Crochet twisted cable stitch tutorial (with no post stitches!)

This tutorial will show you how to crochet a little known but super useful twisted crochet cable stitch. If post stitches are not your thing, but you love the look of crochet cables then this one is for you.

About the crochet cable stitch

This stitch is a bit different from many typical cable or other crochet stitches, so just trust the process. It uses slip stitches, single crochets and chains and that’s it.

You can see this crochet stitch used in the Fisherman’s nap crochet blanket pattern worked together with the knurl stitch.

Below you will find a video tutorial, a written and photo guide demonstrating how to create this twisty crochet cable effect.

Notes for cable stitch

• The starting chains do not count as a stitch but chain spaces do
• Instructions written after *asterisks should be repeated as indicated 
• The stitch pattern is worked using a stitch multiple of 3+4 and a row multiple of 2. I started with 3 rows of 19 sc in the swatches pictured – learn more about stitch and row multiples here

When working the cable stitch you will turn twice for each cable section. To avoid getting in a tangle, I recommend you make one turn one way and the other turn the opposite way so you kind of end up where you started. This will stop you needing to turn your whole blanket around for each cable.

Stitch abbreviations (US terms)

• ch = chain
• ch-sp = chain space
• rep = repeat
• RS = right side
• sc = single crochet (UK double crochet)
• sk = skip (UK miss)
• sp = space
• ss = slip stitch
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• WS = wrong side

Crochet cable stitch video tutorial

You can find right and let handed video tutorials for the crochet cable stitch, with closed captions, at the links below.

Right handed crochet cable tutorial

Left handed crochet cable tutorial

Crochet cable stitch – written tutorial

Below are the written instructions for the twisted crochet cable stitch pattern;

Start with a multiple of 3 + 4 stitches (I used 19 for this sample).

Cable row 1 (RS):

• ch1, 1sc in each of first two sts, ch3, sk 2 sts, 1sc in next st, turn,
• ss into ch-sp, ch1, 3sc in ch-sp,
• ss into the base of the sc made before ch, turn,
• working behind the sts just made, 1sc in each of two skipped sts (first cable made),
• *ch3, sk sc where ch was joined and next 2 sts, 1sc in next st, turn,
• ss into ch3-sp, ch1, 3sc in ch3-sp, ss into base of sc made prior to ch, turn,
• working behind the sts just made, 1sc in each of 2 skipped sts;
• rep from * to last 3 sts,
• ch1, sk next st where ch was joined, 1sc in each of last two sts, turn

Cable Row 2 (WS):

• Ch1, 1sc in first 2 sts,
• *sk next st, 2sc in next sc (behind the cable),
• 1sc in next sc,
• sk next st;
• rep from * to last 2 sts,
• 1sc in each of last 2 sts, turn

For Cable Row 2, you are essentially working in the two single crochets you worked in the skipped stitches made on cable Row 1. This ‘fills in the gaps’ behind the cable you created by working in the chain space.

Crochet cable stitch – photo guide

Below is a photo tutorial for this twisted braid style crochet stitch pattern. It includes more detailed written instructions than the precious overview, along with the pictures.

The images in the photo guide below are for right handed crocheters and appear below the instructions which relate to them. If you’re left handed, you will see a mirror image.

You will need to work with a stitch multiple of 3+4 stitches over 2 rows.

If you’re practicing this stitch with a swatch, I recommend working a few rows of single crochet to get started. In the picture(and video) tutorial I start with 3 rows of single crochet with 19 stitches across.

Cable row 1

Step 1 (RS): Ch1, 1sc in each of first two sts

Step 2 (RS): ch3, sk 2 sts, 1sc in next st

Step 3: turn

Step 4 (WS): ss into ch-sp, ch1

Step 5 (WS): 3sc in ch-sp

Step 6 (WS):ss into the base of the sc made before the chain

Step 7: turn

Step 8 (RS):  1sc in each of two skipped sts working behind the stitches you’ve just worked (you may want to use your thumb to pull the cable towards you)

first cable made

Step 9 (RS): ch3, sk sc where ch was joined and next 2 sts, 1sc in next st

Step 10: turn

Step 11: (WS): ss into ch3-sp, ch1

Step 12 (WS): 3sc in ch3-sp

Step 13 (WS): ss into base of sc made prior to chain (space to ss into shown in image below)

turn

Step 14 (RS): working behind the stitches just made, 1sc in each of 2 skipped sts (working behind the cable)

Next cable complete

For stitch pattern: Repeat steps 9-14 until you are left with 2 sts unworked at the end of the row

Final step: (RS): ch1, sk sc where ch was joined, 1sc in each of last 2 sts

turn.

Cable Row 2

Cable Row 2 is worked on the WS across

For Cable Row 2, you are essentially working into the two single crochets that you worked in the skipped stitches made on Cable Row 1. This ‘fills the gaps’ behind the cable you created when you worked in the chain space.

Each ‘cable’ takes up 3 stitches, so this is what you need to match on the wrong side to ensure you maintain a consistent stitch count.

Step 1 (WS): Ch1, 1sc in first 2 sts, sk next st

Step 2 (WS): 2sc in next sc (which is the second of the two sc worked in the skipped sts behind the cable on the previous row)

Step 3 (WS): 1sc in next sc (which is the first of the two sc worked in the skipped sts on the previous row)

Step 4 (WS): sk next st

Step 5 (WS): Repeat steps 2-4 to the last 2 sts

Step 5 (WS): 1sc in each of last 2 sts, turn

And there you have it. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial – if you found it helpful, remember to share it with all your crochet buddies!

I’d love to see how you use this stitch pattern in your projects, so please do tag me on instagram using #doradoes

Happy Hooking

Dx