Alex Set - Gloves Knitting Pattern in Willow & Lark Ramble

Alex Hat & Mittens Knitting Pattern – Willow & Lark Ramble Cable Accessory Set

The Alex Hat & Mittens pattern is part of the Homestead Collection by Willow & Lark, offering knitters a beautifully coordinated cable accessory set. Designed specifically for use with Willow & Lark Ramble yarn, this downloadable PDF pattern guides you through creating a matching cabled hat and pair of mittens, both featuring a striking climbing, twisting cable motif that the designer describes as looking deceptively complicated. This set is an ideal project for intermediate knitters looking to build confidence and refine their cabling technique.

What Is Being Made

This pattern covers two coordinating accessories:

• Alex Hat – A cabled beanie-style hat with a finished width of 54 cm (21¼ in) around the head, featuring the signature climbing cable design.
• Alex Mittens – A pair of mittens with a finished width of 22 cm (8¾ in) around the hand, incorporating a 24-stitch cable panel that measures 9 cm (3½ in) wide.

Techniques Used

The central technique throughout the Alex Set is cable knitting, a method that creates twisted, rope-like textures by crossing groups of stitches over one another using a cable needle. The climbing, twisting cable featured in this pattern creates a visually dynamic surface that adds depth and dimension to both the hat and mittens. Although the finished result looks intricate, the construction is approachable for intermediate knitters who are comfortable with basic cable crossings.

• Cabling – The primary decorative and structural technique used throughout both garments
• Working in the round – Both the hat and mittens are knitted in the round using double pointed needles, a common approach for seamless accessories
• Cable needle usage – Stitches are held at the front or back of work on a cable needle to create the directional twists

Stitches Used

The pattern draws on a focused set of stitches and techniques well-suited to cable accessory knitting:

• Stocking stitch (stockinette) – Used as the base fabric and for tension measurement; tension is set at 22 stitches and 30 rows to 10 cm over stocking stitch
• C4F (Cable 4 Front) – Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold at front, knit 2, then knit 2 from cable needle; creates a left-leaning cable cross
• C4B (Cable 4 Back) – Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold at back, knit 2, then knit 2 from cable needle; creates a right-leaning cable cross
• Knit and purl stitches – Used to frame and set off the cable panels throughout both pieces

Materials – Yarn and Needles

The pattern is designed specifically around Willow & Lark Ramble, a 100% wool DK weight yarn sold in 50 g (1¾ oz) balls. The use of a pure wool yarn is particularly well-suited to cable knitting, as wool has natural elasticity that helps cables pop and retain their definition over time. The pattern requires 3 balls of Ramble to complete the full hat and mittens set.

Suggested colourways include:

• Rhubarb Pink 127
• Hunter 117

Two sets of double pointed needles (DPNs) are required to work both pieces in the round:

• 3.25 mm (UK 10 / US 3) double pointed needles – typically used for ribbing or tighter sections
• 4.00 mm (UK 8 / US 6) double pointed needles – the primary needle size used to achieve the stated tension
• Cable needle – essential for executing all