Teal Sunburst Cable Knit Floor Puck: Free Pattern for a Mid-Century Argyle Pouf

Introduction

Welcome to your very first cable project! This Teal Sunburst Cable Knit Floor Puck is a shallow, round floor cushion that looks like a piece of mid-century modern furniture, yet it is built from the simplest possible stitches. It is perfect for a complete beginner who has never held knitting needles, because every single step is spelled out below, one round at a time. The finished piece is a 22-inch (56 cm) teal drum with a crisp coral eight-pointed argyle diamond star at the center, and eight raised cable twists radiating outward like a sunburst. Because it is worked in super bulky yarn on big needles, it grows fast, feels soft and squishy underfoot, and gives you a real, usable piece of home decor in a weekend or two.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Super bulky / jumbo weight yarn (category 6), approximately 420 yd (384 m) total: 340 yd (311 m) teal and 80 yd (73 m) coral. The sample used a smooth, round super bulky wool-blend singles yarn at 1.5–2 wraps per inch.
• Main needle: US 15 (10 mm) circular needle, 40" (100 cm) long. (You need the long cable to hold all the stitches as the circle grows.)
• Double-pointed needles: One set of US 15 (10 mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs) for the tiny center circumference and for the cord edging.
• Cable needle: US 15 (10 mm) cable needle (or any short spare needle).
• Crochet hook: Size N/P-15 (10 mm) for the cord edging (optional helper).
• Stitch markers: At least 9 (8 for the wedges plus 1 for the beginning of the round).
• Tapestry needle: A large-eye, blunt-tip needle for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Scissors.
• Stuffing: A 22" (56 cm) round pillow insert, or loose fiberfill.
• Finished size: Approximately 22" (56 cm) in diameter and 5" (12.5 cm) deep.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• st / sts – stitch / stitches (one loop on your needle is one stitch).
• k – knit stitch (insert the right needle into the front of the stitch, wrap yarn around, pull a loop through, slide the old stitch off).
• p – purl stitch (insert the right needle into the front of the stitch from right to left, wrap yarn around, pull a loop through to the back, slide the old stitch off).
• M1L – make one left (lift the horizontal bar between the last and next stitch from front to back, then knit it through the back loop — this adds one new stitch).
• M1R – make one right (lift the bar between stitches from back to front, then knit it through the front loop — this adds one new stitch).
• C4F – Cable 4 Front (slip 2 sts onto the cable needle and hold them in front of your work, knit the next 2 sts from the main needle, then knit the 2 sts from the cable needle).
• C4B – Cable 4 Back (slip 2 sts onto the cable needle and hold them in back of your work, knit the next 2 sts from the main needle, then knit the 2 sts from the cable needle).
• cast on – the very first step that puts loops onto your needle.
• bind off – the final step that locks the stitches so they cannot unravel.
• round – one complete circle of knitting when you work in the round (no turning).
• I-cord – a thin knitted tube made by knitting a few stitches, sliding them back to the other end of the needle, and knitting them again.
• whipstitch – a simple over-and-over sewing stitch used to join edges.
• mattress stitch – an invisible seaming stitch that joins two edges flat.

Gauge

9 sts and 12 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch on US 15 (10 mm) needles, blocked. Cable panels pull in slightly, which is why the finished puck measures about 22" (56 cm) across.

Why gauge matters: Gauge is how many stitches fit into 4 inches. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern's, your pouf will be too large and floppy; if smaller, it will be too small for the insert. How to swatch: cast on 20 sts, knit 20 rows in stockinette (knit one row, purl one row), bind off, then lay it flat and count how many stitches fit across 4 inches. If you have more than 9, go up a needle size; if fewer, go down.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use the stitch markers. Place a marker after each of the 8 starting stitches. Every increase happens right next to a marker, so you never have to guess where you are.
• Do not pull your yarn tight. Super bulky yarn needs a relaxed, even tension. Tight stitches make cables hard to cross and make the pouf stiff.
• Count your stitches at the end of every increase round. The count in parentheses tells you exactly what you should have. If it is off, fix it before moving on.
• Cables are just stitches in a different order. If a C4F feels scary, remember you are only moving 2 stitches aside, knitting 2, then knitting the 2 you set aside.
• Switch to the circular needle as soon as the stitches feel crowded on the double-pointed needles — usually around Round 9.
• Keep your beginning-of-round marker a different color so you always know where each round starts and ends.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set-Up

With teal yarn and the double-pointed needles, cast on 8 sts using the cable cast-on. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a marker at the beginning of the round and after each of the 8 sts (8 markers total).

Center Star (Coral)

Change to coral yarn.

Round 1: [K1, M1L] around. (16 sts)

Round 2: Knit. (16 sts)

Round 3: [K1, M1R, k1, M1L] around. (32 sts)

Round 4: Knit. (32 sts)

Round 5: [K1, M1R, k2, M1L, k1] around. (48 sts)

Round 6: Knit. (48 sts)

Round 7: [K1, M1R, k4, M1L, k1] around. (64 sts)

Round 8: Knit. (64 sts) Cut coral, leaving a 6" (15 cm) tail to weave in later.

Radiating Cables (Teal)

Change to teal yarn. The eight increase points become the eight radiating cable lines. Work increases as established every other round, and begin the cable crossings once each wedge has 8 sts between markers.

Round 9: [K1, M1R, k6, M1L, k1] around. (80 sts)

Round 10: Knit. (80 sts)

Round 11: [K1, M1R, k8, M1L, k1] around. (96 sts)

Round 12: Knit. (96 sts)

Round 13 (first cable crossing): [K1, M1R, C4F, C4B, M1L, k1] around. (112 sts)

Round 14: Knit. (112 sts)

Round 15: [K1, M1R, k12, M1L, k1] around. (128 sts)

Round 16: Knit. (128 sts)

Round 17: [K1, M1R, k14, M1L, k1] around. (144 sts)

Round 18: Knit. (144 sts)

Round 19 (second cable crossing): [K1, M1R, k2, C4F, C4B, k2, M1L, k1] around. (160 sts)

Round 20: Knit. (160 sts)

Round 21: [K1, M1R, k18, M1L, k1] around. (176 sts)

Round 22: Knit. (176 sts)

Round 23: [K1, M1R, k20, M1L, k1] around. (192 sts)

Round 24: Knit. (192 sts)

Round 25 (third cable crossing): [K1, M1R, k4, C4F, C4B, k4, M1L, k1] around. (208 sts)

Round 26: Knit. (208 sts)

Round 27: [K1, M1R, k24, M1L, k1] around. (224 sts)

Round 28: Knit. (224 sts)

Round 29: [K1, M1R, k26, M1L, k1] around. (240 sts)

Round 30: Knit. (240 sts)

Round 31 (fourth cable crossing): [K1, M1R, k6, C4F, C4B, k6, M1L, k1] around. (256 sts)

Round 32: Knit. (256 sts)

Round 33: [K1, M1R, k30, M1L, k1] around. (272 sts)

Round 34: Knit. (272 sts)

Round 35: [K1, M1R, k32, M1L, k1] around. (288 sts)

Round 36: Knit. (288 sts)

Round 37 (fifth cable crossing): [K1, M1R, k8, C4F, C4B, k8, M1L, k1] around. (304 sts)

Round 38: Knit. (304 sts)

Round 39: [K1, M1R, k36, M1L, k1] around. (320 sts)

Round 40: Knit. (320 sts) Remove all markers except the beginning-of-round marker.

Outer Edge

Round 41: Purl. (320 sts)

Round 42: Knit. (320 sts)

Round 43: Purl. (320 sts)

Round 44: Knit. (320 sts) Bind off loosely in pattern. Do not cut the yarn yet; leave a 40" (100 cm) tail for seaming.

Knitted Cord Edging

With teal yarn and double-pointed needles, cast on 3 sts. Work an I-cord as follows: knit 3, then slide the stitches to the other end of the needle without turning. Repeat until the cord measures 70" (178 cm), enough to wrap the full circumference with a 2" (5 cm) overlap. Bind off.

Assembly and Finishing

1. Block the circle. Soak the knitted circle in cool water for 10 minutes, gently squeeze out the water, then pin it to a 22" (56 cm) diameter on a towel or blocking mat. Pin the cable lines straight and the outer edge flat. Allow it to dry completely.

2. Form the drum. With the right side facing out, fold the outer edge under by 2" (5 cm) to create the shallow drum side. Using the long tail and a tapestry needle, whipstitch the bound-off edge to the wrong side of the circle, working evenly around and leaving a 10" (25 cm) opening.

3. Stuff and close. Insert the 22" (56 cm) round pillow insert, or stuff firmly and evenly with fiberfill until the puck holds a 5" (12.5 cm) depth. Close the opening with mattress stitch.

4. Add the cord edging. Sew the I-cord around the seam line where the top meets the side, butting the ends together and stitching them closed.

5. Weave in ends. Thread each yarn tail onto the tapestry needle and weave it back and forth through the wrong side of the fabric for about 2 inches, then trim. Steam the cable lines lightly to encourage the sunburst pattern to sit flat. The coral center star should read as a crisp eight-pointed argyle diamond against the teal field.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors. Swap the coral center for mustard yellow or burnt orange for a different mid-century palette, or work the whole pouf in one color for a quieter, textured look.
• Adjust the size. To make a smaller 18" (46 cm) pouf, stop increasing after Round 33 (272 sts) and work the outer edge rounds from there. To make a larger 26" (66 cm) pouf, continue the increase pattern two more rounds before the outer edge.
• Substitute yarn. Any super bulky (category 6) yarn works, but choose a smooth, round singles yarn so the cables stay crisp. Always swatch first, since a fluffier yarn will change your gauge.
• Make it a seat. Stuff the pouf very firmly with fiberfill instead of using an insert, and it becomes a sturdy little footstool or floor seat.