Cable Knit Pattern Chart Maker
Make a cable knit chart from 13 cable panels, such as a rope, a honeycomb, a three-strand braid, a horseshoe, a wave, a zigzag and an open diamond, with purl stitches between them. The chart uses knit, purl and 12 cable crosses: C2F/C2B, C4F/C4B, C6F/C6B and C8F/C8B, and the purl crosses T3F/T3B and T4F/T4B. Every row keeps the same stitch count, and the maker writes the row-by-row instructions from the chart (Row 1 (RS): p2, C6F, p2.), so the chart and the words always agree. You can also type or paste written rows and get the chart back. Work flat, with right-side and wrong-side rows, or in the round. Download a PDF with the chart, a symbol key that spells out every cross, and the written rows; or a 300 DPI PNG, an SVG of the chart, or the rows as a text file. Nothing is uploaded.
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Page 1 is the chart, page 2 the symbol key, then the written rows. The written rows below are made from the chart.
Written rows
Panels, right side up, left to right
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How to make a cable knit chart
- Choose a preset (rope, honeycomb, braid and more), or pick up to four panels.
- Set the purl stitches between panels and at each edge, and how many times to repeat the rows.
- Choose Flat (right-side and wrong-side rows) or In the round.
- Or choose Rows I type, and type or paste written rows to turn them into a chart.
- Download the PDF (chart, symbol key, written rows), a PNG, an SVG or the rows as a text file.
What you can use it for
- Swatches before a sweater, hat or scarf
- Designing your own cable panel for a blanket or cushion
- Turning written cable rows into a chart (or a chart into words)
- Teaching and learning to read cable charts
- Printing a large chart to mark off rows as you knit
- Planning stitch counts for cable panels side by side
The 12 presets
| # | Preset | Panels | Stitches × rows | Cable crosses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rope cable | Rope | 10 × 12 | 2 |
| 2 | Honeycomb | Honeycomb | 20 × 16 | 16 |
| 3 | Braid (3 strands) | Braid | 13 × 16 | 8 |
| 4 | Mirrored rope pair | Rope + Rope | 19 × 12 | 4 |
| 5 | Horseshoe | Horseshoe | 16 × 16 | 4 |
| 6 | Wave cable | Wave | 12 × 24 | 4 |
| 7 | Zigzag twist | Zigzag (2 knit stitches on purl) | 10 × 16 | 8 |
| 8 | Open diamond | Open diamond | 12 × 16 | 10 |
| 9 | Big rope | Big rope | 14 × 20 | 2 |
| 10 | Sampler: rope, braid, rope | Rope + Braid + Rope | 29 × 24 | 20 |
| 11 | Honeycomb between small ropes | Small rope + Honeycomb + Small rope | 32 × 16 | 24 |
| 12 | Mini twists and a horseshoe | Mini twist + Horseshoe + Mini twist | 24 × 8 | 10 |
Each preset only fills in the fields; change any panel, gap or repeat afterwards.
The 13 cable panels
| Panel | Stitches | Rows |
|---|---|---|
| Rope | 6 | 6 |
| Rope | 6 | 6 |
| Small rope | 4 | 4 |
| Small rope | 4 | 4 |
| Big rope | 8 | 10 |
| Wave | 6 | 12 |
| Braid | 9 | 4 |
| Horseshoe | 12 | 8 |
| Upside-down horseshoe | 12 | 8 |
| Honeycomb | 16 | 8 |
| Zigzag (2 knit stitches on purl) | 6 | 16 |
| Open diamond | 8 | 8 |
| Mini twist | 2 | 2 |
The symbols and how to work them
| Abbreviation | Name | Stitches | How to work it (right side) |
|---|---|---|---|
| k | Knit | 1 | Knit on the right side; purl on the wrong side. |
| p | Purl | 1 | Purl on the right side; knit on the wrong side. |
| C2F | 1 over 1 left cross | 2 | Slip 1 stitch to a cable needle and hold in front, k1, then k1 from the cable needle. |
| C2B | 1 over 1 right cross | 2 | Slip 1 stitch to a cable needle and hold at the back, k1, then k1 from the cable needle. |
| C4F | 2 over 2 left cross | 4 | Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold in front, k2, then k2 from the cable needle. |
| C4B | 2 over 2 right cross | 4 | Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold at the back, k2, then k2 from the cable needle. |
| C6F | 3 over 3 left cross | 6 | Slip 3 stitches to a cable needle and hold in front, k3, then k3 from the cable needle. |
| C6B | 3 over 3 right cross | 6 | Slip 3 stitches to a cable needle and hold at the back, k3, then k3 from the cable needle. |
| C8F | 4 over 4 left cross | 8 | Slip 4 stitches to a cable needle and hold in front, k4, then k4 from the cable needle. |
| C8B | 4 over 4 right cross | 8 | Slip 4 stitches to a cable needle and hold at the back, k4, then k4 from the cable needle. |
| T3F | 2 over 1 left purl cross (twist) | 3 | Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold in front, p1, then k2 from the cable needle. |
| T3B | 2 over 1 right purl cross (twist) | 3 | Slip 1 stitch to a cable needle and hold at the back, k2, then p1 from the cable needle. |
| T4F | 2 over 2 left purl cross (twist) | 4 | Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold in front, p2, then k2 from the cable needle. |
| T4B | 2 over 2 right purl cross (twist) | 4 | Slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold at the back, k2, then p2 from the cable needle. |
Cable crosses in the presets sit on right-side rows; wrong-side rows are worked as the stitches show.
Which tool to use
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| Rope, braid and honeycomb cables with written rows | Cable Knit Pattern Chart Maker (this page) |
| Colourwork charts from a picture or by hand | Knitting Chart Maker |
| Stitch charts for cross stitch | Cross Stitch Pattern Maker |
For colourwork, try the Knitting Chart Maker; for cross stitch, the Cross Stitch Pattern Maker.
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Frequently asked questions
What do C4F and C4B mean?
C4F: slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold in front, k2, then k2 from the cable needle; the cross leans to the left. C4B is the same with the cable needle held at the back, and the cross leans to the right. C6 and C8 move 3 or 4 stitches, and C2 moves 1. Our tests work each cross stitch by stitch from its written wording and check that it matches the symbol drawn.
What are T3F and T3B?
Purl crosses (twists) move knit stitches across a purl background. T3F: slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold in front, p1, then k2 from the cable needle. T3B: slip 1 stitch to a cable needle and hold at the back, k2, then p1 from the cable needle. The T4 crosses move 2 knit stitches over 2 purls.
Does every row keep the same stitch count?
Yes. Every cross takes as many stitches as it gives back, and the maker refuses a chart whose rows differ, saying which row is wrong. Charts can be up to 80 stitches wide and 96 rows tall.
How do I read the chart?
Row 1 is at the bottom. Worked flat, right-side rows (odd numbers, on the right) are read from right to left, and wrong-side rows (even numbers, on the left) from left to right, where you purl the knit stitches and knit the purls. In the round, every round is read from right to left. A blank square is a knit stitch and a dot a purl, as seen from the right side.
Can I type written rows and get a chart?
Yes. Choose Rows I type, then write one row per line, such as “Row 1 (RS): p2, C6F, p2.” The maker reads the rows back into a chart. Our tests write the rows for every preset, read them back and get the same chart.
Where are the cables crossed when knitting flat?
On right-side rows only, as in the presets; the maker asks you to move a cross off a wrong-side row, or to choose In the round, where every round faces you.
Abbreviations differ between patterns. Which do you use?
The key on page 2 spells out every symbol in words, so you never have to guess. If you follow another pattern, check its own key.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn by JavaScript in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.