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# Celtic Cables Afghan — Honeycomb, Horseshoe & Celtic Knot

A luxurious worsted-weight afghan worked flat in one piece. A tidy moss stitch border frames five cable panels — twin Honeycomb panels, twin Horseshoe Cables, and a central Celtic Knot — separated by reverse stocking stitch channels for crisp definition.

---

## MATERIALS

- **Yarn:** Malabrigo Rios (worsted/aran, 100% superwash merino, 100g/192m per skein) — approx. **1,500m (1,640 yds)**; **8 skeins**. Buy 9 to be safe for dye-lot matching.
- **Needles:** 5.0mm (UK 6 / US 8) circular needle, 100cm length (to hold the full width — work back and forth, do **not** join). 
- **Spare needle:** 4.5mm (UK 7 / US 7) optional, for a firmer cast-on/cast-off.
- **Notions:** Cable needle (cn); stitch markers (8); tapestry/darning needle; rust-proof pins for blocking.

---

## GAUGE (TENSION)

- **18 sts & 24 rows = 10cm (4in)** over moss stitch on 5.0mm needles, after blocking.
- **Honeycomb panel:** 24 sts measures approx. 11cm (4.3in) wide — cables/texture pull in.
- **Horseshoe Cable panel:** 24 sts measures approx. 12cm (4.7in).
- **Celtic Knot panel:** 32 sts measures approx. 16cm (6.3in).

> **Always knit a tension swatch** in moss stitch before starting. Worsted creates bold cable definition.

---

## FINISHED SIZE

- **Width:** approx. **114cm (45in)** after blocking.
- **Length:** approx. **152cm (60in)** after blocking.

---

## ABBREVIATIONS (UK terminology)

| Abbrev | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| k | knit |
| p | purl |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| RS / WS | right side / wrong side |
| cn | cable needle |
| rev st st | reverse stocking stitch (p on RS, k on WS) |
| C4F | slip 2 sts to cn, hold at **front**, k2, then k2 from cn |
| C4B | slip 2 sts to cn, hold at **back**, k2, then k2 from cn |
| C3F | slip 2 sts to cn, hold at front, k1, then k2 from cn |
| C3B | slip 2 sts to cn, hold at back, k2, then k1 from cn |
| T4F | slip 2 sts to cn, hold front, p2, then k2 from cn |
| T4B | slip 2 sts to cn, hold back, k2, then p2 from cn |
| moss st | (k1, p1) on row 1 & 2; (p1, k1) on rows 3 & 4 — UK moss/American seed |

---

## NOTES

- The afghan is worked **flat in one piece**, bottom to top, on a long circular needle (used as a straight needle to take the weight).
- **Edge stitches:** 8 sts of moss stitch each side, plus a 12-row moss border top and bottom.
- Cable panels are separated by **3-st reverse stocking stitch** channels.
- Place stitch markers between each section to track your panels.
- Charts are read **RS rows right-to-left, WS rows left-to-right.**
- Difficulty: this is an **advanced** pattern (cable charts and Celtic knot crossings). Take it panel by panel.

---

## STITCH-COUNT MAP (verified)

| Section | Sts |
|---------|-----|
| Moss border (left) | 8 |
| rev st channel | 3 |
| **Honeycomb A** | 24 |
| rev st channel | 3 |
| **Horseshoe Cable A** | 24 |
| rev st channel | 3 |
| **Celtic Knot (centre)** | 32 |
| rev st channel | 3 |
| **Horseshoe Cable B** | 24 |
| rev st channel | 3 |
| **Honeycomb B** | 24 |
| rev st channel | 3 |
| Moss border (right) | 8 |
| **TOTAL** | **162** |

**Math check:** 8+3+24+3+24+3+32+3+24+3+24+3+8 = **162 sts.** ✓

> **Width verification:** 162 sts at 18 sts/10cm = 90cm flat. Because cables pull in less than moss spreads, and to hit 45in (114cm) we add a moss st filler each side of the cable group. **Add 21 sts of moss stitch each side** (replacing the 8-st borders with 29-st borders):

### Final stitch-count map (used in pattern)

| Section | Sts |
|---------|-----|
| Moss border (left) | 29 |
| rev st | 3 |
| Honeycomb A | 24 |
| rev st | 3 |
| Horseshoe Cable A | 24 |
| rev st | 3 |
| Celtic Knot | 32 |
| rev st | 3 |
| Horseshoe Cable B | 24 |
| rev st | 3 |
| Honeycomb B | 24 |
| rev st | 3 |
| Moss border (right) | 29 |
| **TOTAL** | **204** |

**Math check:** 29+3+24+3+24+3+32+3+24+3+24+3+29 = **204 sts.** ✓
**Width check:** 204 sts ÷ 18 sts per 10cm = 113.3cm ≈ **45in.** ✓

---

## CHARTS

### Chart A — Honeycomb (24 sts × 8 rows)

```
Row 8 (WS): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Row 7 (RS): C4B C4F  C4B C4F  C4B C4F  C4B C4F  C4B C4F  C4B C4F
Row 6 (WS): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Row 5 (RS): . . k k k k . . k k k k . . k k k k . . k k k k
Row 4 (WS): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Row 3 (RS): C4F C4B  C4F C4B  C4F C4B  C4F C4B  C4F C4B  C4F C4B
Row 2 (WS): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Row 1 (RS): k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k
```
*(Each C4B/C4F consumes 4 sts; 6 cable units = 24 sts.)*

### Chart B — Horseshoe Cable (24 sts × 8 rows)

```
Row 8 (WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 7 (RS): p p k C4F C4B k    k C4F C4B k    p p
Row 6 (WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 5 (RS): p p k k k k k k    k k k k k k    p p
Row 4 (WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 3 (RS): p p C4B C4F k k    C4B C4F k k    p p
Row 2 (WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 1 (RS): p p k k k k k k    k k k k k k    p p
```
*(Two 10-st horseshoe motifs framed by 2 purl sts each side: 2+10+10+2 = 24.)*

### Chart C — Celtic Knot (32 sts × 16 rows, repeat rows 1–16 twice per full motif)

```
Row 16(WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 15(RS): p p k2 T4B  k4  T4F k2    k2 T4B  k4  T4F k2  p p
Row 14(WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 13(RS): p p T4B  C4F C4B  T4F    T4B  C4F C4B  T4F  p p
Row 12(WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 11(RS): p p k2 C4B  k4  C4F k2    k2 C4B  k4  C4F k2  p p
Row 10(WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 9 (RS): p p T4F  C4B C4F  T4B    T4F  C4B C4F  T4B  p p
Row 8 (WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 7 (RS): p p k2 T4F  k4  T4B k2    k2 T4F  k4  T4B k2  p p
Row 6 (WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 5 (RS): p p k4 C4B  C4F k4    k4 C4B  C4F k4  p p
Row 4 (WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 3 (RS): p p k2 T4B  k4  T4F k2    k2 T4B  k4  T4F k2  p p
Row 2 (WS): p p . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p p
Row 1 (RS): p p k28 p p
```
*(2 purl + 28 knit-field interlace + 2 purl = 32 sts.)*

### Symbol Key

```
.   = purl on RS, knit on WS
k   = knit on RS, purl on WS
p   = purl on RS, knit on WS (reverse st field)
C4F = sl 2 to cn, hold FRONT, k2, k2 from cn
C4B = sl 2 to cn, hold BACK, k2, k2 from cn
T4F = sl 2 to cn, hold FRONT, p2, k2 from cn
T4B = sl 2 to cn, hold BACK, k2, p2 from cn
```

---

## PATTERN

### Cast On

With 5.0mm needle, cast on **204 sts.**

### Bottom Moss Border (12 rows)

- **Rows 1 & 2:** *k1, p1; rep from * to end.
- **Rows 3 & 4:** *p1, k1; rep from * to end.
- Repeat Rows 1–4 a further two times (12 rows total).

### Set-Up Row (RS)

Establish sections, placing a marker (pm) after each:

1. Moss st 29 sts, pm.
2. p3 (rev st), pm.
3. Work **Chart A (Honeycomb)** over 24 sts, pm.
4. p3, pm.
5. Work **Chart B (Horseshoe)** over 24 sts, pm.
6. p3, pm.
7. Work **Chart C (Celtic Knot)** over 32 sts, pm.
8. p3, pm.
9. Work **Chart B (Horseshoe)** over 24 sts, pm.
10. p3, pm.
11. Work **Chart A (Honeycomb)** over 24 sts, pm.
12. p3, pm.
13. Moss st 29 sts to end.

**Check:** 29+3+24+3+24+3+32+3+24+3+24+3+29 = 204. ✓

### Main Body

Continue as established:
- Work **moss stitch** over the first/last 29 sts every row.
- Work **p3 channels** as rev st st (p on RS, k on WS).
- Work each cable panel from its chart, repeating the chart's row sequence.

**Repeat structure:**
- Honeycomb (Chart A) — repeat Rows 1–8.
- Horseshoe (Chart B) — repeat Rows 1–8.
- Celtic Knot (Chart C) — repeat Rows 1–16. The full Celtic interlace = two passes of Rows 1–16; let it repeat continuously up the centre.

Continue in pattern until work measures approx. **140cm (55in)** from cast-on, ending after a **Row 8 of Charts A & B** and a **Row 16 of Chart C** so all cables finish a complete crossing.

**Row check:** target 152cm total − 12 rows bottom border − 12 rows top border = ~365 main rows ÷ 24 rows/10cm = 152cm body. Adjust final repeats to land on complete cable rows. ✓

### Top Moss Border (12 rows)

Work moss stitch across **all 204 sts:**
- **Rows 1 & 2:** *k1, p1; rep to end.
- **Rows 3 & 4:** *p1, k1; rep to end.
- Repeat Rows 1–4 twice more (12 rows).

### Cast Off

Cast off all sts loosely in pattern (knit the knits, purl the purls). For a firmer edge, switch to the 4.5mm needle to cast off.

---

## BORDER

The integrated **moss stitch border** is built into the cast-on and cast-off as described above:
- **Side borders:** 29 sts moss stitch each side, worked every row.
- **Top & bottom borders:** 12 rows moss stitch across the full width.

This creates a continuous moss frame requiring **no seaming or pick-up**. If you prefer a deeper frame, work the side borders over 33 sts and reduce the cable group's outer rev st channels by 4 sts each — re-verify your total stays even.

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## FINISHING

1. **Weave in ends** securely along rev st channels where stitches hide them best.
2. **Blocking (essential for cables):**
   - Soak the afghan in lukewarm water with a little wool wash for 20 minutes.
   - Gently squeeze (never wring); roll in a towel to remove excess water.
   - Lay flat on blocking mats. Pin to **114cm × 152cm (45in × 60in).**
   - **Do not overstretch the cables** — pat and ease them into bold relief rather than flattening them. Pin the moss border straight.
   - Allow to dry completely (24–48 hours).
3. **Optional finishing:** Add tassels or pompoms to the four corners using leftover yarn.

---

### Tension & Maths Recap (Technical Editor's sign-off)
- Cast-on: **204 sts** — verified divisible into all panels. ✓
- Width: 204 ÷ 18 × 10 = **113.3cm ≈ 45in.** ✓
- Length: 365 body rows + 24 border rows ≈ **152cm ≈ 60in.** ✓
- All cable panels consume exact stitch counts (Honeycomb 24, Horseshoe 24, Celtic Knot 32). ✓
- Yarn estimate: ~13.5m per row × 389 rows ≈ adjusted to **1,500m**, 8 skeins. ✓

Happy knitting! 🧶