Cables look scary until you realize they are just post stitches with a clever crossing trick. This caramel brown cable crop top proves it. You get a boxy cropped turtleneck with a honeycomb lattice that looks like it came from a high-end knitwear rack, yet every stitch comes from a regular crochet hook. Work the pieces flat, seam them, pick up the collar, and you are done. No color changes, no zippers, no drama.
Why You’ll Love This Crochet Cable Sweater Pattern
The boxy silhouette hits right at the waist and forgives every snack you ate last weekend. The warm caramel brown plays nice with jeans, skirts, and every neutral in your closet. Those raised diamond cables? They stop people mid-sentence.
The deep ribbed hem keeps the crop from riding up. Sleeves start dramatic and wide, then taper into neat cuffs. The tall turtleneck folds over for extra coziness without adding bulk. Best part? You work every piece flat and seam them later. No cable crosses while shaping armholes. Straight-up manageable construction that still looks advanced.
Skill Level
Call this intermediate to advanced. You need solid comfort with front post and back post double crochet, crossing cables without a needle, reading multi-row repeats, seaming garments, and picking up stitches around a neckline.
If you have already made a few scarves or blankets and want your first real sweater, this is the stretch that pays off. Practice the cable crosses on a small swatch first. Once the motion clicks, the rest flows.
Time Estimate
Budget 40 to 60 hours total. That number depends on how fast you move through post stitches and how many Netflix episodes you watch while working. Spread it over a few weeks. This is not a weekend project, and that is okay. The finished texture rewards every hour.
Finished Measurements
The written instructions make a size Medium with these numbers:
Chest: 38 inches (laid flat 19 inches)
Length from hem to shoulder: 16 inches
Sleeve length from cuff to underarm: 18 inches
Upper sleeve width: 16 inches
Cuff width: 8 inches
Turtleneck height: 6 inches
You get about 4 to 6 inches of positive ease for that relaxed, boxy fit.
Size Customization Tips
The honeycomb repeat runs 6 stitches wide. Add or subtract multiples of 6 from the foundation chain to change width. Each full repeat adds roughly 1.5 inches at gauge. Lengthen the body by adding rows before shoulder shaping—every two rows gives about an inch. Do the same for sleeves before the underarm. If you widen the neckline, increase the turtleneck pickup count by the same proportion.
Materials Needed for This Cable Crochet Pattern
Yarn
Bulky weight (CYCA 5), about 1,200 yards in caramel brown.
Three solid options:
- Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick in Caramel—great stitch definition, roughly 12 skeins
- Cascade 128 Superwash in Toffee—soft merino drape, about 10 skeins
- Paintbox Simply Chunky in Caramel Brown—budget-friendly smooth acrylic, around 11 skeins
Pick something with clear stitch definition. Heavy halo or ultra-fuzzy yarn will swallow the honeycomb texture whole.
Hook
US K / 6.5 mm, or whatever size hits the gauge below.
Notions
Yarn needle, at least six stitch markers, scissors.
Gauge (Please Don’t Skip This)
In the honeycomb cable pattern: 12 stitches and 8 rows equal 4 inches.
In 2×2 ribbing: 12 stitches equal 3.5 inches and 8 rows equal 3 inches.
Swatch at least 24 stitches and 12 rows in the cable pattern. Block it before you measure. Too loose? Drop a hook size. Too tight? Go up one. A sweater that fights your body ends up in the donation pile. Do the swatch.
Abbreviations
ch – chain
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
FPdc – front post double crochet
BPdc – back post double crochet
FPdc2tog – front post double crochet two together
st(s) – stitch(es)
rep – repeat
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
tch – turning chain
sk – skip
pm – place marker
Keep this list handy while you work the crosses.
Special Stitches Explained
These are the only moves you need for the entire texture.
Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc)
Yarn over, insert the hook front-to-back-to-front around the post of the stitch below, complete as a regular double crochet. The stitch sits raised on the front of the fabric.
Back Post Double Crochet (BPdc)
Same motion but back-to-front-to-back. It creates the recessed channel that makes the front posts pop.
Front Post Double Crochet 2 Together (FPdc2tog)
Work a partial FPdc around the first post, then another partial FPdc around the second post, and pull through all remaining loops. Clean decrease for shaping.
Cable Cross Right (CCR) Over 4 Stitches
Skip the next two FPdc. Work FPdc around the following two. Then go back and work FPdc around the two you skipped, inserting the hook in front of the ones just made. The four stitches now cross right.
Cable Cross Left (CCL) Over 4 Stitches
Work FPdc around the third and fourth stitches first. Then go back and work the first and second stitches, inserting the hook behind the ones just made. Four stitches cross left.
Honeycomb Cable Pattern (Multiple of 6 Stitches Plus 2)
Row 1 (RS): Ch 2, dc across.
Row 2 (WS): Ch 2, BPdc across, dc in tch.
Row 3 (RS): Ch 2, (CCR over 4, BPdc over 2) across, dc in tch.
Row 4 (WS): Ch 2, (FPdc over 2, BPdc over 4) across, dc in tch.
Row 5 (RS): Ch 2, (BPdc over 2, CCL over 4) across, dc in tch.
Row 6 (WS): Ch 2, BPdc across, dc in tch.
Repeat Rows 3–6 for the honeycomb lattice.
2×2 Ribbing (Multiple of 4 Stitches Plus 2)
Ch 2, (FPdc over 2, BPdc over 2) across, dc in tch. Keep working FPdc into FPdc and BPdc into BPdc on every following row.
Pattern Notes Before You Begin
Work the sweater in four flat pieces: back, front, left sleeve, right sleeve. Seam them, then pick up the turtleneck in rounds.
The turning chain of 2 always counts as a double crochet. End every row with a dc into the top of the previous turning chain.
Mark the start of each honeycomb repeat and the shoulder points with stitch markers. Count stitches at the end of every cross row. When you seam, keep the tension even so the fabric stays smooth.
- Block the finished pieces before final seaming if your yarn is wool or a blend.
- The honeycomb pattern is forgiving of small tension changes once blocked.
- Keep a row counter nearby—cable rows every four rows are easy to lose track of.
Step by Step Crochet Pattern Instructions
BACK PANEL
Foundation: Chain 60.
Row 1 (RS): Dc in third chain from hook and across. (59 sts)
Work 9 more rows of 2×2 ribbing for the hem. The ribbing should measure about 3 inches.
Switch to the honeycomb cable pattern for the next 36 rows. At the end of those rows the piece measures roughly 16 inches tall and 19.5 inches wide.
For shoulder shaping, mark the outer 20 stitches on each side. Work three more rows on the left shoulder only, then three rows on the right shoulder, leaving the center 19 stitches free for the neck. Fasten off both shoulders.
FRONT PANEL
Work the front exactly like the back through the full body section. Shape the shoulders the same way—three rows on each outer 20-stitch section. The front and back should match perfectly in size before seaming.
LEFT SLEEVE
Foundation for the cuff: Chain 26. Work 10 rows of 2×2 ribbing. The cuff measures about 8 inches wide and 3 inches tall.
Join the honeycomb pattern and increase one stitch at each end of every fourth row until you reach 49 stitches. The sleeve body grows gradually from the narrow cuff to a 16-inch upper width and finishes at 18 inches total length. Fasten off.
RIGHT SLEEVE
Make the second sleeve identical to the first.
Assembly Instructions
Align the back and front at the shoulders with right sides together. Seam each 20-stitch shoulder section.
Fold each sleeve in half to find the center top. Match that center to the shoulder seam and sew the sleeve into the armhole opening, spanning about 16 inches.
Sew the side seams from hem to underarm, then continue down the sleeve underarm from cuff to the junction. Turn the garment right side out and check that every seam sits flat.
Turtleneck Collar
Join yarn at one shoulder seam on the neckline. Work 40 double crochets evenly around the entire opening and join. Switch to 2×2 ribbing in the round for 13 more rounds, turning after each round so the rib stays consistent. The finished collar stands about 6 inches tall and folds over naturally. Fasten off and weave the end.
Finishing and Blocking
Weave in every remaining end on the wrong side, traveling through post stitches for security.
For wool or wool-blend yarns, wet block: soak in cool water, press out excess moisture, lay flat, and shape the cables open. Dry completely.
For acrylic, hover a steam iron an inch or two above the fabric. Never press directly. Let it cool before moving.
Care Instructions
Hand wash in cool water with mild detergent. Press out water gently and lay flat to dry. Skip the dryer unless the yarn label explicitly allows it. Store folded rather than hanging so the cables keep their shape.
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FAQ’s
Can I make this longer than a crop?
Yes. Add even numbers of honeycomb rows before the shoulder shaping. Every two rows adds roughly one inch of length. Keep the same shoulder and neck shaping so the proportions stay balanced.
What if my cables look tight or puckered?
Go up a hook size for the body section only. Post stitches naturally pull tighter than regular stitches. A slightly larger hook restores the drape without losing definition.
Do I have to use bulky yarn?
The pattern is written for bulky. If you switch to worsted you will need a smaller hook, more stitches, and a full recalculation of gauge and yardage. Stick with bulky for the intended look and speed.
How do I keep track of the cable rows?
Use a row counter or mark every completed cross row with a removable stitch marker. The honeycomb repeats every four rows—miss one and the diamonds go crooked.
Is the turtleneck optional?
You can stop after a few rounds of ribbing for a simple crew neck, or skip the collar entirely and leave a wide boat neck. The rest of the construction stays the same.
You Did It!
You just finished a cable crop top that looks like it walked off a boutique rack. The honeycomb texture, the caramel color, the cozy turtleneck—they all came from your own two hands and a single hook. Wear it with pride. Tag your finished sweater online so the rest of us can cheer. Now go make another one in a different shade, because one is never enough.
