How to crochet crossed cable stitches

Crochet cables are typically created by working front and or back post crochet stitches of varying heights into one another. These useful crochet stitches can be combined in all sorts of ways to create interesting crochet cable patterns.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to crochet crossed cable stitches, which allow you to twist crochet stitches over each other.

Below you will find a photo tutorial for single, double and treble crossed crochet cable stitch patterns, which you can use in a variety of crochet projects. Also included are left and right handed video tutorials which demonstrate all three techniques together.

This tutorial uses a swatch from the Triptych Twist Crochet Blanket Pattern which you see pictured below.

This pattern alternates rows of double and single crochet which means the cables are always worked into cables two rows below. This is my preferred method of crocheting cables but the stitch will also work if you are crocheting into post stitches on the row immediately below.

I use the front post extended treble crochet (description below) but the same principle applies regardless of stitch height.

That said, I would not try this process with anything shorter than a front post double crochet. And for your first attempt with cross cables I think it would be easier with a slightly taller stitch like a front post treble.

I have assumed a basic knowledge of post stitches here, but if you’re newer to crocheting with them, I encourage you to check out this tutorial on front and back post crochet stitches and another article which shares my tips for crocheting with post stitches as well as some fun, textured post stitch patterns to try.

Special Stitches

Front Post Extended Treble Crochet (fp-etr)

Yo twice, then, working from the front of the fabric, insert the hook behind the post of the indicated stitch (from front to back to front, so the post is in front of the hook), yo pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through one loop (4 loops on hook), [yo, pull through two loops] three times to complete the stitch.

The post will pull towards you as you work.

What are crochet crossed cables?

Crossed cables in crochet are literally just where you cross cable stitches over one another. There are different approaches to this and, in this tutorial, I share my favourite.

I include separate photos tutorials for single crossed cable, where one cable is crossed over another (two stitches), double crossed cables, where two cables are crossed over tow others (four stitches), and treble crossed cables where, you guessed it, three cables are crossed over three (6 stitches).

The image below shows, from right to left, single, double, treble and double (again!) crossed cables.

The three kinds of crossed cable stitches all use the same principle, just with a different number of stitches.

You can find a video tutorial for all three stitches below.

Note that the video tutorial was created to accompany the Triptych Twist crochet blanket pattern so you will also learn about some additional techniques in the course of the video.

Right handed crochet crossed cable video tutorial

Left handed crochet crossed cable video tutorial

Note that the video tutorials also demonstrate a technique for reducing the gaps behind cables which I call the ‘2 together method’.

This method is not covered in detail in the photo tutorial below but it is touched upon on my tips for crocheting post stitches.

Crochet Crossed Cables Photo Tutorial

Whether you are working single, double or treble crossed cables, you will need 2, 4 or 6 corresponding crochet post stitches (respectively) to work into, either on the previous row, or two rows down.

For each of the three tutorials, the written stitch description is given at the start and the step by step photos break down each step with more detailed instruction.

The image below shows the starting point for the single, double and treble crossed cables. From right to left, this swatch has 2, 4 and 6 fp-etr stitches worked into a dc 2 rows below, with a row of sc between.

The place markers are in the original dc and mark the line of the first post stitch of each set – you don’t need to worry about the markers in the tutorial but I wanted to explain their presence in case of confusion.

Single Crossed Crochet Cable Picture Tutorial

Worked over 2 consecutive fp-etr from 2 rows below.

Sk first fp-etr, 1fp-etr around the second fp-etr, working back over the st just made, 1fp-etr around first fp-etr st to complete the stitch.

Step by step photos:

Yarn over twice and, missing the first post stitch, insert hook under second post stitch of the two:

Work the rest of your fp-etr around this second post stitch:

Yarn over twice and, working back over the top of the stitch just made, insert the hook under the first post stitch of the two:

Work the rest of the fp-etr around the first post stitch:

Single Crossed Cable complete. Continue to crochet along the row as per the pattern:

And that’s it for the single!

Double Crossed Crochet Cable Picture Tutorial

Worked over 4 consecutive fp-etr from 2 rows below.

Sk first two fp-etr, 1fp-etr around each of the next two fp-etr (third and fourth), working back over the 2 sts just made, 1fp-etr around the first fp-etr, 1fp-etr around the second fp-etr to complete the stitch.

Step by step photos:

You will start with 4 post stitches to work the double crossed cable over:

Yarn over twice and, missing the first two post stitches, insert hook under third post stitch of the four:

Work the rest of the fp-etr around the third post stitch of the four:

Crochet an fp-etr around the next post stitch, the fourth of the set of four:

Working back over the top of the stitches just made, work an fp-etr around the first post stitch of the set of four:

Work an fp-etr around the second post stitch of the four to complete the crossed cable:

Continue to work along the row as per the pattern:

Treble Crossed Crochet Cable Picture Tutorial

Worked over 6 consecutive fp-etr from 2 rows below.

Sk first three fp-etr, 1fp-etr around each of the next three fp-etr (fourth, fifth and sixth), working back over the 3 sts just made, 1fp-etr around each of the first, second and third fp-etr of the set, to complete the stitch.

Step by step photos:

Below you see the 6 post stitches the treble crossed crochet cable will start with.

Yarn over twice and insert hook under fourth post stitch of the six

Work the rest of the fp-etr around the fourth post stitch of the six:

Crochet an fp-etr around each of the next two post stitches, the fifth and sixth:

Yarn over twice and, working back over the top of the stitches just made, crochet 1fp-etr around the first post stitch of the set of six:

Work 1fp-etr around the second post stitch:

Work 1fp-etr in the third post stitch of the set of six:

This will complete the treble crossed cable:

Continue to work in pattern along the row:

So there you have the single, double and treble crossed cable stitches. Below you see them all worked next to each other. In this swatch, a row of single crochet has been worked on top which helps bring out the cross pattern.

These will really come into their own when further post stitches are made into the crossed cables. Below you see the next row in this particular swatch, which gives you an idea of how this pattern takes shape.

Often with cables I do recommend blocking. Although sometimes the overall pattern will stretch out the cable shape, it can be worth giving them a blocking to really emphasise the pattern.

I hope I have demystified the crochet cable process a little for you and that you are looking forward to giving front post crochet cables a try!

Happy Hooking

Dx