Simple Cable Pattern for Socks
This is not a sock pattern. It is a pattern for cabling socks.
Materials
Yarn: 350 – 400 yards of
fingering weight yarn –
preferably a mostly solid
colorway to make cables pop.
Needles: whatever size you
normally use to knit socks.
Misc: stitch marker
cable needle
Abbreviations:
C6B: Cable 6 Back
Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold at back of work, K3 from left
needle, then K3 from cable needle.
C6F: Cable 6 Front
Slip next 3 sts to cable needle and hold at front of work, K3 from left
needle, then K3 from cable needle.
1
Directions
Cast on 64 stitches. (16 stitches on each of 4 needles.) Place marker.
Work 14 rounds of k2, p2 ribbing. (Or however many rounds you prefer.)
Rounds 1 – 4 knit 6, purl 2. Repeat all the way around.
Round 5 (Cable Round) knit 6, purl 2, C6B, purl next 2 stitches. C6F,
purl next 2 stitches. knit 6, purl 2 twice across front of sock. C6B, purl next
2 stitches. C6F, purl next 2 stitches. knit 6, purl 2.
Repeat Round 1 9 or 10 times. I like to alternate the number of rounds
between cable rounds.
Repeat Round 5 (Cable Round)
Continue in this manner until leg of sock is about 7 inches long. (Or to
your preferred length.) Make sure to end with a Cable Round.
Work heel on needles 1 and 4. The outer set of cables will end at heel.
The inner set of cables continues to the toe (about 6.5 inches) after heel is
completed. When you resume the cables, make sure to purl the last 2
stitches on needle 1 on every round. This will make the cables pop.
Again, make sure to end with a Cable Round.
Work toe to complete sock.
Copyright 2025 Anne Mancine