1 for Me, 1 for You- Three Cables Block

Help me help local communities by creating blocks for Warm Up America, by making a block for yourself and one for a community project with this free pattern. I will be creating a new block every few weeks and sharing it with you, I just ask that make one for donation.

Warm Up America is a nationwide organization that encourages local donations, but will also except donations to be sent to their office so that blocks can be assembled and then blankets can be donated through the United States.

Three Cables Block

Even if you do not want to participate with Warm Up America, please consider creating blocks, or blankets for your local community. There are various places in every community that accept donations.

Three Cable Block

Crossing post stitches make great texture and stunning appearance, and they are not as difficult as you might think. Essentially you work post stitches 2 rows below your working row, to cross a cable the first posts worked will be shifted over by skipping stitches, and the last post stitches will be worked in the skipped stitches, crossing over the first post stitches created. These twists are highlighted more by having alternating post stitch rows worked by not crossing the post stitches, creating a visual gap between the rows of twists.

Gauge: 7”x9” rectangle

Materials

Medium weight yarn, in 4 colors MC (main color), CC1 (first cable), CC2 (large cable in middle), CC3 (last cable)

K/10 ½/ 6.5mm hook

Special Stitches

FPdc- Front Post Double Crochet: Yarn over, insert hook from front to back and then to front again around post of stitch, yarn over and draw up loop, [yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook] twice. (see a visual on how to work the stitch here)

Block Pattern

With MC Ch 24

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across, turn. -23 sc sts

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 3: Rep Row 2.

Crossing Cables Row

Row 4 (Crossing Cables Row): Ch 1, sc same st, sc in next 2 sts changing to color CC1 in last st (tips for changing colors here), FPdc around stitch 1 skipped from next stitch and 2 rows below, FPdc around next st of row 2 below, FPdc around the 1 skipped stitch before the first FPdc (this is crossing over the last 2 stitches made), changing to MC, sc in the next 3 stitches in Row 4 (note you do not work in the stitches behind the FPdc stitches), change to CC2 in last st, FPdc around stitch 2 skipped from next stitch and 2 rows below, FPdc around next 2 sts of row 2 below, FPdc around the first 1 skipped stitch, FPdc around second skipped stitch (these two stitches cross over the last 3 stitches made), changing to MC, sc in next 3 stitches in Row 4, change to CC3, FPdc around stitch 1 skipped from next stitch and 2 rows below, FPdc around next st of row 2 below, FPdc around the 1 skipped stitch before the first FPdc (this is crossing over the last 2 stitches made), changing to MC, sc in the last 3 stitches in Row 4, turn.

Working First Crossed Cable Front Post Stitch of small cable, Skipping 1 stitch over, and 2 rows below
Working second FPdc of small cable.
Working last FPdc of Small Cable, working in skipped stitch and crossing over FPdc created just before.
Working first FPdc of Large Cable, skip 2 stitches and work stitch 2 row s below. Note when working the forth stitch of this cable it will cross over the first three and be worked around the first skipped stitch, this is adjacent to the main color stitches.
The top row shows the appearance of all the crossed cables.

Row 5: Ch 1, sc in next 3 sts changing to CC3 in last st, working over MC yarn sc in next 3 sts (tips for working over yarn here), change to MC, sc in next 3 sts changing to CC2 in last st, working over MC yarn, sc in next 5 sts, change to MC, sc in next 3 sts changing to CC1 in last st, working over MC, sc in next 3 sts, change to MC, sc in last 3 sts, turn.

Crochet over the main color, in odd number rows.
The Main color is not worked over in the even number rows, and instead when changing colors it bands across the back of the block.

Uncrossed Cable Row

Row 6 (Uncrossed Cable Row): Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next 2 sts changing to CC1 in last st, FPdc around stitch 2 rows below, FPdc around next 2 stitches 2 rows below, change to MC, sc in next 3 sts changing to CC2 in last st, FPdc around stitch 2 rows below, FPdc around next 4 sts 2 rows below, change to MC, sc in next 3 sts changing to CC3 in last st, FPdc around stitch 2 rows below, FPdc around next 2 stitches 2 rows below, change to MC, sc in last 3 sts, turn.

Working first FPdc of uncrossed cable row, this stitch is directly below next stitch and 2 rows below.
Working second FPdc of uncrossed cable row of small cable, this stitch can be difficult to find as it is behind the crossed stitches, and may take a bit of practice to ensure that you find them
Appearance of uncrossed cable row on small cable.
All Uncrossed Cable Rows are shown across the top.

Row 7: Rep Row 5.

Row 8-23: Rep Rows 4-7 four times.

Row 24: Rep Row 4.

Row 25: Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each st across.

Row 26: Rep Row 25. Fasten off, weave in ends, block.