Autumn Lattice Throw Knitting Pattern
There is something deeply satisfying about picking up your needles as the days begin to shorten and the air takes on that first crisp edge of autumn. The season practically begs for a cozy project, something substantial enough to keep your hands busy through long evenings and rewarding enough to drape across your couch as the temperatures drop. This Autumn Lattice Throw is exactly that kind of project. It is warm, it is beautiful, and the textured lattice pattern creates a fabric that looks far more complicated than it actually is to knit.
Whether you are settling in for your first big throw project or you are an experienced knitter looking for something satisfying to work on this season, this pattern is written to guide you through every step. Grab a hot drink, get comfortable, and let’s talk through everything you need to know before you cast on.
Why You’ll Love This Pattern
Before we dive into the technical details, let me tell you a little about what makes this throw special. The lattice stitch creates a woven, almost basketweave appearance across the fabric, but unlike a true basketweave, the diagonal lines of this pattern catch the light in a way that makes the finished piece look absolutely stunning draped over a chair or folded on a bed.
The color palette I used for the sample is a deep burnt orange, which leans into the autumn aesthetic in a way that feels intentional without being kitschy. That said, this stitch pattern is equally beautiful in a warm cream, a heathered charcoal, or a dusty sage green. The texture does the talking, so whatever color makes your heart happy is going to look wonderful.
This is a relatively straightforward project in terms of technique. You will need to be comfortable with knit, purl, and a few cable needle maneuvers, but nothing here requires advanced skills. If you have made dishcloths and scarves and are wondering what to tackle next, a throw like this one is a perfect step up.
Materials You Will Need
Getting your materials sorted before you start is one of the small pleasures of beginning a new project. Here is everything you need to make this throw.
Yarn: You will need approximately 1,800 to 2,000 yards of a bulky weight yarn, which is a size 6 on the US scale. A yarn with some wool content will give you the best stitch definition and that lovely halo of warmth that makes a throw so cozy. I used a wool-acrylic blend in my sample, which makes the finished throw machine washable — always a practical consideration for something that is going to live on your couch and get used constantly.
Needles: US size 10 (6mm) circular needles, 32 inches or longer. Even though this is knit flat, the length of circular needles makes it much easier to hold the number of stitches you will have on your needle at one time. Long straight needles can work, but you may find the weight of the project more manageable on circulars.
Cable Needle: You will use this for the crossing stitches in the lattice pattern. A short, curved cable needle works well and is less likely to slip out mid-row.
Additional Supplies: Scissors, a yarn needle for weaving in ends, and stitch markers if you find them helpful for keeping track of your pattern repeats.
Gauge
Gauge swatch before beginning. I know, I know — gauge swatching is the advice everyone gives and the step many of us skip. For a throw, gauge is genuinely important because even a small discrepancy per stitch will multiply across hundreds of stitches and result in a finished piece that is significantly larger or smaller than intended.
Gauge: 14 stitches and 20 rows equals 4 inches in stockinette stitch on US size 10 needles.
If your swatch is coming out smaller than this, go up a needle size. If it is larger, go down. The lattice pattern is forgiving in the sense that the throw will still be beautiful even if it ends up a few inches off from the stated dimensions, but getting close to gauge will ensure you have enough yarn to complete the project.
Finished Dimensions
The finished throw measures approximately 48 inches wide by 60 inches long, which is a generous lap throw that will also work beautifully as a bed throw. If you want something smaller, you can reduce the stitch count in multiples of 8 plus the edge stitches. If you want something larger, you can increase in the same increments and simply purchase additional yarn.
Abbreviations
Before we get into the pattern itself, let’s make sure we are all speaking the same language.
k — knit
p — purl
CO — cast on
BO — bind off
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
C4F — slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit 2, then knit 2 from cable needle
C4B — slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back, knit 2, then knit 2 from cable needle
rep — repeat
st(s) — stitch(es)
The Lattice Stitch Pattern
The heart of this throw is the lattice stitch, which is built from a series of cable crossings worked over a background of reverse stockinette. The diagonal lines travel left and right, crossing over each other to create that woven, lattice look. Once you have worked the pattern a few times, you will find it develops a natural rhythm and you may not even need to reference the written instructions anymore.
The pattern is worked over a multiple of 8 stitches plus 2.
Row 1 (RS): K1, C4B, k4; rep from to last st, k1.
Row 2 (WS): K1, purl to last st, k1.
Row 3: K1, k4, C4F; rep from to last st, k1.
Row 4: K1, purl to last st, k1.
These four rows form the pattern repeat. The k1 at the beginning and end of every row creates a small garter stitch border at the sides, which helps the throw lie flat and gives it a clean, finished edge.
Pattern Instructions
Cast On
Using a long-tail cast on or your preferred method, cast on 170 stitches. Take a moment to count your stitches carefully before you begin the first row. Once you have worked a few rows of the lattice pattern, it can be tricky to go back and recount accurately.
Bottom Border
Work 8 rows in garter stitch (knit every row) to create a border at the bottom of the throw. This border balances the top border you will work at the end and prevents the edges from curling.
Main Body
Begin working the four-row lattice stitch repeat as described above. Continue in pattern until the throw measures approximately 58 inches from the cast on edge, ending after a Row 4 (wrong side row). If you are running low on yarn, this is the point to evaluate whether you have enough to complete the top border. You want at least 50 to 60 yards remaining for the border and bind off.
Top Border
Work 8 rows in garter stitch.
Bind Off
Bind off all stitches loosely. A stretchy bind off works well here — the crochet cast off or the standard bind off worked on a needle one size larger will both give you a nice, relaxed edge that matches the drape of the rest of the throw.
Tips for Working the Lattice Pattern
A few things will make your experience with this pattern smoother and more enjoyable.
Work loose cable crossings. The most common challenge when working cables is pulling the yarn too tightly after a crossing, which creates a puckered appearance. Make a conscious effort to keep your tension relaxed after every C4F and C4B. If you are naturally a tight knitter, consider going up half a needle size just for the cable rows.
Use stitch markers for large sections. With 170 stitches on your needle, it can be helpful to place a stitch marker every 40 stitches or so. This breaks the row into manageable chunks and helps you catch mistakes before they travel too far.
Keep a row counter handy. The four-row repeat is simple to memorize, but it is easy to lose track of where you are after you set your knitting down for the evening. A row counter — even a simple tally mark in a notebook — will save you a lot of squinting at your fabric trying to figure out whether you are on a Row 1 or a Row 3.
Read your knitting. This is the advice that transforms knitters. Rather than relying entirely on your row counter, learn to look at your fabric and understand what you see. On a Row 1, the cable crossings from the previous repeat will be visible and you will be crossing slightly offset from those. On a Row 3, you will be filling in the spaces. Once this clicks, the pattern becomes very intuitive.
Finishing Your Throw
Weaving in ends and blocking are the two finishing steps that elevate a handknit project from “nice” to “stunning,” and they are worth every bit of time you put into them.
Weave in your ends with a yarn needle, going in one direction and then doubling back for security. On a throw that will be used and washed regularly, taking care with your ends will save you from having them work loose over time.
Blocking is particularly transformative for a project like this one. Wet blocking will even out your stitches, open up the lattice pattern, and give the throw a professional, polished finish. To wet block, soak the throw in cool water for about 20 minutes until it is fully saturated. Gently squeeze out the water — do not wring — and then roll it in a towel to remove the excess moisture. Lay it flat on a blocking mat or a clean carpet, gently stretch it to its finished dimensions, and pin if needed. Allow it to dry completely, which can take 24 to 48 hours depending on the yarn and your environment.
If you used a wool-acrylic blend or a pure acrylic yarn, steam blocking is also an option. Hold a steam iron just above the surface of the throw without touching it, moving slowly across the fabric to allow the steam to penetrate. This works particularly well for opening up cable and lattice patterns.
Yarn Substitution Ideas
The pattern was designed with a bulky wool blend in mind, but there is room to play with your yarn choice. Here are a few directions you might take it.
A chunky alpaca blend will give you an incredibly soft, luxurious throw with beautiful drape. Alpaca does not have the same spring and memory as wool, so the lattice stitches will be slightly softer in definition, which some knitters prefer for a more relaxed, flowing look.
A cotton or cotton blend is an option for those who want a throw that works in warmer climates or for someone who cannot wear wool. Keep in mind that cotton is heavier than wool, so the finished throw will have more weight to it, and the stitch definition will be different. Cable patterns in cotton tend to look clean and crisp.
A high-twist wool, like a traditional Aran-weight yarn used at the bulky gauge equivalent, will give you sharp, defined lattice lines and a very sturdy, heirloom-quality fabric. This would be a lovely choice if you want the throw to last for decades.
Gifting This Throw
A hand-knitted throw is one of the most meaningful handmade gifts you can give, and the Autumn Lattice Throw is particularly well-suited to gifting. It is substantial enough to feel truly special, and the lattice pattern has a timeless quality that works in almost any home.
Consider choosing a yarn color that suits the recipient’s home aesthetic rather than your personal preference. Neutrals like cream, oatmeal, taupe, or soft grey tend to work in most living rooms. Deep jewel tones like burgundy, teal, or navy make a beautiful statement. If you know the recipient loves color, a rich autumn palette of burnt sienna or mustard yellow is a wonderful choice.
If you are knitting this as a gift and want to personalize it further, you could add an initial or monogram embroidered onto a corner in contrasting yarn once the throw is complete. A small hand-written tag with care instructions is always appreciated — there is nothing worse than accidentally felting a wool throw by tossing it in a hot wash.
Making This Your Own
One of the joys of having a reliable pattern is that it becomes a foundation you can build on. Once you have worked this throw and understand how the lattice structure comes together, you have a lot of room to make modifications.
You could work the throw in two colors, holding one strand of each together throughout. This creates a beautiful heathered effect where both colors interact in the twist of each stitch. Choose two colors that are close in value — a burnt orange with a cream, for example, or a charcoal with a warm grey — for a sophisticated, understated result.
You could also combine the lattice stitch with panels of simpler stitches. A throw that alternates a lattice panel with a wide panel of seed stitch or moss stitch, for example, would be a beautiful variation that uses the textural contrast between the two techniques to great effect.
If you want a more open, lacy quality to the fabric, you could add a yarn-over and decrease on either side of each cable crossing to create small eyelets within the lattice. This requires a bit of experimentation with the math to keep your stitch count consistent, but the resulting fabric is stunning.
A Note on the Name
Every pattern I write gets a name that means something to me, and the Autumn Lattice Throw is named for the way the light comes through the window in the afternoon this time of year — falling across the floor in squares and rectangles, the way it would through a garden lattice heavy with the last of the season’s climbing roses. If you live somewhere with a proper autumn, you know exactly the quality of light I am describing. It is the kind of afternoon that makes you want to be inside with your knitting.
I hope this throw becomes a project you come back to year after year, gifting versions to people you love and making one for every room in your home. The pattern is simple enough to be meditative and interesting enough to keep your attention. That, to me, is the definition of a perfect knit.
Final Thoughts
The Autumn Lattice Throw is one of those patterns that looks beautiful at every stage — even an unblocked work in progress draped over a chair has a cozy, inviting quality that makes it hard to put down. Once you start seeing that lattice fabric grow beneath your needles, you will understand why this kind of project is so satisfying.
If you make this throw, I would love to see it. Tag your photos so the whole community can admire your work and be inspired by your color choices. Every single version of this pattern that knitters have shared has been different and beautiful in its own way, and that is one of the things I love most about putting a pattern out into the world.
Happy knitting, and happy autumn.
