Iryna Cable Cardigan - Crochet Pattern for Women in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Iryna Cable Cardigan – Crochet Pattern for Women by Debbie Bliss

The Iryna Cable Cardigan is a beautifully textured women's crochet cardigan pattern designed by Debbie Bliss, worked in the brand's beloved Baby Cashmerino yarn. This intermediate-level downloadable PDF pattern delivers a sophisticated, cable-rich garment with a classic silhouette, making it an excellent project for crocheters who are ready to move beyond basic stitches and explore the sculptural possibilities of post-stitch crochet cables.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a women's cable cardigan designed to fit a wide range of chest sizes, from 81–86 cm (32–34 in) through to 142–147 cm (56–58 in), with seven size options in total. Finished chest measurements range from 104 cm (41 in) to 164 cm (64½ in), offering generous ease across all sizes. The cardigan features set-in or structured sleeves with sleeve lengths ranging from approximately 40–44 cm (15¾–17¼ in) depending on size, and lengths to shoulder ranging from 63–75 cm (25¾–29½ in). The result is a wearable, everyday cardigan with striking cable texture that elevates it beyond a simple layering piece.

Construction Techniques

• Bottom-up construction: The cardigan is worked from the lower edge upward, a traditional approach that allows the crocheter to adjust length before reaching the armhole shaping.
• Worked flat: All pieces are crocheted flat in rows rather than in the round, giving clean, straight edges that are ideal for seaming.
• Seamed finishing: The individual pieces — body panels and sleeves — are joined using seams, producing a structured, tailored finish with defined edges and stable construction.
• Cables: The defining feature of this pattern is its use of crochet cables, created through front post treble (fptr) and back post treble (bptr) stitches — referred to in US terms as front post double crochet (fpdc) and back post double crochet (bpdc). These post stitches are worked by inserting the hook around the upright post of a stitch rather than through the top loops, creating raised, rope-like cable textures that closely mimic the look of knitted Aran cables.
• Stripes: The pattern also incorporates stripe detailing, adding visual interest and the opportunity for colour play within the design.

Stitches Used

The Iryna Cable Cardigan draws on a focused set of crochet stitches and techniques. The pattern uses both UK and US crochet terminology, with UK terms listed first and US equivalents in parentheses throughout:

• Double crochet / Single crochet (dc/sc): The foundational stitch used throughout the fabric.
• Treble crochet / Double crochet (tr/dc): Used as the basis for post stitches and general fabric construction.
• Double treble / Treble crochet (dtr/tr): A taller stitch incorporated where additional height or cable crossing is required.
• Front post treble / Front post double crochet (fptr/fpdc): Worked by inserting the hook from front to back to front around the post of a stitch, creating raised stitches on the right side of the fabric — the key component of the cable pattern.
• Back post treble / Back post double crochet (bptr/bpdc): Worked from back to front to back around the post, creating recessed stitches that form the ribbed channels between cables.
• Chain (ch) and chain spaces (ch-sp): Used for turning, shaping, and structural elements within the pattern.

The combination of front and back post stitches is what gives crochet cables their characteristic three-dimensional, twisted appearance. Unlike knitting cables that require a cable needle to cross stitches, crochet cables are typically achieved by working post stitches in a specific sequence across the row, crossing groups of stitches in front of or behind one another to simulate the over-and-under movement of a traditional cable twist.

Materials