Free Cable Knit Blanket Square Pattern

Pale green cable knit blanket square pattern on a white surface with wooden knitting needles, white balls of yarn, purple flowers, and a small brass crescent moon piece. Text on the image reads: Banana Moon Studio.

A free cable knit blanket square pattern

Arcadia is a free cable knit blanket square pattern with beautiful cables. It was inspired by thoughts of fall and the return of sweater weather. Many knitters relish that first taste of chilly autumn weather that means it’s time to pull out their handknit sweaters. What’s more classic than a sweater with beautiful cable work?! This knit blanket square is made in worsted weight yarn and works out to be about 8 inches square. The free pattern includes both written row by row instructions as well as a chart!

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Pale green cable knit blanket square on a white surface with wooden knitting needles, and a small green and brown stone vase. White panel with text reads: 8 inch blanket square free knitting pattern. Banana Moon Studio.

Where can I get this cable knit blanket square pattern?

This knitting pattern is free right here in this post. Just scroll down for the free version!

If you decide to use the free version, please bookmark this page and come back to it when you work on your project rather than trying to print or screenshot the page. Your time on this page helps me get paid for my work, so thank you!

If you would prefer a PDF for downloading and printing, you can purchase one for just a few dollars on Ravelry or Etsy, and it includes a second 8 inch knit blanket square as well!

Buy on Ravelry

Buy on Etsy

What yarn should I use to knit this square?

I made this cable knit blanket square pattern with Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in color #178 Sea Glass. This is a worsted weight acrylic yarn, which I chose because it is easy care. I don’t know about you, but I don’t relish the idea of hand washing a blanket and laying it flat to dry. Each square takes about 46 yds of this yarn, so you can make three squares with one skein of Vanna’s Choice.

What else will I need to make this square?

You will also need US Size 9 (5.5 mm) knitting needles. You can use straight or circular needles for this square. If you use straight needles, you’ll want them to be at least 8″ long.

You may also want a cable needle for this project. I recommend cable needles from Knit Picks. They have a couple different options that work well with different types of projects. But you may also choose not to use a cable needle for this blanket square. I didn’t use one when I made mine. You can usually manage cables up to four stitches across without one.

Close up photo of a pale green knit blanket square with a variety of intricate cables. Text on the image reads: Banana Moon Studio.

Arcadia, a cable knit blanket square pattern

By April Garwood of Banana Moon Studio

Testers: Tessa Buck and KayLynn Davis

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Finished Measurements: About 8 inches square.

Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice (100% Acrylic; 170 yd/156 m; 3.5 oz/100 g; yarn weight category: 4/Medium/Worsted): 1 skein #178 Sea Glass.

Knitting Needles: US Size 9 (5.5 mm) straight needles. Adjust needle size if necessary to match gauge.

Notions: Cable needle (cn), tapestry needle.

Gauge: 18 sts x 20 rows = about 4 inches in pattern

Notes

Blanket square begins at bottom edge and works up to the top

Pattern contains row by row instructions as well as a chart. If using the chart, read RS (odd-numbered) rows from right to left. Read WS rows from left to right.

If you have never knit cables before, check out my quick cable knitting tutorial for beginners! Or if you are comfortable with cables, learn to knit cables without a cable needle!

Knit Blanket Square Pattern

CO 36 sts.

Row 1: P2, k4, p2, k2, (p4, k2) 3 times, p2, k4, p2.

Row 2: K2, p4, k2, p2, (k4, p2) 3 times, k2, p4, k2.

Row 3: P2, k4, p2, k2, p3, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, p1 from cn, p4, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, p next st, k2 from cn, p3, k2, p2, k4, p2.

Row 4: K2, p4, k2, p2, k3, p2, k6, p2, k3, p2, k2, p4, k2.

Row 5: P2, k4, p2, hold 1 st to the front using cn, k next st, k1 from cn, p2, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, p1 from cn, p6, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, p next st, k2 from cn, p2, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next st, k1 from cn, p2, k4, p2.

Row 6: K2, p4, k2, p2, k2, p2, k8, p2, k2, p2, k2, p4, k2.

Row 7: P2, k4, p2, k2, p2, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, p next st, k2 from cn, p6, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, p1 from cn, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2.

Row 8: K2, p4, k2, p2, k3, p2, k6, p2, k3, p2, k2, p4, k2.

Row 9: P2, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, k next 2 sts, k2 from cn, p2, hold 1 st to the front using cn, k next st, k1 from cn, p3, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, p next st, k2 from cn, p4, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, p1 from cn, p3, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next st, k1 from cn, p2, hold 2 sts to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, k2 from cn, p2.

Row 10: K2, p4, k2, p2, (k4, p2) 3 times, k2, p4, k2.

Row 11: P2, k4, p2, k2, p4, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, p next st, k2 from cn, p2, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, p1 from cn, p4, k2, p2, k4, p2.

Row 12: K2, p4, k2, p2, k5, p2, k2, p2, k5, p2, k2, p4, k2.

Row 13: P2, k4, p2, hold 1 st to the front using cn, k next st, k1 from cn, p5, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, p next st, k2 from cn, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, p1 from cn, p5, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next st, k1 from cn, p2, k4, p2.

Row 14: K2, p4, k2, p2, k6, p4, k6, p2, k2, p4, k2.

Row 15: P2, k4, p2, k2, p5, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, p1 from cn, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, p next st, k2 from cn, p5, k2, p2, k4, p2.

Row 16: K2, p4, k2, p2, k5, p2, k2, p2, k5, p2, k2, p4, k2.

Row 17: P2, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, k next 2 sts, k2 from cn, p2, hold 1 st to the front using cn, k next st, k1 from cn, p4, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, p1 from cn, p2, hold 2 sts to the front using cn, p next st, k2 from cn, p4, hold 1 st to the back using cn, k next st, k1 from cn, p2, hold 2 sts to the back using cn, k next 2 sts, k2 from cn, p2.

Rows 18-33: Repeat Rows 2-17

Rows 34-40: Repeat Rows 2-8. Bind off in pattern.

Chart

Finishing

Weave in ends. I suggest mattress stitch as a way to attach squares together. You can see a tutorial for mattress stitch here.

I hope you enjoyed this cable knit blanket square pattern! Will you make a blanket of just these squares? Will you mix and match squares? Or will you expand this into a scarf, or make it in cotton as a hot pad? I’d love to see your in-process or finished projects! You can share them on Instagram and tag me, or you can join my Facebook group and share them there.

Happy knitting,