Lover's Knot Afghan in Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool - 60704AD

Lover's Knot Afghan in Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool – Free Knitting Pattern (60704AD)

This free downloadable knitting pattern from Lion Brand Yarn guides knitters through creating a beautifully textured Lover's Knot Afghan, a substantial blanket measuring 48 x 60 inches (122 x 152.5 cm). Rated as an intermediate skill level project, this throw is an excellent choice for knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore classic cable work and twisted stitch construction. The finished afghan makes a timeless, heirloom-quality piece suitable for home décor or as a meaningful handmade gift.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a large, one-size knitted blanket or throw worked in a rich combination of cable and twisted knit stitch panels. The design takes its name from the interlocking, romantic quality of the OXOX Cable motif, which creates a repeating pattern of crossing stitches that visually suggest linked or knotted forms. The natural, undyed colorway of the yarn gives the finished piece a classic, rustic aesthetic reminiscent of traditional Aran and fishermen's knitwear.

Techniques Used

• Cable knitting: The central decorative element of the afghan, cables are created by temporarily placing stitches on a cable needle and crossing them over or under adjacent stitches to produce twisted rope-like columns. This pattern uses both left-cross and right-cross cables of varying widths.
• Twisted knit stitch: A textural background technique in which stitches are knitted through the back loop on right-side rows and purled on wrong-side rows. This creates a slightly tighter, more defined fabric compared to standard stockinette, adding visual interest between cable panels.
• Working in the round / on circular needles: A circular needle is specified, likely used flat to accommodate the large stitch count of a 48-inch-wide blanket comfortably.

Stitches Used

• OXOX Cable (12-stitch panel): An 8-row repeat cable pattern combining knit and purl stitches with four distinct cable crosses. Right-side rows alternate between a straightforward knit-across row and a cable-crossing row, while wrong-side rows are worked as knit-the-knits, purl-the-purls.
• 2/2 LC (2 over 2 Left Cross): Two stitches are slipped to the cable needle and held to the front of the work; two stitches are knitted from the left needle, then the two held stitches are knitted. This produces a left-leaning cable twist.
• 2/2 RC (2 over 2 Right Cross): Two stitches are slipped to the cable needle and held to the back of the work; two stitches are knitted, then the two held stitches are knitted. This produces a right-leaning cable twist.
• 2/1 LC (2 over 1 Left Cross): Two stitches are slipped to the cable needle and held to the front; one stitch is purled from the left needle, then two stitches are knitted from the cable needle. This cross integrates a purl stitch into the cable, softening the transition between cable and background fabric.
• 2/1 RC (2 over 1 Right Cross): One stitch is slipped to the cable needle and held to the back; two stitches are knitted, then one stitch is purled from the cable needle. Like its left-cross counterpart, this blends the cable into the surrounding fabric.
• Twisted Knit stitch: A two-row repeat — Row 1 (WS): Purl; Row 2 (RS): Knit through back loop — used as a panel or border element between cables.
• Standard knit and purl stitches form the foundation of all panels and are used throughout to maintain cable structure on wrong-side rows.

Materials

• Yarn: Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool in colorway Natural (150-098) — 4 balls required. Fishermen's Wool is a worsted-weight, 100% pure wool yarn known for its durability, stitch definition, and slightly