Valley Yarns Smocked Cable Hat and Mitts Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Smocked Cable Hat and Mitts

What Is Being Made

This downloadable knitting pattern from Valley Yarns creates a coordinated set of a warm winter hat and matching mitts. The hat is designed to fit head circumferences of 18, 20, or 22 inches, while the mitts are sized for wrist circumferences of 8, 9, or 10 inches. The pattern was designed by Kirsten Hipsky and features a distinctive smocked cable motif that creates visual interest and texture throughout both garments.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level pattern employs several key knitting techniques that work together to create the finished pieces:

• Seamless construction: Both the hat and mitts are worked in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles, eliminating the need for seaming
• Bottom-up construction: The garments are worked from the cast-on edge upward, allowing you to try on and adjust length as you knit
• Cable and smocking stitches: The smocking stitch is the signature element of this design, created by inserting the right needle into the seventh stitch on the left needle to draw up a long loop, which is then placed on the left needle and knit together with the next stitch. This technique creates a diagonal path across the fabric that shifts four stitches to the left every sixth round
• Crown shaping: The hat features progressive decreases to shape the crown, using knit two together and purl two together decreases worked in specific patterns to create a fitted top

Stitches Used

The pattern combines basic and decorative stitches to achieve its textured appearance:

• Knit (k) and purl (p): The foundation stitches used throughout the ribbing and body of both garments
• Knit two together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used extensively in the crown shaping and final decreases
• Purl two together (p2tog): A left-leaning decrease used in the crown shaping rounds
• Ribbing: A k2, p2 ribbing pattern forms the base of the hat and creates elasticity in the cuff sections
• Smocking stitch: The special stitch that creates the diagonal cable effect characteristic of this design

Materials and Gauge

The pattern calls for Valley Yarns Colrain, a yarn blend of 50% Merino wool and 50% Tencel, which provides warmth and a subtle sheen. The yarn is available in the Natural colorway shown in the pattern. Yardage requirements are 109 yards per 50-gram skein, with the hat requiring 2 skeins and the mitts requiring 1 to 2 skeins depending on size, or 2 to 3 skeins for the complete set.

Needles required are US size 6 (4.00mm) in both 16-inch circular and double-pointed needle formats. The pattern also calls for 2 stitch markers to track the beginning of rounds and pattern repeats.

The gauge is 5 stitches equals 1 inch in k2, p2 ribbing after blocking. An important note: Valley Yarns Colrain can change significantly in diameter after wet blocking, so the pattern recommends blocking your gauge swatch before determining the necessary needle size to ensure proper fit.