 8×2 ribbing measuring 16 stitches to 4 inches? Or are you perhaps measuring your stockinette gauge swatch? The stockinette gauge is indeed 16 stitches in 4 inches! I’ll keep an eye out for your reply, and I’ll be able to troubleshoot more from there.
All the best,
Lili
Thanks, Lili. It is indeed 16 stitches for stockinette. I must have missed that. So sorry!
Hi. I’m confused by the instructions for row 17 in the Begin Cables section where it instructs to *[p2, k8, p2, CBF] 2 times. If I do that, the 4th cable is part of a plain knit 8 section but all the other cables on the row are actually C8F. I’m wondering if the instruction should be 2 MORE times, so a total of 3 times not 2. I think that works out properly, but I’m concerned that if I’ve misinterpreted I’ll be on the wrong track. I’d appreciate your help.
Thank you.
Hi Lois!
Thank you for your question. We saw your comment, and we want to take a closer look! We’re currently working on a swatch to verify the total number of cable sections in Row 17 of this blanket. As soon as we are done reviewing this pattern, we will let you know!
Talk to you soon!
Margaret
Margaret,
Thank you so much; I was hoping you could just ask the designer, so I really appreciate you going out of your way to make the swatch. I do love the pattern.
Lois
Hi Lois,
Thank you so much for waiting patiently while we tested this out. Luckily, after swatching the pattern I am happy to report that it is completely accurate as written! For Row 17, since you start the repeat with the p2, k8, p2, before working the C8F, the second time you repeat this it will perfectly line you up so that the C8F happens where you have already established the cable pattern. If you were to repeat this 3 times the cable would be in the wrong line (one further than the established cable line).
I hope this helps clear things up, and please let us know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Gianna, thank you so much! The instructions worked t until the 3rd Existing cable. The best way to tell if my former rows are right or wrong is to know if you and I have the same number of plain panels between cables on completed row 17. For me, after the 1st K4 P2. I have 1 plain, 1 new cable, 1 plain, 1 existing cable, 2 plain, 1 new cable, 1 plain (where I think they are asking for a new cable) and then my existing cable, which either makes my cable in the wrong place or I’ve misunderstood the directions from the beginning. sSo sorry to prolong this!
Hi Lois!
It’s difficult to tell how best to get you back on track from comments alone so I think it would be most helpful to see a photo of your work at this point. Feel free to send any pictures over to our customerservice@purlsoho.com address and we’ll keep an eye out for your email there!
Best,
Margaret
Will do – thank you!
I’m curious how this was resolved because I am having the same issue.
Hi Mary,
Thank you for writing in. After digging into the past conversation, it seems that some of the previous knitter’s cable stitches got misplaced in her work. We were able to help her identify where the stitches were supposed to be and provided some tips on how she could rip out to some rows down to get back on track. Please let us know if you have any other questions and we would also be happy to take a look!
All the best,
Gavriella
Thanks. I went back and saw where I went wrong. I see a lot of unknitting in my future. 😉
I just finished this throw. I love it! Is there a pattern to also do this as a scarf?
Hi Jeffrey,
Thanks for reaching out. While we haven’t created a scarf version of this design, I think that’s a great idea! Let us know if you end up trying that out–we’d love to see what you create.
All the best,
Lili
Hello!
I really really love the luxurious look to these cables. Is there an option to forego the “Up/Down” and just go full cables end to end? Curious how much more yarn would be required for additional cables.
TIA
Hi Debbie,
Thanks for reaching out, and for your kind words! We love this luxurious blanket too, especially knit up in our beautiful Plenty yarn! You won’t need extra yarn to knit a modified version of the Up + Down Cables Blanket. To knit this project with full cables, you can start at the “pattern” section and then jump right to row 89 for the “continue allover cables pattern”!
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Carly
Awesome! Thanks, can’t wait to get started!
Hi there,
I love the design of this blanket, it is just so beautiful! I have started and have knitting to row 17 (3 cross overs). However, I’m concerned that the cabled sections are much narrower than the non-cabled sections, and I’ll end up with a blanket that is more ‘hour-glass’ shaped rather than rectangular. (The cross-over cabled sections are 2/3rd the width of the non cabled sections). Is this normal? Will blocking fix the narrowness of the cabled sections, or not really?
Thanks in advance,
Hi Grace,
Thanks for reaching out. Blocking will definitely fix this issue! You can gently pull the edges outwards as you’re laying it flat to dry, and it will hold the rectangular shape as it dries. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hello Purl Soho,
I’m about to start this blanket. I’m a new-ish knitter, and I was wondering if there is any reason to slip the first stitch to make the edge prettier. It’s not in the pattern, but I’ve met several knitters who say they routinely do this.
Thanks.
Kerri
Hi Kerri!
Thank you for your question. You could certainly slip the first stitch in each row in this pattern if you would like. It is really up to you and what you prefer, as this blanket has a clean edge with or without the slipped stitch!
I hope this helps, and happy knitting!
All the best,
Margaret
Thanks, Margaret. I’m using a thinner yarn, and the closest I’m getting to the gauge is 17 stitches/inch using a size 7 needle. I tried size 6 but it felt a little tight. I’m making this for my husband, so I definitely don’t want it to come out too narrow. (I’m not concerned about the length) I have yarn in reserve and could get more but, if I add a full repeat, I think it might be too big and take too long–I was hoping to have a chunk done by his birthday early next month. What do you think about casting on additional stitches at the edges–perhaps an additional 2 or 4 on each side to make up for the tighter gauge?
If you have other suggestions, I’d appreciate them.
Kerri
Hi Kerri!
I certainly know the feeling of trying to knit by a birthday deadline! Adding a few extra stitches on either side of the blanket would certainly help make your blanket wider, and the best way I suggest to go about this is to use stitch markers to mark the extra stitches outside of your regular blanket stitches. I recommend casting on as many additional stitches as you would like on one end of the blanket, place a marker, and then cast on the 160 (210) stitches for the blanket pattern, place another marker, and finally cast on your additional stitches on the other side of the blanket. This way, you can knit the blanket pattern as written within the markers, and work the additional stitches to your liking outside the markers!
I hope this helps you start your blanket in time for your husband’s birthday!
All the best,
Margaret
Hi! Is there a chart that goes along with this pattern? I always find the visual aid of a chart helpful! Thank you 🙂
Hi Didi,
Thanks for reaching out. I’m afraid that we haven’t made a chart for this pattern yet! I’ll pass along your message to our design team though, so they know that there’s interest in seeing something like this. Apologies for the inconvenience, but please let me know if you have any other questions about the pattern! We’re always happy to help out if there’s anything that’s difficult.
All the best,
Lili
Good Morning! Is it possible to knit the up down blanket in two colors? One for the cable pattern and one for the regular pattern.
Thank you so much! Meredith
Hi Meredith,
Thanks for writing in, and that sounds like a fun idea! You would need to use intarsia to do that, and I’m not quite sure how intarsia would work in conjunction with the cabled pattern. But I think it’s definitely worth a try! I’d recommend trying this out on a small swatch in some scrap yarn. That way, you can get a good sense of how these two techniques work together!
All the best,
Lili
When it says to repeat row 2 knit the knits and purl the purls does it mean to just do row 2 until piece measures 3 inches
Hi Pearl,
Thanks for reaching out. Yes! At this point in the pattern, you will repeat Row 2 until the piece measures 3 inches from cast-on edge, ending with a wrong-side row. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
How do I adapt this pattern to an afghan size 52×60
Hi Sandi,
Thanks for reaching out! Based on the gauge of the pattern (20 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in 8×2 rib) and the stitch multiple (50 + 10 stitches), you would need to cast on 260 stitches for a width of 52 inches. Then, you can knit the pattern as written, but you’ll just need to repeat Rows 89 – 96 of the CONTINUE IN ALLOVER CABLE PATTERN section 25 more times, rather than just 20 times. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I appreciate your help with this project.
Thanks
HELLO!
I am wondering if you have created a chart for this blanket yet? I would be so much easier for those of us who are visual learners.
Thanks,
Jane
Hi Jane,
Thank you for writing in! Unfortunately, we do not currently have a chart for this pattern but I will be sure to pass your message along to our team!
All the best,
Gavriella
Thank you!!
Jane