Free Knitting Pattern: Lace and Cable Afghan
There is something deeply satisfying about a knitting project that pushes your skills without overwhelming them. A lace and cable afghan sits right in that sweet spot — complex enough to hold your attention through dozens of evenings on the couch, but structured enough that even an intermediate knitter can see it through to a finished heirloom. This free knitting pattern walks you through every step of creating a stunning lace and cable afghan that combines the airy elegance of lace motifs with the sculptural richness of cables. The result is a blanket worthy of display over a sofa back, gifting to a loved one, or passing down through generations.
Whether you are knitting your first cabled project or your fiftieth, this pattern has something to offer. Grab your favorite skein of yarn, settle into your chair, and let’s get started.
Why Knit a Lace and Cable Afghan?
Before we dive into materials and gauge, it is worth taking a moment to appreciate why this particular combination of techniques makes such a compelling project.
Cables create texture through crossed stitches, pulling the fabric into bold raised columns that catch the light and invite touch. Lace creates airiness through deliberate yarn overs and decreases that form openings in the fabric, giving it a delicate, almost floral quality. On the surface, these two techniques seem like opposites — one adds density and weight, the other adds openness and lightness. But knitted side by side, they create a visual tension that is genuinely beautiful. The eye travels between the solid, dimensional cables and the whisper-thin lace panels, and the fabric feels alive.
Afghans knitted in this style have appeared in Scandinavian trousseau blankets, Irish heirloom throws, and contemporary fiber art. When you knit this project, you are joining a long tradition of textile craft.
Skill Level
This pattern is written for intermediate to advanced intermediate knitters. You should be comfortable with the following techniques before you begin:
Reading a chart or written row-by-row instructions for both cables and lace, working yarn overs and paired decreases (k2tog and ssk), crossing stitches over a cable needle, and maintaining stitch count through lace repeats. If any of these feel unfamiliar, spending a few sessions on practice swatches before starting the full afghan will pay off enormously.
Materials
Yarn: Approximately 2,000 yards of a worsted weight yarn in 100% wool or a wool-blend. A natural fiber is strongly recommended because wool holds cable definition better than acrylic and blocks beautifully, which is essential for opening up the lace sections. Suggested yardage provides some breathing room, but swatch carefully and adjust if your gauge differs significantly.
Good yarn choices include Cascade 220, Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool, or any comparable worsted weight with good stitch definition. A heathered or solid colorway will show off the texture better than a variegated yarn, which can compete visually with the stitch pattern.
Needles: US size 7 (4.5mm) circular needles, 32 to 40 inches long. Circular needles are used to accommodate the stitch count even though the piece is knitted flat. You will not be joining to work in the round.
Notions: Cable needle, stitch markers (at least 8), tapestry needle for weaving in ends, and a blocking mat with rust-proof pins for finishing.
Gauge
18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, blocked.
Gauge swatching is non-negotiable for a project this size. A difference of even half a stitch per inch will change your finished dimensions by several inches over the full width of the blanket. Cast on at least 24 stitches for your swatch, work 30 rows in stockinette, bind off loosely, wet block, and measure once dry. Adjust your needle size as needed.
Finished Dimensions
Approximately 48 inches wide by 60 inches long after blocking. This is a generous lap blanket or a compact full throw, suitable for one person curled up on a sofa or spread across the foot of a bed.
Abbreviations and Glossary
k — knit
p — purl
yo — yarn over
k2tog — knit two stitches together (right-leaning decrease)
ssk — slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
C4B — cable 4 back: slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold at back, k2, then k2 from cable needle
C4F — cable 4 front: slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold at front, k2, then k2 from cable needle
C6B — cable 6 back: slip 3 stitches to cable needle and hold at back, k3, then k3 from cable needle
C6F — cable 6 front: slip 3 stitches to cable needle and hold at front, k3, then k3 from cable needle
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
pm — place marker
sm — slip marker
rep — repeat
st/sts — stitch/stitches
Pattern Notes
This afghan is worked flat, back and forth in rows, from the bottom edge to the top. The design is divided into five vertical panels: a center cable panel flanked by two lace panels, which are in turn flanked by two outer cable border panels. Stitch markers separate each panel to help you track your place in the pattern. All wrong-side rows for the lace sections follow a simple principle: purl all stitches that were knitted, knit all stitches that were purled, and purl all yarn overs. Wrong-side rows for cable sections are worked as knit the knits and purl the purls as they appear.
A garter stitch border of 5 stitches on each side and 8 rows top and bottom keeps the blanket from rolling and adds a clean finished edge.
Cast On
Using a long-tail cast on or your preferred stretchy cast on method, cast on 217 stitches.
The stitch count breaks down as follows: 5 border stitches, 24 stitches for the first outer cable panel, 1 dividing stitch, 38 stitches for the first lace panel, 1 dividing stitch, 40 stitches for the center cable panel, 1 dividing stitch, 38 stitches for the second lace panel, 1 dividing stitch, 24 stitches for the second outer cable panel, and 5 border stitches. Place stitch markers between each panel section as you cast on to make tracking easier from the very first row.
Bottom Garter Border
Work 8 rows in garter stitch (knit every row) across all 217 stitches. This forms the bottom border of the blanket.
Outer Cable Panel (24 stitches, worked on each side)
The outer cable panels use a classic rope cable with a simple 4-stitch cross framed by reverse stockinette. This creates a bold, clean edge that grounds the lacy center of the blanket.
Row 1 (RS): p2, k4, p2, C4B, p2, k4, p2, C4B, p2
Row 2 (WS): k2, p4, k2, p4, k2, p4, k2, p4, k2
Row 3: p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2
Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Row 5: p2, C4B, p2, k4, p2, C4B, p2, k4, p2
Row 6: Repeat Row 2
Row 7: Repeat Row 3
Row 8: Repeat Row 2
Repeat Rows 1 through 8 for the cable panel pattern.
Lace Panel (38 stitches, worked on each side of center)
The lace panels use a leaf and vine motif that echoes the organic shapes often found in traditional Shetland lace. Each repeat is 19 stitches wide, so you will work the repeat twice across the 38-stitch panel.
Row 1 (RS): k1, yo, k3, ssk, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, k2tog, k3, yo, k1
Row 2 (WS): Purl all stitches
Row 3: k2, yo, k2, ssk, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, k2tog, k2, yo, k2 — work twice
Row 4: Purl all stitches
Row 5: k3, yo, k1, ssk, k3, yo, k3, yo, k3, k2tog, k1, yo, k3 — work twice
Row 6: Purl all stitches
Row 7: k4, yo, ssk, k3, yo, k5, yo, k3, k2tog, yo, k4 — work twice
Row 8: Purl all stitches
Row 9: k5, yo, ssk, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k5 — work twice
Row 10: Purl all stitches
Row 11: k4, k2tog, yo, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, yo, ssk, k4 — work twice
Row 12: Purl all stitches
Repeat Rows 1 through 12 for the lace panel pattern. The stitch count remains 19 stitches throughout each repeat because every yarn over is balanced by a matching decrease.
Center Cable Panel (40 stitches)
The center cable panel uses a more elaborate braided cable that forms the visual heart of the blanket. This 40-stitch panel combines C6B and C6F crossings with reverse stockinette columns to create a wide, flowing braid.
Row 1 (RS): p2, C6B, p4, k6, p4, C6F, p2
Row 2 (WS): k2, p6, k4, p6, k4, p6, k2
Row 3: p2, k6, p4, C6B, p4, k6, p2
Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Row 5: p2, C6F, p4, k6, p4, C6B, p2
Row 6: Repeat Row 2
Row 7: Repeat Row 3
Row 8: Repeat Row 2
Row 9: p2, k6, p4, C6F, p4, k6, p2
Row 10: Repeat Row 2
Row 11: Repeat Row 1
Row 12: Repeat Row 2
Repeat Rows 1 through 12 for the center cable panel.
Working the Afghan Body
On every right-side row, work across the sections in order: 5 garter border stitches, outer cable panel, slip marker, dividing stitch in reverse stockinette, slip marker, lace panel, slip marker, dividing stitch, slip marker, center cable panel, slip marker, dividing stitch, slip marker, lace panel, slip marker, dividing stitch, slip marker, outer cable panel, 5 garter border stitches.
On every wrong-side row, work the 5 border stitches in garter, then work each panel as established (purl the lace sections straight across, work the cables as knit the knits and purl the purls), then end with the 5 garter border stitches.
Continue working all panels simultaneously until the piece measures approximately 58 inches from the cast on edge, ending after a completed repeat for all three patterns. Because the lace pattern has a 12-row repeat and the cable patterns have 8 and 12-row repeats respectively, all three complete neatly every 24 rows, which is a natural stopping point.
Top Garter Border
Work 8 rows in garter stitch across all 217 stitches to match the bottom border.
Bind Off
Bind off loosely using a stretchy method. A simple option is to work a standard bind off but use a needle one to two sizes larger than your working needles. For lace sections, a sewn bind off provides the most flexibility and is strongly recommended — it will allow the lace to open fully during blocking without the edge pulling in.
Finishing and Blocking
Blocking transforms this project. Without it, the cables will look good but a little tight, and the lace panels will appear puckered and hard to read. With it, the entire blanket will relax into its full intended beauty.
To wet block, fill a clean sink or bathtub with cool water and a small amount of wool wash. Submerge the finished blanket and gently press it into the water without agitating. Let it soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the water and gently press the blanket against the side of the sink to remove excess water — never wring or twist. Lay it flat on towels, roll the towels up with the blanket inside, and press again to absorb more moisture. Unroll the blanket and lay it on your blocking mats.
Working from the center out, pin the blanket to the stated dimensions, stretching the lace panels open and smoothing the cables flat. The lace sections will require pinning at each point of the motif to open the leaf shapes properly. Leave the blanket pinned until completely dry, which may take 24 to 48 hours depending on humidity and airflow.
When the pins come out, you will see the full pattern for the first time in its best light.
Tips for Success
Keeping track of your place in multiple simultaneous patterns is the primary challenge of this project. A few habits will save you considerable frustration. Use a magnetic board or sticky note to mark your row in the pattern, moving it up after every completed row rather than relying on memory. Count your lace stitches at the end of every right-side row before you move on — catching a dropped yarn over or an extra decrease two rows back is far easier than catching it twenty rows later.
If you find yourself losing track in the lace sections, try using a lifeline. Thread a smooth piece of waste yarn or unwaxed dental floss through all the live stitches on a needle at the end of a completed 12-row lace repeat. If you need to rip back, you can rip safely to the lifeline without losing work.
Take your time with the cable crosses. Rushing cable crossings leads to twisted stitches or dropped stitches that can be genuinely difficult to repair in a cabled fabric. Set the work down, place the stitches deliberately on the cable needle, and keep it close to the working needle while you work the next few stitches.
Yarn Substitution Ideas
This pattern was designed for a standard worsted weight, but it adapts well to other weights with gauge adjustment. A DK weight version in a merino-silk blend would produce a softer, more delicate blanket with sharper stitch definition in the lace sections. A bulky weight version would knit up much faster but requires recalculating stitch counts to maintain similar proportions.
If you want to try a linen or cotton yarn, be aware that plant fibers do not have the same memory and elasticity as wool. Cables will not stand as proud, and you will need to wet block more aggressively. That said, a cotton lace and cable throw in a soft sage or dusty blue can be beautiful as a warm-weather or coastal cottage accessory.
Making It Your Own
Once you are comfortable with the basic structure of this pattern, there are many ways to personalize it. Swapping the 12-row leaf lace panel for a different traditional lace motif of the same stitch count — such as a horseshoe lace, fern lace, or simple feather-and-fan panel — will give the blanket a completely different character while keeping the construction identical. Similarly, replacing the outer rope cable with a more elaborate honeycomb cable or Trinity stitch panel adds extra texture at the edges.
You can also adjust the width and length quite freely. Each outer cable panel, lace panel, or center cable panel can be widened or narrowed in full pattern repeat increments. Adding a third lace panel between the center cable and the outer cable panels, for example, would produce a wider, airier blanket with a different visual balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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