Learn how to knit wrist warmers with a cabled wrist warmer knitting pattern with a deceptively simple cable design perfect for your first cable project.
The cable structure on these wristlets is reminiscent of a trellis that might be found in a quaint old Irish rose garden. The cable pattern is very basic and would be an excellent first cable project. Knitting these wrist warmers in an alpaca yarn works well, because the cable pattern supports the inherently inelastic alpaca in a soft yet stable fabric form and the buttons make the wristlets easily adjustable. As the wrist warmers are worn, the alpaca will bloom to a lovely softness, but will maintain the deep cable pattern.
Pattern Note
The length of the wrist warmers can be adjusted by working more or fewer cable pattern repeats. If you want a wider piece, cast on more stitches and work more edge stitches in garter stitch.
Skill Level: Easy
Size: To fit 7″ [17.8 cm] wrist circumference.
Finished Measurements: Width: 3-1/2″ [9 cm] and Length: 10″ [25.5 cm] or desired length.
Materials:
- 80 yd [73 m] worsted weight alpaca yarn
- Size 7 [4.5 mm] knitting needles or size needed to obtain gauge
- Cable needle
- Tapestry needle
- Extra yarn to attach buttons
- Set of 4 buttons with approx 1″ [2.5 cm] diameter
Gauge:
16 sts and 28 rows = 4″ [10 cm] in ST st.
One 16-st, 6 row cable panel = 2-1/2 × 1-1/4″ [3.2 × 6.5 cm].
Adjust needle size as necessary to obtain correct gauge.
Special Abbreviations:
2 over 2 Left Cross (2/2 LC): Slip next 2 sts to a cable needle and hold the cable needle to the front of the work without knitting the sts. Knit the next 2 sts on the working needle, and then knit the 2 sts held on the cable needle. This turns the cable to the left.
2 over 2 Right Cross (2/2 RC): Slip next 2 sts to a cable
needle and hold the cable needle to the back of the work without knitting the sts. Knit the next 2 sts on the working needle, and then knit the 2 sts held on the cable needle.
This turns the cable to the right.
Pattern Stitch
Cable Panel (16-ST PANEL)
- Row 1 (RS): *K2, 2/2 LC, k4, 2/2 RC, k2.
- Row 2: K2, p12, k2.
- Row 3: K4, 2/2 LC, 2/2 RC, k4.
- Row 4: K2, p12, k2.
- Row 5: K6, 2/2 RC, k6.
- Row 6: K2, p12, k2.
- Rep Rows 1-6 for pat, stopping the pat after row 4 before beginning the button band.
Button Band Instructions
Using long-tail method, CO 16 sts.
- Rows 1-3: Knit.
- Rows 4, 6, and 8: K2, p12, k2.
- Rows 5 and 7: Knit.
- Work 6-row Cable Panel 6 times or until piece measures 2″ [5 cm] shorter than desired size, then work Rows 1-5 once more.
Buttonhole Band Instructions
The first row creates 2 buttonholes. The 1-stitch decrease sets up even spacing for the buttonholes on the band and reduces the flare created by the previous cable pattern.
- Buttonhole row 1 (RS): K3, BO 2, k3 (including st on RH needle following BO), k2tog, BO 2, k4–11 sts.
- Buttonhole row 2: K2, p2; using backward-loop method, CO 2 sts; p4, CO 2, p1, k2–15 sts.
- Next 3 rows: Knit.
- BO kwise.
Finishing Instructions
- Cut yarn, leaving a tail of about 6″ [15 cm].
- Weave in all tail ends on WS and cut off remaining yarn close to fabric.
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Reprinted with permission from Yarn Works: How to Spin, Dye, and Knit Your Own Yarn by W. J. Johnson and published by Creative Publishing International, 2014.