🧶 The Classic Wave Cable Men’s Sweater Knitting Pattern

 

🧶 The Classic Wave Cable Men’s Sweater Knitting Pattern📌 OVERVIEW & SKILL LEVEL

• Skill Level: Intermediate / Advanced
• Construction: Worked piece by piece (Back, Front, Sleeves) from the bottom up and seamed together, with a picked-up 2x2 rib crewneck collar.
• Sizes Available: S (M, L, XL, 2XL)
• Finished Chest Measurement: 38 (42, 46, 50, 54) inches / 96 (106, 117, 127, 137) cm
• Fit: Designed with ~2–4 inches (5–10 cm) of positive ease.

🧵 MATERIALS & TOOLS

• Yarn: Worsted / Aran weight yarn (Category 4 / 10-ply)
• Estimated Yardage: 1,450 (1,600, 1,780, 1,950, 2,150) yards / 1,325 (1,460, 1,625, 1,780, 1,965) meters
• Sample shown in a heathered beige worsted wool blend.
• Needles:
• US 7 (4.5 mm) — 24” / 60 cm circular or straight needles for Ribbing
• US 8 (5.0 mm) — 24” / 60 cm circular or straight needles for Main Body & Sleeves
• US 7 (4.5 mm) — 16” / 40 cm circular needle for Neckband
• Notions:
• Cable needle (CN)
• Tapestry needle / Darning needle
• Stitch markers
• Stitch holders or waste yarn

📏 GAUGE & TENSION

• Cable Panel Gauge (US 8 / 5.0 mm): 26-sts chart repeat = approx. 4.25 inches (11 cm) wide.
• Stockinette / Ribbed background (US 8 / 5.0 mm): 18 sts x 24 rows = 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 cm).

🔤 ABBREVIATIONS & STITCH KEY

• K: Knit
• P: Purl
• St(s): Stitch(es)
• RS / WS: Right Side / Wrong Side
• PM / SM: Place Marker / Slip Marker
• K2tog: Knit 2 stitches together (1 st decreased)
• SSK: Slip, slip, knit (1 st decreased)
• P2tog: Purl 2 stitches together (1 st decreased)
• C3F (Cable 3 Front): Slip 2 sts to cable needle, hold in front, P1, then K2 from CN.
• C3B (Cable 3 Back): Slip 1 st to cable needle, hold in back, K2, then P1 from CN.

📊 CABLE CHART WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS (26-Stitch Repeat)

The central cable pattern is a 26-stitch panel worked over a 20-row repeat. Stitches 13 & 14 serve as a central purl divider (P2 on RS).

• Row 1 (RS): [K2, P1] 4 times, P2, [P1, K2] 4 times.
• Row 2 & all WS rows: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches as they present themselves.
• Row 3 (RS): P1, C3F, [P1, K2] 2 times, P1, P2, [K2, P1] 2 times, C3B, P1.
• Row 5 (RS): P2, C3F, P1, K2, P1, C3F, P2, C3B, P1, K2, P1, C3B, P2.
• Row 7 (RS): P3, C3F, C3F, P2, C3B, C3B, P3.
• Row 9 (RS): P2, C3B, P1, K2, P1, C3B, P2, C3F, P1, K2, P1, C3F, P2.
• Row 11 (RS): P1, C3B, [P1, K2] 2 times, P1, P2, [K2, P1] 2 times, C3F, P1.
• Row 13 (RS): Repeat Row 1.
• Row 15–20: Continue working the wave progression following the diagonal cable shifts across the panel as shown in Chart 2.

📝 STEP-BY-STEP PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

1. BACK PANEL

Hem Ribbing:

Using US 7 (4.5 mm) needles, cast on 110 (122, 134, 146, 158) sts.

• Row 1 (RS): *K2, P2; repeat from * to last 2 sts, K2.
• Row 2 (WS): *P2, K2; repeat from * to last 2 sts, P2.
• Repeat Rows 1–2 until ribbing measures 2.5 inches (6.5 cm), ending on a WS row.

Main Body:

Switch to US 8 (5.0 mm) needles. Setup row to establish cable panels:

• Setup Row (RS): K2 (5, 8, 11, 14), *Work 26-st Cable Chart 1, P2; repeat from * across to last 26 sts, Work Cable Chart 1, K2 (5, 8, 11, 14).
• Continue in pattern as established, repeating Rows 1–20 of the Cable Chart, until Back measures 16 (16.5, 17, 17.5, 18) inches from cast-on edge, ending on a WS row.

Armhole Shaping:

Bind off 5 (6, 7, 8, 9) sts at the beginning of the next 2 rows — 100 (110, 120, 130, 140) sts.

• Decrease Row (RS): K2, SSK, work in pattern to last 4 sts, K2tog, K2.
• Next Row (WS): Work even in pattern.
• Repeat last 2 rows 4 (5, 6, 7, 8) more times — 90 (98, 106, 114, 122) sts remaining.
• Work straight in pattern until armhole measures 8.5 (9, 9.5, 10, 10.5) inches.

Shoulder & Back Neck Shaping:

• Next Row (RS): Work across 26 (29, 32, 35, 38) sts, join second ball of yarn and bind off center 38 (40, 42, 44, 46) sts, work to end.
• Working both sides at once, bind off 6 (7, 8, 9, 10) sts at each armhole edge 3 times, while binding off 2 sts at each neck edge once.

2. FRONT PANEL

• Work as for Back until piece measures 3 inches (7.5 cm) less than Back to shoulder shaping, ending on a WS row.

Front Neck Shaping:

• Next Row (RS): Work 36 (40, 44, 48, 52) sts, turn and place remaining sts on a stitch holder.
• Work across these sts, decreasing 1 st at neck edge every RS row 6 (7, 8, 9, 10) times — 30 (33, 36, 39, 42) sts remaining.
• Work straight until Front matches Back height to shoulder shaping.
• Shape shoulders as for Back.
• Rejoin yarn to opposite side sts on holder, bind off center 18 (18, 18, 18, 18) sts, and complete second side to match.

3. SLEEVES (Make 2)

Using US 7 (4.5 mm) needles, cast on 46 (50, 50, 54, 54) sts.

• Work in K2, P2 ribbing for 2.5 inches (6.5 cm), ending on a WS row.
• Switch to US 8 (5.0 mm) needles.

Sleeve Body & Increases:

• Row 1 (RS): Work outer sts in K2/P2 ribbing / stockinette, and central 26 sts in Cable Chart.
• Increase Row (RS): K2, M1L, work in pattern to last 2 sts, M1R, K2.
• Repeat Increase Row every 6th row 12 (14, 16, 17, 19) times — 72 (80, 84, 90, 96) sts.
• Work straight until Sleeve measures 19.5 (20, 20.5, 21, 21) inches from cast-on edge.

Sleeve Cap Shaping:

• Bind off 5 (6, 7, 8, 9) sts at beginning of next 2 rows — 62 (68, 70, 74, 78) sts.
• Decrease 1 st at each end every RS row 14 (16, 17, 18, 20) times — 34 (36, 36, 38, 38) sts.
• Bind off 3 sts at beginning of next 4 rows.
• Bind off remaining 22 (24, 24, 26, 26) sts.

4. FINISHING & COLLAR

1. Blocking: Block pieces lightly to measurements using damp towel or steam method according to fiber content.
2. Seams: Sew left shoulder seam using mattress stitch.

Crewneck Collar:

• With US 7 (4.5 mm) 16” circular needle, right side facing, pick up and knit:
• 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) sts down left front neck
• 18 (18, 18, 18, 18) sts from front center
• 24 (26, 28, 30, 32) sts up right front neck
• 40 (42, 44, 46, 48) sts across back neck
• Total: 106 (112, 118, 124, 130) sts
• Work in K2, P2 ribbing in the round for 2.25 inches (6 cm).
• Bind off loosely in ribbing pattern (or use tubular bind-off for a professional finish).

1. Assembly: Sew right shoulder seam, collar seam, side seams, and sleeve seams. Weave in all loose ends.