Mittens galore!

Posted on December 4, 2022 by knitigatingcircumstances

It is that time of year again: time for my annual mitten post! This is the post in which I shower you with some great pattern ideas to keep your needles busy and your hands warm. When I started these posts, I tended more towards fingerless mitts than mittens. That trend is reversed here, perhaps due to the fact that like many others we are keeping our house colder this year. All the more reason to cast on a pair of mittens. I hope you find a pattern here which strikes your fancy.

Argyle style mittens by Lisa K. Ross

I thought I would start with a bang of colour! If you think argyle is old school and a bit staid, think again. Knit yourself a matching hat while you are at it and you will be set for anything winter throws at you.

Ruffletopia by Lisa Granick

I don’t often feature patterns with crochet, but these ruffled, colourful cuffs are hard to resist, maybe even enough for me to pick up a crochet hook. The ruffles are crocheted onto the knitted surface, and add a touch of fun to an otherwise understated glove.

Rabbity mittens & muffatees by bunnymuff – Mona Zillah

These are just too darn cute! I am sure you know someone who would be enchanted by these lovely rabbity mittens.

Jetson by Jo Shaw

I like the bold graphic of this design, and I’m particularly drawn to the purl welts around the cuffs and fingers. Can you see how the cuffs reference the old cartoon The Jetsons? (I am assuming this cartoon is in re-runs because you need to be at least as old as me to remember it otherwise.)

Underwood mittens by Virginia Sattler-Reimer

Over the years, I have featured quite a few of Virginia’s mittens. She never fails to make beautiful patterns and her use of colour is inspiring. Pair these with the fantastic matching tam and you will look super stylish for winters to come.

Timber by tincanknits

I am not sure why tincanknits chose to photograph their new collection in black and white. Yes, it looks cool and sophisticated, but this year I am yearning for colour. Use your imagination to supply the colour, however, and you will see this is a fantastic mitt pattern, which will be quick to knit and warm to wear.

Snowdrift Mittens by Wool & Pine

I just love this photo! There is something about the lovely rust-red mittens against the pine tree which shouts “holiday” and makes me think winter-y thoughts. (Good ones, like these mittens wrapped around a mug of mulled wine at a sparkling, snowy Christmas market.)

Jorvik mittens by Outi Kater

I love the juxtaposition of the blue and gold, and the combination of the geometric pattern and the stripes. It looks bold, cheerful, and stylish.

If you want to check out my previous mitten posts, here are the links!

Merry Mittenmas! (2014)

A dozen great patterns for fingerless mitts (2015)

Mittens! (2015)

To gusset or not to gusset (2016)

It’s mitten time again! (2017)

A show of hands (2018)

Warm hands, warm heart (2019)

Mittens Redux (2020)

My mitten post for 2021 (2021)

Mittens redux

Posted on November 28, 2020 by knitigatingcircumstances

It’s that time of year again, when I show you some of the mitt and mitten patterns which have captured my attention this year. Casting on for a pair of mitts is fun, and more than that, it feels achievable. Big things are happening in the world this year, scary things; so in my sphere I like to have some little things happening, joyful things. A little piece of knitting, a cup of coffee, a technology-assisted talk with friends, warm hands. These things are good.

This is the 7th year I’ve been writing these mitten posts. I hope you find a pattern here to take your fancy. If not, scroll to the end to find links for each of my previous mitten posts. Note that pattern links are for Ravelry.

1. Nordwand by Birgit Grunwald

I love the ingenuity of these. You start at the thumb and work your way out. This feels really clever and different, and makes me want to cast on right away. I think these would be a brilliant pattern for using up small scraps of wool.

2. Radiant Star Mitts by Ella Gordon

These are beautiful mitts, which use traditional motifs and a “bright retro colour palette” inspired by jumpers from the 70s and 80s (from the pattern description). I love the pop of the orange and the turquoise paired with the charcoal black; they are very striking. Even more striking, due to the larger canvas, is the matching cowl which she designed for the Shetland Wool Week Annual 2020.

3. Ui Mittens by Ainur Berkimbayeva

I have a fondness for strong, simple geometric patterns in black and white. These mittens hit the right chord for me. The designer says: “ ‘Ui’ is a Kazakh word for ‘house’ and ‘home.’ The shapes and lines in these mittens reminded me of the cottage where I grew up.” If you like these, you should check out her newest mitten design, Herringbone Mittens for Purl Soho, which continue the Art Deco vibe.

4. Winglet Mitts by Sachiko Burgin

I love this dainty and whimsical design. The pattern description says: “These quick to knit, lepidoptera inspired mitts feature an embossed motif of an affable moth (not of the wool eating kind, promise!).” Better to have some moths on your knitting than moths in your knitting, no? And a pretty pair of mitts to boot.

5. Bramble by Diana Walla

I have always loved the pairing of pink and green, or of orange and green, but here the use of pink and green and orange against this fantastic wash of a brilliant orange coat, is fabulous. The pattern was designed by Diana Walla for amirusu, Fall/Winter 2020, Issue 21. If you don’t want to buy the whole magazine just for one pattern, never fear, it contains some lovely patterns including this gorgeous pullover. This photo not only makes me want to knit the mitts, but also to go out and buy this coat!

6. Pihta by Eeva Kesäkuu

I love these mittens by Finnish designer Eeva Kesäkuu. They are knit at a very tight gauge – 39st/10cm – so are sure to keep you warm and dry. I love the pinstripes, the dimensions, the fantastic gusset and thumb design, and the squared-off tops. Knitting them in red and white just adds to the appeal!

7. Dinkel by Simone Bechtold

Sometimes, simple is best. Dinkel means wheat and this lovely wheat pattern has a lot of impact despite being used so sparingly. The pattern description says: “Some yarns, especially rustic, breed-specific ones, have so much character and personality, you don‘t want to overpower them with a fancy pattern.” Don’t let the simple nature of the pattern fool you; these mitts have a fantastic thumb gusset!

8. Limn by Emily Greene

I adore these mitts! Modelled in the photo above by a man, they are a perfect unisex design. I think they are sinuous and interesting and sexy; they have rhythm and movement and texture, all on a base of luscious garter stitch. What more could you want?

I hope you’ve found something here to enjoy. If it’s put you in the mood for mittens, take a look at my previous mitten posts:

Merry Mittenmas! (2014)

A dozen great patterns for fingerless mitts (2015)

Mittens! (2015)

To gusset or not to gusset (2016)

It’s mitten time again! (2017)

A show of hands (2108)

Warm hands, warm heart (2019)

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

It’s mitten time again!

Posted on November 10, 2017 by knitigatingcircumstances

Yesterday a fantastic anthology of craftivism mittens and mitts popped up in my pattern highlights section on Ravelry. It is a collection of designs called Join Hands, and as I was savouring the patterns, I realised that it was time for another post about great mitten patterns (previous posts include Merry Mittenmas!, A dozen great patterns for fingerless mitts, and Mittens!). This seems to be becoming an annual feature on the blog, one which I am more than happy to continue. So, without further ado, here are my picks of the season.

We must do better by Dianna Walla

I like all of the patterns in the Join Hands pattern ebook, but this is one of my favorites. I love anything Dianna Walla designs (she is a fantastic blogger as well; check her out here). These mitts really speak to me, both for their meaning and for the great lines of the design and the very simple but bold patterning. The proceeds from the ebook will be split equally between the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center, two worthy organisations! The phrase “We must do better”, knitted around the cuffs, is taken from the book We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Iznik by Barbara Gregory

Crissy Jarvis © Barbara Gregory

Barbara Gregory’s designs are nearly always winners in my book. I love her use of colour and whimsy. (I knit one of her sweaters which I blogged about here.) She puts out great mitten patterns every year. This year I was taken with the design called Iznik. I am a big fan of tiles, and the Iznik tiles and pottery from Turkey are very distinctive and beautiful. She uses duplicate stitch for the third colour, so these are not as difficult as they appear, using two-colour stranded knitting throughout.

Petronela Mittens by Anna Lipinska

This year I seem to be attracted to big, cosy mittens. I have a cold right now, so perhaps that factored into my selection, but it seems to be a trend on this list. These mittens are very spare but look like just the right thing to wear for a brisk winter walk. In fact, these mittens are almost enough to make me wish to take a brisk winter walk, which is saying a lot. I like these in natural colours but could imagine making them in almost any shade. Make them for your teenagers and watch them not be able to text.

Herati by Sari Nordlund

I like almost anything from the Pom Pom Quarterly. This pair of mittens really caught my eye (not hard to do with this sumptuous shot – all those beautiful reds and golds). These are knit with Quince & Co Finch, a favorite yarn, and I just might have these very colours in my stash! I hesitate to knit mittens without a gusset (see my post To gusset or not to gusset) but these have been circling around in my brain and could very well end up on my needles.

Black and White Mittens by Carolyn Vance

These mittens are published in a journal called Cast On, The Educational Journal for Knitters, Winter 2017/18; it is published quarterly by The Knitting Guild Association, a non-profit organization. This suggests that this pattern is educational; I just think it’s cool. I am attracted to geometrical prints and also to black and white patterns. These are knit in sport weight yarn on tiny needles, to get a gauge of 10 stitches to the inch in pattern. The design uses a technique called twined knitting – I don’t know it (I guess that is what makes this educational), but can also be knit with traditional stranded stockinette.

Lines Mittens by tincanknits

I love what tincanknits do with colour, but this pattern shows how great they are with natural shades as well. I really like these mittens – I love how the grey and white play against each other, I love the geometry of the lines, and I especially love the photo. If I had these, I would hang around on cliffs all day waiting for someone to photograph my hands artfully arranged against the rocks. These are knit in a cashmere blend, by the way, which makes me want them even more.

Tveir Fingerless Gloves by Ella Gordon

I had to include this very Christmas-y design here. These fingerless gloves are so cheerful and pretty. They make me think of eggnog and gingerbread and wrapping paper and Christmas tree ornaments. It’s a very sweet pattern, from the Shetland Wool Week Annual 2017.

Pink Pine Pair by Nataliya Sinelshchikova

These are fantastic mittens with a super interesting construction. I covet these, in the exact colours. I want this pop of pink! And then maybe I would make a pair with a pop of red! Or a pop of orange! Or a pop of purple! Maybe I need many pairs! I have never heard of this designer and this is her only pattern on Ravelry, but if this is the first she is off to a good start.

I hope this post inspires you to knit a pair of mittens. I believe there should be a design for everyone in this selection (including all of those on your gift list). Happy knitting!

Mittens!

Posted on November 7, 2015 by knitigatingcircumstances

Shortly before Christmas last year, I published a post with great mitten patterns (you can find it here). Last week, I received a lovely mitten pattern in the mail. As part of her Seven Skeins Club, Kate Davies recently released this pattern, called Kokkeluri:

I think these are beautiful, and if I ever get my hands back to knttting shape, I plan to make a pair. (I already have the yarn!) This pattern is only available to subscribers of the Seven Skeins Club until its general release in 2016. If you are not part of the Club, never fear! I have another seasonal round-up of great mitten patterns for you here.

I just love these Medusa Mittens by Annie Watts. It is one pair in a trio, which includes the Mitts of Sysiphus and the Pandora Mitts. They are all good, but these are my favorites.

They can’t be properly appreciated without seeing the back (or the front as the case may be). What would Medusa be without snakes?

While I love fun mittens, and I love colourful mittens, I also have a fondness for geometrical patterns, and love the spare lines and muted colours of these, Midtown by Spilly Jane. She was inspired by the subway ventilation gratings in New York City.

My mitten post last year had a couple of red and white themed mittens. This seems to be a favorite of mine, as witnessed by this pair, the Celtic Inspired Mittens, by Janet Welsh Knits.

The Melancholy Thistle pattern by Pinneguri is pretty in this green and white colourway, but make sure you check out the projects on Ravelry. There aren’t too many yet, but the variations in the colourways are really striking. Check them out. Aren’t the thumbs fabulous?

Weeds by Lynn Manderville is a lovely pattern. I find these really appealing; the colourwork is great but I especially love the cuffs. I am a sucker for seed stitch, and this green is gorgeous.

I love these Telšiai Mittens by Donna Druchunas. These are based on a pair of Lithuanian mittens knitted in the town of Telšiai, and photographed in a Lithuanian knitting pattern book from 1933 (details at Ravelry link above). The original photo is in black and white, but I think this blue and yellow combination is fabulous.

I really love Metasequoia, by Kristen Kapur (what a great name, too!). I’m not even sure why I find them so appealing but their simple folksiness with a touch of whimsy, is really great.

Last but not least, I ‘m crazy about the Calaveras Mittens by JennyPenny:

In case you’re not convinced, just tlook at the reverse side.

The weather is going to get cold and frosty any day (at least for us in the Northern Hemisphere). It’s the perfect time to cast on a pair of mittens. Enjoy!

Merry Mittenmas!

Posted on December 23, 2014 by knitigatingcircumstances

I was sitting around thinking about mitten patterns (as one does) and listening to Christmas carols. My head filled in the following lyrics:

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Twelve great mitten patterns…

So, without further ado, I present to you twelve great mitten patterns (in no particular order; all links are to Ravelry pattern pages.)

1. Newton’s Mittens, designed by Emily Bujold:

2. Deep in the Forest mittens, designed by Tuulia Samela:

by Tuulia

3. Perfect Storm mittens, designed by Kimberly Voisin:

4. 4-11 Mittens, designed by Anna Zilboorg:

5. Paradoxical mittens, designed by Lucy Neatby:

by LucyN

6. Blomst mittens, designed by Tori Seierstad:

by Torirot

7. Wallpaper Mittens, designed by Veronik Avery:

by Veronik

8. Stay Puft mittens (Ghostbuster tribute), designed by Therese Sharp:

9. Golden Light Mittens, designed by Spilly Jane:

10. Freja mittens, designed by Emmy Petersson:

11. Lotus Mittens, designed by Heather Dessurud:

12. Fishbone Mittens, designed by Marit Trudvang:

by yarnjungle

Looking over this list, I can see a number of dominant themes:

Colourwork. Every single one of these patterns utilizes colourwork. No Plain Jane mittens for me!
Whimsy. It is clear that I have a finely tuned sense of the ridiculous.
Black and white geometrics. Three out of twelve fall into this category; clearly, this is an appealing theme for me.

Happy Holidays!

Knitigating Circumstances

Because knitting is excuse enough

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