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Chunky Cable Knit Blanket Pattern (Free Easy Throw)

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In this post, you will see a chunky cable knit blanket pattern.

The blanket is really huge and squishy, perfect for those cold autumn/winter days.

Scroll down to view the free version of the pattern with ads, or grab your printable PDF with no ads from my shop here.

chunky cable knit blanket on large circular needles

Cable Knit Blanket Pattern

Notes

Skill Level – Intermediate

The blanket knits up fairly quickly, and the cable twist design makes for a relaxing and enjoyable knit.

The blanket is made up of simple cables that should be easy enough if it is your first time knitting cables and using circular needles.

Grab the ad-free printable PDF pattern here.

Copyright Info

  • Please do not copy, sell, redistribute, or republish this free pattern. 
  • If you wish to share this pattern, link to the pattern page only.
  • You may sell items produced using this pattern.
  • In all product listings, please credit Handy Little Me (Louise Bollanos) as the designer.
  • Do NOT use copyrighted photos for your product listing.
  • For the copyright T&C, please read my Terms of Use.

Size Information

Gauge

10 x 10 cm /4 x 4 inches = 4 sts and 6 rows in stocking stitch.

Size

Length = 70 inches/178 cm

Width = 66 inches/168 cm

The Supplies You Need

Yarn

Needles

Notions

  • Tape measure
  • Darning needle
  • Scissors
large knit blanket with cables

Abbreviations

  • CO – Cast on
  • Cont – Continue
  • C6F – (K3+3), slip the next 3 sts onto a cable needle and hold at the front of the work, K3 from the left-hand needle, then knit 3 from the cable needle.
  • K – Knit
  • P – Purl
  • Rep – Repeat
  • St(s) – Stitch(es)
  • RS – Right Side
  • WS – Wrong side

Cable Knit Blanket Pattern

With two strands held together – Cast on 78 sts (do not join in the round)

Rows 1-3: Knit to the end of the row.

Next, start the cable pattern:

  • Row 1 (RS): K6 (edge), *P3, K6, rep from * to last 9 sts, P3, K6.
  • Row 2 (WS): K6 (edge), K3, *P6, K3, rep from * to last 6 sts, K6.
  • Row 3: K6 (edge), *P3, K6, rep from * to last 9 sts, P3, K6.
  • Row 4: K6 (edge), K3, *P6, K3, rep from * to last 6 sts, K6.
  • Row 5: K6 (edge), *P3, K6, rep from * to last 9 sts, P3, K6.
  • Row 6: K6 (edge), K3, *P6, K3, rep from * to last 6 sts, K6.
  • Row 7: (Cable row) K6 (edge), *P3, C6F, rep from * to last 9 sts, P3, K6.
  • Row 8: K6 (edge), K3, *P6, K3, rep from * to last 6 sts, K6.

These 8 rows form the pattern.

Repeat rows 1-8 until you have completed rows 1-8 = 10 times.

Cont in cable pattern for a further 6 rows (rows 1-6 only).

Knit 3 rows.

Cast off.

Weave in all loose ends.

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Knit Using A Simple 6-Stitch Cable Pattern

This pattern is perfect if you’re looking for an easy, quick pattern to work on while watching a show or listening to a podcast.

You’ll use knit and purl stitches to form the 6-stitch cable pattern. 

The cable is an easy one to knit, so if you have never cabled before, don’t worry; it is really simple – you can do it!

The front of your work will look different from the back, as the columns of cables will be raised on the right side of the knitted fabric.

cable knit blanket pattern

Making Your Own Cable Throw Blanket

The cables in the blanket form an intricate design that looks more complicated than it is.

You will follow an 8-row repeat throughout the pattern, knitting extra stitches for the borders on either side.

This cable pattern is known as a 6-stitch cable to the left.

If you are new to cables, this is a great pattern to try out; it’s a quick knit and the right size to lay on your bed or sofa.

cable blanket knit with jumbo yarn

This Chunky Blanket Knits Up Faster Than Most!

Chunky knit blankets are just everywhere right now and make great throws for your home.

You can make this blanket fairly fast, which makes it a beautiful throw for gift giving to family members.

Cozy and snuggly, it is large enough for two or three if you include the cat or dog.

Knit with a soft alpaca wool blend, this really is a blanket that you will want to make!

chunky knit blanket on a large bed

The Needles

  • I used 25 mm (US 50) 40″ circular knitting needles for this pattern.
  • They are huge needles and easy to work with.
  • Fantastic for making throw blankets and scarves.
  • I did not have a cable needle this large, so I used a 20 mm (US 36) needle as my cable needle.
  • If you have a 25 mm (US 50) straight needle – I would recommend using that for the cable stitches.
easy squishy throw blanket knit on large circular needles

The Yarn

  • I used Yarn Art Alpine Alpaca in the color beige (430) for the blanket.
  • This yarn is an alpaca/wool/acrylic blend and is very soft to the touch.
  • This yarn is super bulky/super chunky/18-20 ply, and I knit with two strands together for the blanket.
  • If you use jumbo weight yarn, then you should knit with a single strand only.

Yarn Substitutes

You can substitute this yarn with any yarn that is super bulky weight.

You can find a full list of yarn substitutes here.

Here are some examples:

  • Lion Brand – Wool-Ease Thick and Quick.
  • Novita – Folk
  • Stylecraft – Swift Knit
  • Grundl – Alaska
  • Big Twist Yarns – Natural Blend
  • Buttercream – Luxe Craft Alpaca Solid
  • Mary Maxim – Starlette Chunky
  • Yarn Bee – Effortless Super Bulky
  • Lion Brand – Hometown USA
  • Patons (Australia) – Super Quick
  • Bergere De France – Recyclaine
  • Red heart yarn also has many choices.
  • Bernat maker home dec.
chunky throw blanket knit with super bulky yarn

More Knitted Blanket Patterns

This blanket pattern is a great way for advanced beginners to learn how to knit classic cables.

For more free blanket patterns, please take a look at these posts:

For more cable knits, you may like this post – 17+ Cable Knitting Patterns You Will Love!

big knit blanket with a cable design
A chunky cable blanket gives a modern look to any room.

Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern:

cable blanket knit with super bulky yarn
The bold cables are framed with garter stitch edging.

Share your work with us…

I love seeing your finished projects on social media.

If you enjoyed making the large knit blanket, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @handylittleme.

If you are on Facebook, stop over to the handylittleme Facebook group and share a photo. 

I’d love to see your work.

Happy Knitting!

large knit blanket

More Patterns You May Be Interested In…

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58 Comments

  1. love love love
    i do work a lot with Thick and quick yarn,, how much yarn would you need ( the same amount as Alpaca ???)

    I wish you would post on Ravelry so lots of people could see you work !!!

    LOve Love Love

    Reply

    1. Hello Sylvie, You could substitute the yarn for Thick and Quick – you can work out how much you need by looking at the quantity of Yarn Art Alpine Alpaca used which was 13 skeins at 150g each. The thick and quick are around 170g each so maybe 12 will be ok. I am indeed on Ravelry – have been for years 🙂 You can find my patterns here – https://www.ravelry.com/designers/louise-bollanos. Thanks so much for your kind words, I hope you enjoy the pattern 🙂

      Reply

      1. When converting a pattern to a different yarn, I should use the weight rather than length? The Thick and Quick is heavier, but the skeins are only 106 yards instead of 131 yards like the alpaca… I just want to make sure I buy enough yarn before starting my blanket. Thank you!!

        Reply

        1. Hello Delia, I would go on the length – because the Alpine Alpaca is very similar in weight to the Thick and Quick yarn.
          So you need to buy more yarn because the thick and quick has fewer yards per skein.
          I think I wrote how much you need in the post.
          I hope that helps!
          Louise 🙂

          Reply

          1. Thanks for the super quick reply!! Do you recommend any particular cast on method or will any of them work fine? I just learned the knitted cast on and really like it for blankets because it gives a stretchy edge.

          2. Hello Delia,
            The knitted cast on will work just fine, or the thumb cast-on method.
            A stretchy cast odd (bind off) is also good so that you don’t have a tight edge when you cast off.
            I cast off very loosely so that the blanket didn’t have a tight pulled in cast off edge.
            I hope that helps 🙂
            Happy knitting!
            Louise

  2. What a beautiful piece of work!! Would love to get started!
    💛Was wondering do you thing the cables would pop as well in the white or cream?
    💛love the look of the beige…Does this yarn pill?

    grateful thanks for sharing your pattern, regards, donna thorne

    Reply

    1. Hello Donna! Thank you for your kind words, I’m so happy you like the pattern. I think yes the cables would stand out in a white or cream yarn – probably more than they do in the beige I knit with. Especially I think if you used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick in Fisherman.

      The yarn I used has a wool/alpaca count – so yes it does get a little hairy.

      I don’t have this problem when I use the wool ease thick and quick – but this has a higher acrylic count than the yarn I used.

      I hope you enjoy making the blanket 🙂

      Reply

  3. Thank you so much for the quick response…Excited to get started …having some difficulty finding the ICE alpine alpaca without an enormous delivery fee…does the lion brand have as fine a look as the one here.

    Reply

    1. Hello Donna, yes the YarnArt Alpine Alpaca may be more available in Europe – have you checked YarnStreet or on Etsy? If I am stuck I sometimes order from those places. The Lion Brand Yarn is also one of my favourites to work with and is more available – the yarn is very nice and has a good quality to it. I have a shelf full of that waiting to be used and I just ordered more in the Jan sales 🙂 If you have a local yarn store that stocks Lion Brand maybe you could go and check it out before you decide? Happy knitting, Louise

      Reply

    1. Hello Megan, if you read the pattern, you will see that the cable has an 8-row repeat.

      This means that to work the cable you need to follow the 8 rows given for that pattern – the actual cable row is row 7 of that 8-row repeat.

      You need to repeat working those 8 rows a further 10 times, then after that you work rows 1-6 then the border rows. I hope that helps 🙂

      Reply

  5. Hi! Love your blanket. If I wanted to make it narrower because of a chunkier yarn, what is ur cable pattern repeat? How do I calculate how many stitches to cast on?l

    Reply

    1. Hello Lorna, this cable pattern is known as a 6 stitch cable to the left. For symmetry, work on a multiple of 9 + 3 sts, + 1 edge st on each side. 🙂

      Reply

  6. Hello Louise,
    Is the pattern supposed to look the same on both sides? This is my first experience with cable knitting and one side of my blanket has the pattern, but the other is totally not the same.

    Reply

    1. Hello Eunice, the cable pattern will be seen on one side. The underside of the blanket looks different. This is not a reversible pattern. Thanks for visiting 🙂

      Reply

  7. Hi, firstly this blanket is absolutely beautiful. However, I am struggling to find enough yarn in NZ for the pattern so am wondering about instructions for making a slightly smaller blanket – more like a single bed size. Would you have substitute instructions for this? Many thanks 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hello Amber, thank you for your comment, I’m so happy you like the pattern. The cable pattern has 9 stitches needed for the repeat for each of the cable rows and 6 sts on each edge for the border. You can work out from that how many sts you need for your blanket – cutting down on perhaps three or four of the cables. This will make the width of the blanket shorter, then you can adjust the height to match. I hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

  8. Hi there! This is so beautiful and I am looking forward to making it for a friend’s wedding gift. I do have a couple of questions…
    1. How many yards of yarn total do I need?
    2. And do I knit with a double strand?
    3. Do you think this yarn would work?

    Thank you so much!
    Jacqueline

    Reply

    1. Hello Jacqueline, here are the answers to your questions:
      1. You need – approx 1,706 yards. This info is in the yarn section of the pattern as I used Yarn Art Alpine Alpaca – which is 131.23 yards per skein.
      2. Yes, you knit with two strands together if you use super bulky yarn.
      3. The yarn you suggested – it could work but with that yarn, you would only need to knit with one strand – as this is jumbo yarn.
      I’m so happy you like the pattern and I hope you enjoy making it.
      It will make a beautiful wedding gift! 🙂

      Reply

  9. Can I cast on 102 stitches if I wanted to make the blanket a bit bigger? I’m assuming this works in multiples of 6 stitches?

    Reply

    1. Hello Maggie, this is a 6 stitch cable to the left and for symmetry work on a multiple of 3+6 sts + 6 edge sts on each side.
      I would suggest casting on 99 sts + 6 sts for the border each side or 108 sts + 6 sts for the border each side.
      I hope that helps 🙂

      Reply

  10. I have size 50 needles non-circular. Would you suggest me not trying to do this blanket with straight needles? Too bulky?

    Reply

    1. Hello Cindy, I think you would struggle with the number of stitches on the needles – there would be too many and with them all being really big, there would not be enough room.
      I hope that helps 🙂

      Reply

      1. It did… I need to search for these needles. Local vendors do not have. Amazon to the rescue. REALLY big sale going on right now with Michael’s and the Lion Brand big skeins of Thick & Quick. I am going crazy buying it up to do several of your lovely patterns.

        Reply

  11. Hi, I started knitting this project with Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn and I’m knitting with two strands, but after casting on 78 sts it seems to only be 26 inches long. Did I misread the pattern, or does this have to do with the yarn I’m using? If it is the yarn, should double or even triple the stitch count? Thank You.

    Reply

    1. Hello Manuel, have you knitted a couple of rows to see the length after knitting?
      Also, this yarn knit with two strands together should be fine, as it is the same weight/thickness as the yarn I used.
      It may look different once you have knit a few rows – let me know how that goes, 
      Thanks,
      Louise 

      Reply

      1. Hi Louise, thank you so much for responding. Yes, once I knitted a few more rows I could finally see the actual length. I also went and restarted and cast on more loosely to make sure it was the right length. Thanks again!

        Reply

        1. Hello Manuel, that’s great, I think when you cast on it doesn’t look like much, but once you get knitting you can see it start to take shape.
          I hope you enjoy making the blanket! 🙂

          Reply

  12. Hi! I’m very excited to make your blanket. I’m not to experienced, so I apologize if this is a silly question. When reading the first row of the cable part of the pattern, after repeating the p3 k6, should I add p3 before last k6 border? Thank you!- Melanie

    Reply

    1. Hello Melanie, Yes on the first row – Row 1: K6 (edge), *P3, K6, rep from * to last 6 sts, K6.
      You K6 for the edge, then repeat the P3, K6 to the end of the row, this means you will p3 before the K6 for the edge stitches.
      I hope that helps 🙂
      Louise

      Reply

  13. Hello, I am very excited to start this blanket. With your yarn you said you needed 13 skeins. If you double up and use 2 strands of yarn does that mean I need 26 skeins total, Or was that figured in for the 13 skeins. Thank You

    Reply

    1. Hello Kristine, I used 13 skeins of the super bulky yarn – knit with two strands together.
      I hope that helps!
      Louise

      Reply

  14. If the knitting needles are US 50 what is the length of the needles to be able to fit all of the knitting on?
    Thank you

    Reply

  15. Hi, I’m excited about making this blanket. Purchased the US 50 needles. Also purchased a skein of “Yarn Bee Effortless Super Bulky” yarn–111 yards per skein.
    I want to be sure to order enough yarn. I knit tight and was thinking I should order 20 skeins. Your opinion would be appreciated.

    Thanks, LaVerna

    Reply

    1. Hello LaVerna,
      The yarn I used was 131 yards per skein so you will need to buy more as the yarn you have is 111 yards per skein.
      I used 13 skeins, so you will need around 16 skeins.
      But if you think you will need more, you could go ahead and get 20.
      If you start knitting and come to see that you have more yarn than you need, you can just make your blanket longer to use it up!
      Or make a matching hat 🙂
      I hope that helps,
      Happy Knitting!
      Louise

      Reply

  16. Hello, I have a question please:I ordered my yarn to make this beautiful blanket.
    it’s super bulky,in u.s. its #7, and requires size 50 needles.would this be suitable?

    Thank you,this will be a Christmas gift for a treasured family member,I’m using antique cream color yarn with soft lite dove grey on the side 6 stitches .
    Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hello Jen,
      Yes if you use Jumbo weight yarn 07 – knit with a single strand only on the US size 50 needles that will work out well.
      I hope you enjoy knitting the blanket and your colour choices sound lovely.
      Feel free to tag me in a pic on Instagram of your blanket or drop a photo in the Handy Little Me Facebook group – the makers will love to see it!
      Happy knitting!
      Louise 🙂

      Reply

  17. Hi, this will be my first cable knit blanket and I’m very excited to see how it comes out! I’m making a blanket for my niece for Christmas and I think she would love this pattern but she chose a multicolor yarn. Do you think this pattern would still look pretty in multicolor or do you think it’s a pattern that comes out best with a simple single color? Thank you so much!

    Reply

    1. Hello Katie,
      I think the cables on the blanket will stand out more in a solid colour.
      But with them being so large you should be able to see them ok in the multi coloured yarn.
      You could try a sample to see how it looks? before you buy the whole amount you need to make the blanket.
      I hope that helps!
      Louise

      Reply

  18. Hi,

    I am excited to start my blanket however I am a little confused.

    The instruction is to cast on 78 stitches (I presume this includes the 6 st each side edging) This doesn’t seem to calculate evenly can you confirm ?
    I do want to make the blanket larger so will probably follow the below which do calculate
    this is a 6 stitch cable to the left and for symmetry work on a multiple of 3+6 sts + 6 edge sts on each side.
    I would suggest casting on 99 sts + 6 sts for the border each side or 108 sts + 6 sts for the border each side.

    Reply

    1. Hello Mari,
      The blanket has 7 cables and a six stitch edge either side.
      78 sts is correct to cast on – if you minus the 12 edge stitches (6 either side) you have 66 sts left for the cables.
      You can upsize the blanket if you wish, this will make it suitable for a super king-size bed.
      The blanket pattern as it is is suitable for a double bed up to a king-size to throw over your duvet.
      Or you can snuggle up on the sofa!
      Happy knitting!
      Louise

      Reply

  19. Hi Louise,
    I was so excited to start knitting this lovely blanket but ordered the wrong weight 🙁 Bulky instead of Super Bulky. I wondered if I should just go with a thinner needle(size 19) instead of US50. Not sure of the result and amount of stitches I would need? Any advice would be appreciated!
    Many Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hello Judy,
      If you want to use bulky yarn knit with two strands together – then yes using a smaller needle size will be better – you could try out a 19mm (US 35) or 15mm (US 19).
      You need to keep 6 sts at each edge and the cable repeat is over 9 sts.
      You could try casting on 120 sts (9×12+12 = 120) or 138 sts (9×14+12 = 138) – to see how that goes.
      I hope that helps!
      Louise

      Reply

  21. I wanted to make this beautiful cable blanket but I am having a problem with the count. I am using size 50 circular needles, however, I wanted to make it smaller so I thought I would cast on 58 stitches instead of 78. I wanted to know if your count includes the 3K rows in the beginning and the 3K rows at the end? How many cables would I need if I made the blanket smaller? Sorry, but I’m confused?

    Reply

    1. Hello Gina,
      This cable pattern is a 6-stitch cable to the left. For symmetry, work on multiples of 3+6 sts for the cables and add the 6 edge stitches at the beg and end of every row.
      I would suggest casting on 60 sts – This is 5 x 9 for the cables (45), + 3 P sts at the end of each row (48), and the 12 sts you need for the edges (6 sts at the beg and end) = 60sts.
      That would give you 5 cables.
      I hope that helps!
      Louise

      Reply

  22. Love the cable pattern! Any tips for joining skeins of yarn while knitting due to large needle size and looser stitch structure? Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hello Barbara,
      You may need to secure them by tying them to the end of the previous skein.
      If you don’t they may be very loose while you work.
      Later on, you can undo the knot and weave the ends in to hide them and to secure the yarn.
      I hope that helps!
      Louise

      Reply

  23. I am using Bernat blanket extra #7 yarn on 36 needle. Would like to make the width smaller, like maybe in the 40,s. Don’t know what to cast on. I know I will have less cables. Help.Thankyou for your response and time. Rose in my 80,s and thinking cap doesn’t work as good anymore 🤪

    Reply

    1. Hello Rose,
      I would suggest casting on 60 sts – This is 5 x 9 for the cables (45), + 3 P sts at the end of each row (48), and the 12 sts you need for the edges (6 sts at the beg and end) = 60sts.
      That would give you 5 cables.
      I hope that helps!
      Louise

      Reply

  24. I’m thinking of knitting this blanket with super chunky/super bulky yarn. I see that has to be done knitting two strands together. Do I need 1706 yds of yarn, or do I need to double that because I’m knitting with two strands? And if I was using jumbo yarn would I need less than that?

    Reply

    1. Hello Anna,
      If you use a super bulky yarn you will have to knit with two strands together for this project.
      The amount of yarn in the pattern has taken into account that you are knitting with two strands together.
      So you do not need to double that amount.
      If you decide to use a single strand of jumbo weight yarn, you will also need the same amount of yarn (yards).
      I hope that helps,
      Louise

      Reply

  25. Hi
    Thanks for the pattern I really love it!

    I’ve just knitted it for my daughter and its such a lovely design. I’d really like to make a couple of cushion covers with the cable design to go with it – how could I adapt the Christmas chunky knit cushion to do this do you think?

    Thanks so much

    Helen

    Reply

    1. Hello Helen,
      You could take a look at the chunky knit pillow cover for measurements and the cast on then adapt that with this cable blanket pattern.
      Happy knitting!
      Louise

      Reply

  26. What am I doing wrong? I’m using a chunky chenille with a chunky fur type yarn which together, look even thicker than yours, but my resulting pattern looks so loose! I’ve knitted for years, but this mystifies me!

    Reply

    1. Hi Lynn,

      Thank you for your comment, and I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble with the pattern—it sounds like you’re combining some wonderfully cozy yarns! 😊

      The looseness of your pattern could be caused by a few factors:

      Needle Size: Double-check the size of the needles you’re using. If the needles are too large for your combined yarn thickness, the stitches might appear looser than desired. Try going down a size or two to tighten up the pattern.

      Yarn Characteristics: Chenille and fur-type yarns are quite soft and pliable, which can sometimes make them harder to work with for structured patterns like cables. They may not hold the same definition as other chunky yarns, creating a looser look.

      Gauge: Even if you’ve knitted for years, yarn with unusual textures (like chenille or fur) can behave differently. I’d recommend knitting a small swatch and adjusting your tension slightly by tightening your stitches if necessary.

      Blocking: Once finished, blocking can help the yarn fibers settle and bring more definition to the pattern.

      If none of these suggestions solve the issue, feel free to share more details, and I’ll do my best to help you troubleshoot!

      Happy knitting! 🧶

      Louise

      Reply