Celestial Wings Afghan

An advanced throw with a central pair of angel wings in traveling cables on a reverse-stockinette field. Each 48-row motif opens like a fan of feathers, holds in crossed 4-st cables, then folds back toward a narrow “shoulder” so the next pair of wings can rise above it. Rope-cable frames and garter edges keep the panel architectural and the fabric stable.

MATERIALS

Yarn: Worsted weight wool, 2000 yd (1830 m). Ivory, natural, or pale gray shows the wing relief most clearly.
Example: 10 skeins of 200 yd / 100 g, or 9–10 skeins of 220 yd / 100 g. Cables use more yarn than stockinette; do not skimp.

Needles:

• US 8 (5 mm) circular, 40" (100 cm), or size to obtain gauge
• US 7 (4.5 mm) circular, 40" (100 cm), for the applied border
• Cable needle (cn)

Notions: 8 stitch markers (2 of a second color for the wing center), tapestry needle, blocking wires or rustproof pins, row counter.

GAUGE

18 sts and 24 rows = 4" (10 cm) in reverse stockinette stitch on US 8 (5 mm), blocked.

The 80-st wing panel pulls in to about 14" (35.5 cm). Rope cables pull in slightly. Side fields are sized so the blocked throw is 50" (127 cm) wide. Swatch reverse stockinette and a 20-st cable swatch; if your cables are very tight, go up a needle size for the panel only.

FINISHED SIZE

50" (127 cm) wide × 64" (163 cm) long, after blocking, including the applied garter border.

Body before applied border: approximately 48½" × 62".

ABBREVIATIONS

NOTES

• US English; imperial first, metric in parentheses.
• Worked flat on a circular needle to hold 240 sts.
• Reverse stockinette is the background: purl every RS row, knit every WS row on those stitches. Cable stitches are knit on RS, purled on WS, so they sit in relief like carved feathers.
• Stitch count never changes: 240 sts on every row (6 + 6 + 68 + 80 + 68 + 6 + 6 = 240 ✓). Wing panel is always 38 + 4 + 38 = 80 ✓.
• On RS rows you meet the right wing first (outer edge toward center), then 4 purl sts at the spine, then the left wing (center toward outer edge).
• Charts show the fabric as seen from the RS. RS (odd) rows: read right to left. WS (even) rows are not charted; work stitches as they appear (knit the knits, purl the purls).
• Chart B is the mirror of Chart A: reverse the row and exchange F ↔ B cables (T4F ↔ T4B, T6F ↔ T6B, C4F ↔ C4B). Full written panel rows are given so you never have to reverse on the fly.
• Rope cables twist every 8th row of the body (see Rope Schedule).
• Use a row counter. Mark every Chart A/B repeat (7 total).
• Damp-block; do not steam-flatten the cables. The wings should stay sculptural.

Needle check: If the 80-st panel is more than 1" narrower than 14" in your swatch, the throw will undershoot 50" wide — add 4 sts to each reverse-stockinette field (CO 248) rather than stretching the cables.

CHARTS

Symbol key

.    purl on RS, knit on WS          (reverse-stockinette ground)
|    knit on RS, purl on WS          (cable / feather st)
C4F  sl 2 cn front, k2, k2 from cn   (4 sts)
C4B  sl 2 cn back,  k2, k2 from cn   (4 sts)
T4F  sl 2 cn front, p2, k2 from cn   (4 sts; knits travel left)
T4B  sl 2 cn back,  k2, p2 from cn   (4 sts; knits travel right)
T6F  sl 4 cn front, p2, k4 from cn   (6 sts; knits travel left)
T6B  sl 2 cn back,  k4, p2 from cn   (6 sts; knits travel right)
C6F  sl 3 cn front, k3, k3 from cn   (6 sts)
C6B  sl 3 cn back,  k3, k3 from cn   (6 sts)

On the grid, a cable is drawn over the stitches it uses. Work the named cable instead of knitting/purling those stitches separately.

Chart A — Left Angel Wing (38 sts × 48 rows)

Fabric view, left = outer edge, right = spine. RS rows read right to left. Even rows: work sts as they appear.

Row 47: ............||..||||..||||..||||..||..     (cluster; same as Row 1)
Row 45: ..........[T4B][T6B]..||||..||||..||..     (contract)
Row 43: ........[T4B]..||||..[T6B]..||||..||..
Row 41: ......[T4B]..[T6B]..||||....||||..||..
Row 39: ....[T4B]....||||....||||..[T6B]..||..
Row 37: ....||....[T6B]..[T6B]..||||....||..
Row 35: ....||....||||....||||....||||....||..     (plain texture)
Row 33: ....||....C4F....C4B....C4F....||..
Row 31: ....||....||||....||||....||||....||..
Row 29: ....||....C4B....C4F....C4B....||..
Row 27: ....||....||||....||||....||||....||..
Row 25: ....||....C4F....C4B....C4F....||..
Row 23: ....||....||||....||||....||||....||..
Row 21: ....||....C4B....C4F....C4B....||..
Row 19: ....||....||||....||||....||||....||..
Row 17: ....||....C4F....C4B....C4F....||..
Row 15: ....||....||||....||||....||||....||..
Row 13: ....||....C4B....C4F....C4B....||..     (full span)
Row 11: ....||....[T6F]..[T6F]..||||....||..     (spread complete)
Row  9: ....[T4F]....||||....||||..[T6F]..||..
Row  7: ......[T4F]..[T6F]..||||....||||..||..
Row  5: ........[T4F]..||||..[T6F]..||||..||..
Row  3: ..........[T4F][T6F]..||||..||||..||..
Row  1: ............||..||||..||||..||||..||..     (cluster at spine)

Silhouette (knit/purl only, after the RS row is complete):

        1         11        21        31      38
R 13–36 ....||....||||....||||....||||....||..     full wing
R 11    ....||....||||....||||....||||....||..
R  9    ....||......||||....||||..||||....||..
R  7    ......||....||||....||||....||||..||..
R  5    ........||....||||..||||....||||..||..
R  3    ..........||..||||....||||..||||..||..
R  1    ............||..||||..||||..||||..||..     closed

Rows 37–47 return through the same silhouettes in reverse (11 → 9 → 7 → 5 → 3 → 1).

Chart B — Right Angel Wing (38 sts × 48 rows)

Mirror of Chart A. On RS, work Chart B before the 4-st spine, reading Chart B right to left (outer right edge toward the spine).

Shortcut: work each Chart A row reversed, substituting T4B for T4F, T6B for T6F, C4B for C4F, and C4F for C4B. Written panel rows below already include this mirror (80 sts ✓).

Chart C — Rope Frame (6 sts × 8 rows)

Worked on each 6-st rope panel. Repeat these 8 rows throughout the body after the garter hem.

Row 8 (WS): p6
Row 7 (RS): C6F
Row 6 (WS): p6
Row 5 (RS): k6
Row 4 (WS): p6
Row 3 (RS): k6
Row 2 (WS): p6
Row 1 (RS): k6

Left-edge rope (last 6 cable sts on RS) may be worked as C6B on row 7 if you prefer the two ropes to twist toward the center; C6F on both sides is also correct and is used in this pattern.

Rope Schedule: On body rows whose RS number is 7, 15, 23, 31, 39, 47 of each 48-row wing repeat — and on the matching setup rows listed in PATTERN — work C6F over each 6-st rope. All other RS rope rows: k6.

PATTERN

Cast on and marker placement

With US 8 (5 mm) and a long-tail (or cable) cast-on, CO 240 sts.

Set-up row (WS): K6, pm, p6, pm, k68, pm, k38, pm (2nd color), k4, pm (2nd color), k38, pm, k68, pm, p6, pm, k6.
(6+6+68+38+4+38+68+6+6 = 240 ✓)

Marker map, RS as you work (right edge → left edge):

1. 6 garter (right edge)
2. 6-st right rope
3. 68 reverse stockinette
4. 38-st Right Wing (Chart B)
5. 4-st spine (always purl on RS, knit on WS)
6. 38-st Left Wing (Chart A)
7. 68 reverse stockinette
8. 6-st left rope
9. 6 garter (left edge)

Lower garter hem

Rows 1–12: Knit every stitch (12 rows garter = 6 ridges). Slip markers as you come to them.

Lower reverse-stockinette setup (8 rows)

Establish the ground, ropes, and a clustered “seed” of feathers so the first wing pair has something to grow from.

Row 13 (RS): K6, sm, k6, sm, p68, sm,
work Right Wing Row 1, sm, p4, sm, work Left Wing Row 1, sm,
p68, sm, k6, sm, k6.

Row 14 (WS) and every WS row of the body:
K6, sm, p6, sm, k68, sm, work panel sts as they appear to last 80 panel sts (purl the cable sts, knit the reverse-stockinette sts), sm as you meet them, k68, sm, p6, sm, k6.

Row 15 (RS): K6, sm, k6, sm, p68, sm, Right Wing Row 1, sm, p4, sm, Left Wing Row 1, sm, p68, sm, k6, sm, k6.

Row 16 (WS): As Row 14.

Row 17 (RS): K6, sm, C6F, sm, p68, sm, Right Wing Row 1, sm, p4, sm, Left Wing Row 1, sm, p68, sm, C6F, sm, k6.

Rows 18–20: Repeat Row 14 (WS), Row 15 (RS), Row 14 (WS).

Wing panel — written instructions (80 sts)

Work the 48-row repeat 7 times (336 rows ✓). On every RS body row the 80 panel sts are:

Right Wing (38) + p4 spine + Left Wing (38) = 80 ✓

Side sts are always: K6, [k6 or C6F], p68, panel, p68, [k6 or C6F], K6.

Rope C6F on RS rows 7, 15, 23, 31, 39, and 47 of each 48-row repeat.

WS panel: work sts as they appear.

Below, each Wing RS row is the 80 panel stitches in the order you knit them (right-wing outer edge → spine → left-wing outer edge). Confirm 80 sts after every row.

Rows 1–12 — Spread

Row 1 (RS) — cluster:
P12, k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2, p12.
(38+4+38 = 80 ✓)

Row 2 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 3 (RS):
P10, T4B, T6B, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, T6F, T4F, p10.
(10+4+6+2+4+2+4+2+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+2+4+2+4+2+6+4+10 = 80 ✓)

Row 4 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 5 (RS):
P8, T4B, p2, k4, p2, T6B, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, T6F, p2, k4, p2, T4F, p8.
(8+4+2+4+2+6+2+4+2+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+2+4+2+6+2+4+2+4+8 = 80 ✓)

Row 6 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 7 (RS): (rope: C6F)
P6, T4B, p2, T6B, p2, k4, p4, k4, p2, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p2, k4, p4, k4, p2, T6F, p2, T4F, p6.
(6+4+2+6+2+4+4+4+2+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+2+4+4+4+2+6+2+4+6 = 80 ✓)

Row 8 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 9 (RS):
P4, T4B, p4, k4, p4, k4, p2, T6B, p2, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p2, T6F, p2, k4, p4, k4, p4, T4F, p4.
(4+4+4+4+4+4+2+6+2+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+2+6+2+4+4+4+4+4+4 = 80 ✓)

Row 10 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 11 (RS):
P4, k2, p4, T6B, p2, T6B, p2, k4, p4, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p4, k4, p2, T6F, p2, T6F, p4, k2, p4.
(4+2+4+6+2+6+2+4+4+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+4+4+2+6+2+6+4+2+4 = 80 ✓)

Row 12 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Full span now reads (knit/purl only): p4, k2, p4, k4, p4, k4, p4, k4, p4, k2, p2, p4, p2, k2, p4, k4, p4, k4, p4, k4, p4, k2, p4. Wings are open.

Rows 13–36 — Feather texture (4-row repeat × 6 = 24 rows ✓)

Keep the same knit/purl map. Cross the three 4-st feathers; the outer and inner 2-st shafts stay k2.

Row 13 (RS):
P4, k2, p4, C4B, p4, C4F, p4, C4B, p4, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p4, C4F, p4, C4B, p4, C4F, p4, k2, p4.
(4+2+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+2+4 = 80 ✓)

Row 14 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 15 (RS): (rope: C6F)
P4, k2, p4, k4, p4, k4, p4, k4, p4, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p4, k4, p4, k4, p4, k4, p4, k2, p4.
(80 ✓)

Row 16 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 17 (RS):
P4, k2, p4, C4F, p4, C4B, p4, C4F, p4, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p4, C4B, p4, C4F, p4, C4B, p4, k2, p4.
(80 ✓)

Row 18 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 19 (RS): Same as Row 15 (plain k4 feathers; no rope unless this is a scheduled rope row — it is not).

Row 20 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Rows 21–36: Repeat Rows 13–20 twice more (3 × 8 rows = 24 rows, which is Rows 13–36 ✓).
Rope C6F falls on Row 23 and Row 31 of the 48-row repeat (the RS plain-feather rows that match the 8-row rope rhythm).

Rows 37–48 — Contract

Feathers travel back to the spine so the next pair of wings can lift from the same shoulder.

Row 37 (RS):
P4, k2, p4, T6F, p2, T6F, p2, k4, p4, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p4, k4, p2, T6B, p2, T6B, p4, k2, p4.
(4+2+4+6+2+6+2+4+4+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+4+4+2+6+2+6+4+2+4 = 80 ✓)

Row 38 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 39 (RS): (rope: C6F)
P4, T4F, p4, k4, p4, k4, p2, T6F, p2, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p2, T6B, p2, k4, p4, k4, p4, T4B, p4.
(4+4+4+4+4+4+2+6+2+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+2+6+2+4+4+4+4+4+4 = 80 ✓)

Row 40 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 41 (RS):
P6, T4F, p2, T6F, p2, k4, p4, k4, p2, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p2, k4, p4, k4, p2, T6B, p2, T4B, p6.
(6+4+2+6+2+4+4+4+2+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+2+4+4+4+2+6+2+4+6 = 80 ✓)

Row 42 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 43 (RS):
P8, T4F, p2, k4, p2, T6F, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, T6B, p2, k4, p2, T4B, p8.
(8+4+2+4+2+6+2+4+2+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+2+4+2+6+2+4+2+4+8 = 80 ✓)

Row 44 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 45 (RS):
P10, T4F, T6F, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2,
p4,
p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, T6B, T4B, p10.
(10+4+6+2+4+2+4+2+2+2 + 4 + 2+2+2+4+2+4+2+6+4+10 = 80 ✓)

Row 46 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Row 47 (RS): (rope: C6F) Same as Row 1 (cluster).
P12, k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2, p4, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2, p12. (80 ✓)

Row 48 (WS): Work sts as they appear.

Work Rows 1–48 six more times (7 repeats total; 7 × 48 = 336 ✓).
You have now worked 8 setup rows + 336 chart rows = 344 rows above the hem, plus 12 hem rows = 356 rows from the CO.

Upper reverse-stockinette setup (8 rows)

Next RS: K6, sm, k6 (C6F if this RS matches the rope schedule — continue the 8-row rope rhythm through these 8 rows), sm, p68, sm, work Wing Row 1 (cluster), sm, p4, sm, work Wing Row 1, sm, p68, sm, k6 or C6F, sm, k6.

Following 7 rows: Keep the same stitch map as Wing Rows 1–2 (clustered feathers resting at the spine), with WS rows as established, until 8 rows of setup are complete. Work C6F on the ropes when the 8-row rope rhythm lands.

Upper garter hem

Next 12 rows: Knit every stitch, slipping markers.
(12+8+336+8+12 = 376 rows from CO ✓)

Next row (WS): Knit. Bind off knitwise, loosely, leaving markers in until the last st of each section is bound off so you can count. Remove markers. 240 sts bound off ✓.

BORDER

The body already has 6-st garter edges and 6-st rope frames. The applied border squares the corners and gives a firm, even frame.

With US 7 (4.5 mm), RS facing, and beginning at the lower-right corner (as worn):

1. Pick up and knit 240 sts along the bind-off edge (1 for each bound-off st). Pm for corner.
2. Pick up and knit 282 sts along the left side (3 sts for every 4 rows along 376 rows: 376 × 3/4 = 282 ✓). Pm for corner.
3. Pick up and knit 240 sts along the cast-on edge. Pm for corner.
4. Pick up and knit 282 sts along the right side. Pm for beginning of round.
   Total: 240+282+240+282 = 1044 sts ✓.

Join for working in the round.

Rnd 1 (WS of body, but you are working from the RS of the border): Purl.

Rnd 2 (ridge, RS of border): *Kfb, knit to 1 st before corner marker, kfb, sm; repeat from * 3 more times. (8 sts increased → 1044 + 8 = 1052 ✓)

Rnd 3: Purl.

Rnd 4: As Rnd 2 (1052 + 8 = 1060 ✓).

Rnd 5: Purl.

Rnd 6: As Rnd 2 (1060 + 8 = 1068 ✓).

Rnd 7: Purl.

Rnd 8: As Rnd 2 (1068 + 8 = 1076 ✓).

Rnd 9: Purl.

Rnd 10: As Rnd 2 (1076 + 8 = 1084 ✓).

Five garter ridges. Bind off knitwise, loosely, on the next knit round (or use a sewn/Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind-off). The border adds about 1½" (4 cm) all around.

FINISHING

Weave in ends on the WS, following the reverse-stockinette columns so tails stay hidden.

Blocking (essential):
Soak in lukewarm water with a little wool wash for 15–20 minutes. Roll in towels to remove excess water — do not wring. Spread to 50" × 64" (127 × 163 cm). Run blocking wires through the garter border if you have them, so edges dry straight. Pin the wing panel so the feathers are distinct but not stretched flat; cables should remain raised. Let dry completely.

Do not hard-steam the cables. A light hover-steam over the reverse-stockinette fields only is optional after the piece is dry, to settle any remaining bias.

Trim ends. No fringe — the winged panel is the ornament.

Stitch-count audit (carry this while you knit)

Every traveling row swaps knit and purl stitches only. If you ever have 239 or 241, a T4/T6 was worked on the wrong 4 or 6 sts — tinker back to the last marker and compare to the silhouette chart.

Work a 40-st × 16-row swatch of Rows 1–12 of one wing before casting on 240. If the travelers feel cramped, use a slightly larger needle for the 80-st panel only and keep US 8 for fields and edges.