This square is based on a memory of mine. A moment frozen in time from when I was only 13 years old.

I was on my way to school in the early fall and I cut through an orchard, just after the first heavy frost. It was amazing, the grass crunched, the remaining leaves and apples were frost rimmed. And I remember picking an apple – and the first bite was so sweet and juicy – I had never tasted anything so fine. I learned later that cold and frost can intensify the sweetness of some fruits, they are often referred to as frostbitten.

I have embellished the trees with a few fall leaves and late apples. The tree is striking without the embellishments as well.

Autumn Orchard is a cabled afghan block for the knitter who wants their throw to tell a story. Rich cable panels wind across a single square, evoking the gnarled boughs and harvest textures of an orchard in October. Worked bottom-up from cast-on edge to bind-off, this block rewards adventurous knitters who are comfortable reading both written instructions and cable charts and ready to move beyond the basics.

Construction and Technique

• Square block construction, bottom-up, worked flat
• Cable panels throughout: requires confident crossing of stitches with a cable needle
• Suitable for building into a full modular throw or showcasing as a standalone decorative square
• Both a written row-by-row pattern and a cable chart are included
• Skill level: adventurous; a working knowledge of knit, purl, and basic cable crosses is expected

Materials

• Worsted weight yarn recommended (sample shown in Cascade 220, a classic worsted-weight wool); fingering weight version also supported (Koigu KPPPM or Cascade 220 Fingering)
• Yardage: approximately 128-160 yards (117-146 m) per block
• Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) for worsted weight; US 0 (2 mm) for fingering weight
• Cable needle required
• Gauge: 20 sts over 4 in (10 cm) in stockinette

Sizing

• One Size (single square block)
• Finished dimensions vary by yarn weight and gauge; blocking is strongly recommended to open the fabric and set the cables
• Designed to combine with other blocks for a modular throw or afghan

What’s Included

• English-language PDF with full written instructions
• Cable chart with symbol key
• Notes on yarn substitution and blocking

Fall is the natural season for cables. Whether you knit this block as one square in a larger project or frame it as a statement piece on its own, Autumn Orchard brings a seasonal warmth to any needles-and-wool queue.