How to work cable stitch
A braided look.
Step by step
- Start on a pleated piece with floss in your needle.
- Stitch pairs of pleats together.
- Alternate the direction of the stitches as you go along.
- Keep the tension steady; try varying it for different looks.
Watch
Learn to Smock - The Cable Stitch with Vaune Pierce (4:11)
By smocking arts guild of america · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 4-minute video from smocking arts guild of america on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
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Sources
All checked November 1, 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.