I’m sure I’m not the only one out there, but I love knitting cables. To be honest, cables were the thing that made me want to learn to knit!

This post contains affiliate links. The yarn for the sample was generously provided by King Cole.

Back in 2013, the Checkerboard Cable Scarf was first published in Love of Knitting.

You may remember this yarn because I also used it in one of my free crochet patterns, Tadley’s Diagonal Blanket.

Since then, I’ve started adding free knitting patterns here on Underground Crafter, so I decided to share the Checkerboard Cable Scarf with you today.

This is a great unisex project and a relatively quick knit because you work it holding two strands of yarn together.

You can get more detail by holding two strands of the same color together, and more of a tweedy appearance by holding one strand each of two contrasting colors together. You could also use just one strand of a heavier yarn (perhaps a bulky or super bulky yarn), but I don’t know how much yardage you would need.

As always, I turned to Scarves.Com for styling advice.

Here’s the scarf in what they call “The NYC.”

And here it is in what they call “The Knotty.”

If you make your own Checkerboard Cable Scarf, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter on on Instagram as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!

Add the Checkerboard Cable Scarf to your favorites or queue, or buy the ad-free PDF on Ravelry.

Checkerboard Cable Scarf

Knitting Pattern by Underground Crafter

Knit with two strands of yarn held together, this unisex, chunky cable scarf is sized for both children and adults.

Finished Sizes

• Child (Adult): 4.5” (7”)/11.5 cm (17.75 cm) wide x 47” (60”)/119 cm (152.5 cm) long.

Materials

• King Cole Merino Blend Aran (100% superwash wool, 1.75 oz/50 g, 88 yd/80 m) – 3 (4) skeins each in 776 Aran and 778 Denim, or approximately 264 yd/240 m (352 yd/320 m) in each of two colors in any medium weight yarn.
• US Size 13/9 mm straight needles, or any size needed to obtain correct gauge.
• Yarn needle.
• Cable needle.

Gauge

• 14 sts x 20 row in pattern = 4” (10 cm). Exact gauge is not critical for this pattern.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern (✪ see Special Stitch Pattern, below)

• BO – bind off
• C4F – 4-st cable – Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front, k2, k2 from cable needle. A helpful video tutorial for this stitch is available below.

• If you can’t see the video tutorial for C4F cables, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.
• CO – cast on
• k – knit
• p – purl
• rep – repeat
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• * Rep instructions after asterisk as indicated.

Pattern Notes

• Scarf is knit holding two strands of yarn together throughout. Use two strands of the same color to let the stitch pattern shine. For a tweedy look, use contrasting colors.

Pattern Instructions

• Holding one strand of each yarn together throughout, CO 16 (24) sts.

Border rows

• Row 1: K across.
• Rows 2-4: Rep Row 1.

Begin scarf pattern

• Row 1: (RS) K2, *p4, k4; rep from * across to last 6 sts, p4, k2.
• Row 2: K6, *p4, k4; rep from * across to last 2 sts, k2.
• Rows 3 & 4: Rep Rows 1 & 2.
• Row 5: K2, *p4, C4F; rep from * across to last 6 sts, p4, k2.
• Row 6: Rep Row 2.
• Rows 7 & 8: Rep Rows 1 & 2.
• Row 9: Rep Row 2.
• Rows 10 & 11: Rep Rows 1 & 2.
• Row 12: Rep Row 1.
• Row 13: K2, *C4F, p4; rep from * across to last 6 sts, C4F, k2.
• Rows 14 & 15: Rep Rows 1 & 2.
• Row 16: Rep Row 1.
• Continue repeating Rows 1-16, 12 (16) more times, or until scarf measures approximately 44”/111.75 cm (57”/144.75 cm), ending after Row 16.
• Rep Rows 1-8 once.
• Rep Border Rows 1-4 once.
• BO in knit.

Finishing

• With yarn needle, weave in yarn tails. Spray block if necessary.

© 2013, 2015 by Marie Segares (Underground Crafter). This pattern is for personal use only. You may use the pattern to make unlimited items for yourself, for charity, or to give as gifts. You may sell items you personally make by hand from this pattern. Do not violate Marie’s copyright by distributing this pattern or the photos in any form, including but not limited to scanning, photocopying, emailing, or posting on a website or internet discussion group. If you want to share the pattern, point your friends to this link: https://undergroundcrafter.com/2015/08/13/free-knitting-pattern-checkerboard-cable-scarf/. Thanks for supporting indie designers!