crochet cables

And you thought that cables could only be knitted! I looooooove crocheting cables because they look so impressive and beautiful but are really very simple to make. These directions just teach you how to crochet a single cable, but you can easily increase the initial chain stitch so that you will be making multiple cables. On the piece in the picture, I chained 29 stitches.

Here's how:

Start by working 13 chains using a fairly large hook--I used a size J.

1. Double crochet into the 3rd chain from hook. Double crochet into each chain to the end (12 stitches (sts)).
2. Turn, chain 2, work 1 double crochet into each of next 3 stitches. (bpdc - back post double crochet)Work double crochet around the back 'post' of each of the next 4 stitches. (That means that you yarn over, push your hook through the gap from the back right of the next stitch below across the front and through to the back left of the stitch, yarn over, pull the yarn back through to the right and finish your double crochet as normal - 4 times total.) Then work 1 double crochet into the next 4 stitches.
3. (Cable row) Turn, chain 2, work 1 double crochet into each of next 3 stitches. Skip 2 stitches, work 1 treble crochet around the front 'post' of the next stitch. (Yarn over twice, push your hook into the gap to the right of the stitch below from front to back, around the back of the stitch and out at the front to the left of the stitch, yarn over, pull back through to the right and complete your treble crochet as normal.) Work 1 treble crochet around the front post of the next stitch too. Go back to the first skipped stitch and work 1 treble crochet around the front post of that stitch, then work another treble crochet around the front post of the second skipped stitch. Work 1 double crochet into each of the next 4 stitches.
4. Work as row 2.
5. Turn, chain 2, work 1 double crochet into each of next 3 stitches. (fpdc - front post double crochet)Work double crochet around front post of the stitch below. (Yarn over, push hook from front to back through gap to right of stitch below, around back of stitch and out to front at left of stitch, yarn over and pull back through to right. Complete double crochet as normal (4 times).) Work 1 double crochet into each of next 4 stitches.
6. Rows 2 - 5 form the crochet cables pattern repeat.