# Cream Cable Knit Baby Hoodie Free Crochet Pattern
I call this one the “Little Aran,” and it’s been one of my most requested patterns ever. I sketched the first version when my best friend announced her pregnancy, completely obsessed with the idea of a crochet piece that looked like those gorgeous Irish fisherman sweaters my grandmother used to knit.
The secret is all in the post stitches — front post and back post double crochets twisted into rope cables — and it’s far less intimidating than it looks. Most people who see the finished piece can’t tell it’s crocheted rather than knitted. Heirloom quality, straight off your hook.
What You’ll Need
- Worsted weight yarn in cream or natural off-white, approx. 550-650 yards. Choose something with great stitch definition and minimal fuzz (fuzzy yarn will swallow the cables). Soft acrylic or superwash wool both work.
- US J-10 (6.0 mm) hook, or size needed for gauge
- 5 wooden buttons, 3/4 inch (20 mm) diameter
- Yarn needle, stitch markers, scissors, measuring tape
Finished size:
- 6-12 months
- Chest 19 in when closed, 10.5 in shoulder to hem, sleeves 6.5 in underarm to cuff, hood adds 6 in
The Pattern
Gauge:
- In the main cable pattern: 14 sts and 10 rows = 4 in, blocked
- In single-crochet ribbing: 14 sts and 16 rows = 4 in
- Work a swatch of at least 20 sts and 14 rows, block it, and measure — a single stitch per 4 inches shifts the chest over an inch on a baby garment
Key Stitches
FPdc = front post double crochet: yo, insert hook from front to back to front around the post of the stitch below, complete as a dc. Raised on the front.
BPdc = back post double crochet: same idea from back to front to back. Raised on the back.
FPtr = front post treble: yo twice, work around the post below, [yo, pull through 2 loops] 3 times.
Cable Cross Right (CR6) — worked over 6 stitches: skip the next 3 post sts in the current row; work FPtr around the posts of stitches 4, 5, 6 in the row below; then go back and work FPtr around stitches 1, 2, 3. (6 FPtr — the right stitches cross over the left.)
The cables live in columns of 6 separated by 4-stitch BPdc grooves. Crosses happen on RS Row 8, then every 6 rows (14, 20, 26). On other RS rows work the 6 cable sts as FPdc; on WS rows work them as BPdc. The ch-3 at each row start counts as 1 dc throughout.
Back Panel
Foundation: Ch 36.
Row 1 (WS): Dc in 4th ch from hook and each ch across. Turn. (34 dc) Arrange into 3 cable repeats: 2 dc edge sts per side, 30 cable-pattern sts.
Row 2 (RS): Ch 3 (dc), dc in next st, [4 FPdc, 6 BPdc] 3 times, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (34)
Row 3 (WS): Ch 3, dc in next st, [4 BPdc, 6 FPdc] 3 times, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (34)
Rows 4-7: Alternate RS/WS rows in pattern. (34)
Row 8 (RS, cross): Ch 3, dc in next st, [4 FPdc, CR6] 3 times, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (34)
Rows 9-26: Continue in pattern, crossing on Rows 14, 20, and 26. (34)
Checkpoint: After Row 26 the piece should be ~10.5 in from the foundation. Mark the shoulders: 9 sts from each edge, 16 center sts for the back neck.
Right Front (button band, no buttonholes)
Foundation: Ch 21.
Row 1 (WS): Dc in 4th ch from hook and each ch across. Turn. (19 dc)
Row 2 (RS): Ch 3, dc in next 2 sts (button band), 4 FPdc, 6 BPdc, 4 FPdc, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (19)
Row 3 (WS): Ch 3, dc in next st, 4 BPdc, 6 FPdc, 4 BPdc, dc in next 2 sts, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (19)
Rows 4-7: Continue in pattern. (19)
Row 8 (RS, cross): Ch 3, dc in next 2 sts, 4 FPdc, CR6, 4 FPdc, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (19)
Rows 9-26: Continue in pattern, crossing on Rows 14, 20, 26. (19)
Left Front (mirror image, with buttonholes)
Foundation: Ch 21.
Row 1 (WS): Dc in 4th ch from hook and each ch across. Turn. (19 dc)
Row 2 (RS): Ch 3, dc in next st, 4 FPdc, 6 BPdc, 4 FPdc, dc in next 2 sts, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (19)
Row 3 (WS): Ch 3, dc in next 2 sts, 4 BPdc, 6 FPdc, 4 BPdc, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (19)
Row 4 (RS, buttonhole 1): Ch 3, dc in next st, 4 FPdc, 6 BPdc, 4 FPdc, ch 1, sk 1 st, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (19, with ch-1 buttonhole in the band)
Continue in pattern, working buttonholes on Rows 9, 14, 19, and 24 (on Row 5 and buttonhole rows, work a dc into the ch-1 sp), and cable crosses on Rows 8, 14, 20, 26. (19 each row)
Sleeves (make 2)
Cuff: Ch 7.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. Turn. (6 sc)
Rows 2-25: Ch 1, sc in back loop only across. Turn. (6 each) Seam the short ends into a ring.
Sleeve body: Join yarn at the cuff edge; work 28 dc evenly around the long edge. Work flat in rows:
Row 1 (WS): Ch 3, dc in each of next 27 sts. Turn. (28 dc)
Row 2 (RS): Ch 3, dc in next st, [4 FPdc, 6 BPdc] twice, 4 FPdc, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (28)
Rows 3-7: Continue in pattern. (28)
Row 8 (RS, cross): Ch 3, dc in next st, [4 FPdc, CR6] twice, 4 FPdc, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (28)
Rows 9-16: Continue in pattern, crossing on Row 14. (28)
Checkpoint: Sleeve body ~6.5 in from the cuff join.
Assembly
Block all pieces before seaming — wet blocking opens up the cable texture dramatically. Whipstitch or mattress stitch the shoulder seams (the 9-st shoulder sections), set in the sleeves (mark the armhole 4 in below each shoulder seam), then seam sleeves and sides in one go from cuff to hem.
Hood
Picked up directly from the neckline. With RS facing, join yarn at the right front neck edge.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 3, work 36 dc evenly across the neckline (10 across right front, 16 across back, 10 across left front). Turn. (36 dc)
Row 2 (WS): Ch 3, dc in each st across. Turn. (36)
Row 3 (RS): Ch 3, dc in next st, [4 FPdc, 6 BPdc] 3 times, 4 FPdc, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (36)
Rows 4-8: Continue in pattern. (36)
Row 9 (RS, cross): Ch 3, dc in next st, [4 FPdc, CR6] 3 times, 4 FPdc, dc in next st, dc in top of t-ch. Turn. (36)
Rows 10-14: Continue in pattern. (36)
Row 15 (RS, cross): Same as Row 9. (36)
Checkpoint: Hood ~6 in from the neckline. Fold RS together and seam the top closed.
Sew the 5 wooden buttons to the right front band, evenly spaced to match the buttonholes. Weave in all ends, and block the finished garment one more time — it transforms the piece from nice to stunning.
Sophie’s Tips
- Keep a row counter on your wrist. Tracking the cross rows (every 6th RS row) is the single most important thing for uniform cables.
- If the cables look tight or puckered, go up a hook size — post stitches compress the fabric, so a slightly bigger hook keeps the drape.
- The CR6 crossing feels awkward the first time. By your third or fourth cable cross, it’ll feel like second nature.
This is the sweater that gets handed down. Enjoy watching those rope cables grow!
