What a cable knit jumper is and what you need before you start
A cable knit jumper is a sweater made with a pattern of twisted stitches that look like rope or braided cables running up the front, back, or sleeves. The cables are created by crossing groups of stitches over each other in a specific order, which takes practice but becomes automatic once you understand the rhythm. You will need to know how to cast on, knit, purl, and bind off before starting—if those are new to you, spend a week or two on a practice swatch first.
You will also need yarn suitable for cables. Thicker yarn (worsted weight or bulky) shows the cable pattern more clearly than thin yarn, and it works faster. A 100-gram ball of worsted-weight yarn typically knits to about 180 metres, so a jumper usually needs 800 to 1200 grams depending on your size and the pattern. Cables use more yarn than stockinette stitch because the twisted stitches pull the fabric tighter, so always buy 10 percent more than a pattern calls for.
You will need needles in the size the pattern specifies—usually one or two sizes larger than the yarn ball band recommends, because cables compress the fabric. You will also need a cable needle (a short double-pointed needle used to hold stitches while you cross them), stitch markers, a yarn needle for weaving in ends, and a tape measure. Have a pattern printed or on a device you can read while you work; free patterns are available on Ravelry, PetiteKnit, and Wool and the Gang.
Key Takeaways
- Cable knit jumpers are built in pieces (front, back, sleeves) and sewn together, not knitted in the round as one tube.
- The cable pattern itself is created by crossing stitches over each other using a cable needle, and you repeat this crossing every 4 to 8 rows depending on the pattern.
- Measuring your gauge (how many stitches and rows fit in 10 centimetres) before you start is the only way to know your finished jumper will fit.
- Most cable patterns are charted, meaning you follow a grid of symbols rather than written instructions, which becomes faster once you learn the symbols.
- Blocking (wetting and pinning the finished pieces flat to dry) makes the cables stand out and the seams invisible.
How to measure your gauge and adjust the pattern to your size
Gauge is the number of stitches and rows that fit in a 10-centimetre square of knitted fabric. If your gauge does not match the pattern's gauge, your jumper will be the wrong size. Knit a swatch at least 15 centimetres square using the yarn, needles, and stitch pattern from your chosen pattern. Bind off loosely, wet the swatch under cool running water, squeeze out excess water gently, and pin it flat to dry for at least 24 hours. Once dry, measure 10 centimetres horizontally and count the stitches; measure 10 centimetres vertically and count the rows.
If your gauge has more stitches per 10 centimetres than the pattern calls for, your needles are too small and your fabric is too tight—go up a needle size and knit another swatch. If you have fewer stitches, your needles are too large—go down a size. Once your gauge matches, you can trust the pattern's finished measurements. If you cannot match the gauge exactly, adjust the pattern's stitch count by the difference: if the pattern calls for 80 stitches and your gauge is one stitch tighter per 10 centimetres, cast on 76 stitches instead.
Casting on and knitting the back piece
The back of a cable knit jumper is usually the simplest piece—often just stockinette stitch (knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side) with no cables, or a single cable running up the centre. Cast on the number of stitches the pattern specifies. If the pattern uses a long-tail cast-on, use that; if it does not specify, long-tail is the most reliable for jumpers because it creates an even edge that is straightforward to seam.
Knit the ribbing first—usually 2 by 2 ribbing (two knit stitches, two purl stitches, repeated across the row) for 5 to 8 centimetres. Ribbing is elastic and keeps the jumper from stretching out of shape at the cuffs and hem. After the ribbing, switch to stockinette stitch and knit straight up until the piece measures the length the pattern specifies from the cast-on edge to the armhole. Mark the armhole position with stitch markers on both sides of the piece, then follow the pattern's shaping instructions to decrease stitches for the armhole (usually by binding off a few stitches at the start of each row for 2 to 4 rows). Continue straight until the piece reaches the shoulder, then bind off all stitches.
Reading cable charts and knitting the front piece with cables
Cable patterns are shown as charts—grids where each square represents one stitch and each row of squares represents one row of knitting. A symbol inside each square tells you what to do with that stitch: a vertical line means knit, a dash means purl, and other symbols (usually shown in a key at the bottom of the chart) mean cable crosses. A cable cross symbol typically shows four or six stitches that will be twisted together.
To work a cable cross, you slip a group of stitches onto your cable needle and hold it to the front or back of your work (the pattern tells you which), knit the next group of stitches from the main needle, then knit the stitches from the cable needle. This twists the stitches and creates the rope-like pattern. You do not work the cable cross every row—usually every 4, 6, or 8 rows depending on how tight you want the twist. Between cable rows, you knit the stitches as the chart shows (knit the knits, purl the purls).
Cast on for the front piece the same way as the back, knit the ribbing, then start following the cable chart. Place stitch markers between cable panels so you do not lose your place. Work the chart row by row, crossing cables on the rows the chart shows, until you reach the armhole. Shape the armhole the same way as the back, then continue following the chart until you reach the neck shaping. The pattern will tell you how many stitches to bind off at the centre of the neck and how to decrease on either side. Bind off the remaining stitches for the shoulders.
Knitting sleeves and seaming the pieces together
Sleeves are usually knitted from the cuff upward, starting with ribbing and then stockinette or cable stitch. Cast on the number of stitches the pattern specifies (usually fewer than the body), knit the ribbing, then increase stitches evenly spaced across the first stockinette row. Follow the pattern's increase instructions—usually you increase one stitch on each side every 4 to 6 rows until the sleeve reaches the width the pattern specifies. Continue straight until the sleeve reaches the armhole depth, then bind off.
Before seaming, block all pieces: wet them under cool water, squeeze gently, pin them to the measurements the pattern specifies, and let them dry flat for 24 to 48 hours. Blocking opens up the cables and makes seams invisible. Once dry, use a yarn needle and the same yarn to seam the pieces together. Seam the shoulders first by placing the front and back right sides together and using a backstitch or mattress stitch along the shoulder edge. Seam the sides of the body, then attach the sleeves by pinning the sleeve cap to the armhole and seaming around. Finally, seam the underarm and sleeve length in one long seam. Weave in all loose ends with the yarn needle.
Finishing the neckline and making your jumper wearable
Most cable knit jumpers have a ribbed neckband to finish the neck opening. With the jumper inside out, pick up stitches around the neck opening using a circular needle—the pattern will tell you how many. Usually you pick up one stitch in each bound-off stitch and one stitch in each row between bound-off stitches. Knit 2 by 2 ribbing for 2 to 3 centimetres, then bind off loosely. The ribbing should be loose enough that you can pull it over your head comfortably.
Once the neckband is complete, turn the jumper right side out and try it on. Check that the shoulders sit at the right point, the sleeves are the right length, and the body length is correct. If the sleeves are too long, you can unravel a few rows, bind off higher, and weave in the ends. If the body is too long, unravel from the top, bind off at the right length, and reattach the neckband. Once you are happy with the fit, weave in any remaining loose ends, wet the finished jumper gently, squeeze out excess water, and lay it flat to dry. This final blocking sets the shape and makes the cables stand out.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is not measuring gauge before starting. A difference of even half a stitch per 10 centimetres means your finished jumper will be several centimetres too big or too small. Knit the swatch, block it, and measure it properly. The second mistake is dropping stitches while crossing cables and not noticing until several rows later. Count your stitches at the end of every cable row to catch dropped stitches when ready—they are straightforward to fix with a crochet hook if you catch them right away.
The third mistake is pulling cables too tight. When you cross stitches on a cable needle, keep the tension loose so the twisted stitches are not strangled. Tight cables look lumpy and distort the fabric. The fourth mistake is not blocking before seaming. Unblocked pieces are wavy and uneven, and seams will be visible and lumpy. Blocking takes time but makes the difference between a handmade jumper that looks homemade and one that looks professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to knit a cable jumper in pieces, or can I knit it in the round?
You can knit in the round using circular needles, which means fewer seams and faster finishing. However, you will need to purl on the wrong side to create stockinette stitch, which is awkward on circular needles. Most cable jumpers are knitted flat in pieces because it is easier to read charts and keep track of cable crosses when you are working back and forth.
What if I make a mistake in the cable pattern several rows back?
If the mistake is in a cable cross, you can usually unravel back to that row, fix the cross, and knit forward again. Use a crochet hook to catch stitches as they unravel so you do not lose them. If the mistake is just a knit stitch where you should have purled (or vice versa), you can drop the stitch down to the mistake row, fix it with a crochet hook, and pull it back up. This takes practice but saves you from unravelling entire rows.
How long does it take to knit a cable jumper?
A cable jumper usually takes 40 to 80 hours of knitting time, depending on the yarn weight, the complexity of the cables, and how fast you knit. Thicker yarn and simpler patterns are faster. If you knit for an hour most days, expect 2 to 3 months from cast-on to finished jumper.
Can I use a different yarn than the pattern calls for?
You can, but you must knit a gauge swatch with the new yarn and adjust the pattern if your gauge is different. Thinner yarn will make a lighter, drapier jumper; thicker yarn will make a heavier, warmer one. Make sure the new yarn is washable and has similar fibre content (wool, cotton, acrylic) so the finished jumper behaves the same way.
What is the best way to wash a finished cable jumper?
Hand wash in cool water with wool wash or gentle detergent, squeeze gently (do not wring), and lay flat to dry. If the jumper stretches out of shape while drying, pin it to the correct measurements and let it dry pinned. Blocking after washing keeps the cables crisp and the shape consistent.