Learn to crochet some basic cables and work up the Twelve Cables Crochet Baptism Blanket! This baby blanket pattern features easy crochet cables that will give the pattern a beautiful texture and an heirloom feel.
These cables are not hard! If you know how to work front-post stitches, you can crochet cables. All you do is work the post stitches out of order to get that lovely crossed effect.
This blanket was designed as a baptism gift!
I think it would make a wonderful Christening blanket for a few reasons: the cables are three stitches wide, a holy number; there are twelve cables in the blanket, another holy number; and the blanket is white, the traditional color of baptismal garments.
The blanket is finished with a new-to-me border, the reverse shell stitch. HOW COOL does it look?
And, the border is quite easy once you get a feel for it.
I hope you enjoy this pattern!
You can save this pattern to your Pinterest board here.
Abbreviations (US)
- ch(s): chain(s)
- dc(s): double crochet(s)
- fptr(s): front post treble crochet(s)
- pm: place marker in st just worked
- rep: repeat
- rnd: round
- rs: right side
- sc(s): single crochet(s)
- sk: skip
- sl st(s): slip stitch(es)
- sp(s): space(s)
- st(s): stitch(es)
- ws: wrong side
Materials
- Appalachian Baby Design U.S. Organic Cotton Sport Weight 2 Fine Yarn (100% Organic Cotton, 250 yds/228 m, 4 oz/113 g) Natural 5 skeins
- F/5 3.75mm crochet hook
- Stitch markers (5)
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
Finished Size
Before washing: 32″ x 32″ with border | 29″ x 29″ before border
After machine washing and drying: 30″ x 30″. Remember, cotton shrinks!
Gauge
15 sts x 14 rows = 4″ x 4″ *Gauge was taken before washing.
Notes
You can get an ads-free, easy-to-print PDF of this pattern over at Etsy or Ravelry!
You can watch a video tutorial for this pattern on my YouTube channel here.
Never worked up cables before? Get a feel for the technique with my Crossed Towers Cable Crochet Stitch Tutorial.
If you’ve never crocheted with sport weight yarn before, never fear! Although it may seem like a fine yarn would take forever to work up, this particular yarn feels more like dk weight to me. Check out this comparison photo to a gray dk weight yarn:
Pretty similar, right? Plus, the taller dc rows help this pattern work up quick!
I’ve included traditional instructions for the pattern as well as shorthand in italics. Here are examples of what crochet shorthand looks like:
- Sc 1 means single crochet in the next stitch.
- Sc 2 means single crochet in the next two stitches.
- 2 sc means work two single crochets in the next stitch.
Heart Hook Home has a wonderful visual tutorial for the reverse shell border! Check it out here: Reverse Shell Stitch Tutorial :: Crochet Technique (with photos)
Turning ch never counts as a st.
To adjust the width of this blanket, ch a multiple of 9+1.
For another baby blanket featuring simple cables, check out my Crossed Towers Cable Crochet Baby Blanket.
Twelve Cables Crochet Baptism Blanket Pattern
Ch 109.
Row 1 (rs): Dc in the second ch from hook and in each ch across, ch 1, turn. <108 dcs>
Row 2 (ws): Sc in each st across, ch 1, turn. <108 scs>
Row 3 (rs): Dc in the first 3 sts, *fptr around the next 3 dcs from Row 1 (cable made), sk the 3 scs behind the fptrs (here and always), dc in the next 6 sts; rep from * across until there are 6 sts left in the row, fptr around the next 3 dcs from Row 1, dc in the last 3 sts, ch 1, turn. <12 cables, 72 dcs>
Row 3 Shorthand: Dc 3, *fptr 3 (cable made), sk 3 scs behind fptrs (here and always), dc 6; rep from * across until there are 6 sts left in the row, fptr 3, dc 3, ch 1, turn.
Row 4 (ws): Sc across, ch 1, turn. <108 scs>
Row 5 (rs): Dc in the first 3 sts, *sk 1 st, fptr around the middle fptr from two rows back (called “the bar” from here on out), fptr around the skipped first bar, fptr around the last bar, dc in the next 6 sts; rep from * across until there are 6 sts left in the row, sk 1 st, fptr around the middle bar, fptr around the skipped first bar, fptr around the last bar, dc in the last 3 sts, ch 1, turn. <12 cables, 72 dcs>
Row 5 Shorthand: Dc 3, *sk 1 st, fptr around middle bar, fptr around skipped bar, fptr around last bar, dc 6; rep from * across until there are 6 sts left in the row, sk 1 st, fptr around the middle bar, fptr around the skipped first bar, fptr around the last bar, dc 3, ch 1, turn.
Row 6 (ws): Sc across, ch 1, turn. <108 scs>
Row 7 (rs): Dc in the first 3 sts, *fptr around the first bar, sk 1 st, fptr around the last bar, fptr around the skipped middle bar, dc in the next 6 sts; rep from * across until there are 6 sts left in the row, fptr around the first bar, sk 1 st, fptr around the last bar, fptr around the skipped middle bar, dc in the last 3 sts, ch 1, turn. <12 cables, 72 dcs>
Row 7 Shorthand: Dc 3, *fptr 1, sk 1 st, fptr around last bar, fptr around skipped middle bar, dc 6; rep from * across until there are 6 sts left in the row, fptr 1, sk 1 st, fptr around last bar, fptr around skipped middle bar, dc 3, ch 1, turn. <12 cables, 72 dcs>
Row 8 (ws): Sc across, ch 1, turn. <108 scs>
Rows 9-104: Rep Rows 5-8.
Row 105 (rs): Dc in the first 3 sts, *fptr around the next 3 bars, dc in the next 6 sts; rep from * across until there are 6 sts left in the row, fptr around the next 3 bars, dc in the last 3 sts, ch 1, DO NOT turn. <12 cables, 72 dcs>
Row 105 Shorthand: Dc 3, *fptr 3, dc 6; rep from * across until there are 6 sts left in the row, fptr 3, dc 3, ch 1, do not turn.
Reverse Shell Stitch Border
Border Notes: Border is worked rs facing in joined rnds. In Rnd 1, as you work along the side, aim to place about one sc per row-end, plus 3 evenly spaced increases, to get to 108 sts. The reverse shell stitch requires a multiple of 3 around the entire body of the blanket at the end of Rnd 2. Follow the suggested stitch counts each round, or ensure you end up with a multiple of 3 at the end of Rnd 2.
Rnd 1: [Sc down the side of the blanket, in the corner work (sc, ch 1, pm, sc), sc across, in the corner work (sc, ch 1, pm**, sc)] twice ending the final rep at **, sl st join. <Excluding marked corners, each edge of the blanket should have 108 scs.>
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [dc across, in the ch-1 corner sp work (3 dc, pm in the middle dc)] four times, sl st join. <Excluding marked corners, each edge of the blanket should have 110 dcs. You should have a grand total of 444 sts around the blanket, a multiple of 3.>
Rnd 3: Ch 1, dc in the next 3 sts, ch 3, turn work ws-facing, sl st into the ch-1, ch 1, turn work rs-facing, work 7 dcs into the ch-3 sp, [dc in the next 3 sts, ch 3, turn work ws-facing, sl st into the ch-3 sp from previous shell bringing the ch-3 forward as though you’re working a front post stitch (see photos below), ch 1, turn work rs-facing, work 7 dcs into the ch-3 sp] around the entire blanket, sl st join to the very first dc of the rnd. Note: corner shells should neatly span the 3 dc in each corner from the previous rnd. <148 shells around the body of the blanket, OR, excluding corner shells, 36 shells along each edge of the blanket.>
To sl st into the ch-3 sp, insert your hook from back to front as though you’re working a front post st (you’re looking at the ws when making this st):
Sl st join.
Then, ch 1. This positions your yarn properly to turn and then work the 7 dcs.
Cut yarn, fasten off, and weave in ends.
