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Heartwarming Mitts: The Pattern
Twined knitting, a Swedish technique that requires two working yarns that are twisted together after each stitch, makes a sturdy fabric with very little elasticity.
When I ride by bike to work during the winter in Stockholm, I need woolen handcoverings that are strong and durable but also keep my hands warm and dry. Twined knitting makes a sturdy fabric that will last forever, especially if you use a fiber that has an outercoat for strength and undercoat for softness and warmth.
For my Heartwarming Mitts, I used lamb’s wool from Värmland sheep in a subtle mother-of-pearl shade with honey-dipped tips. Värmland, a Swedish landrace, has the strong outercoat and soft undercoat I wanted for twined handcoverings. A double-coated Shetland would also be a good choice, or you could blend fiber from two breeds for the same effect, such as Finn for warmth and softness and Lincoln for strength.
For Josefin's notes on spinning yarn for twined knitting and her mitts, see "Notes on Spinning for the Heartwarming Mitts."
Twined handcoverings are both sturdy and warm.
When I ride by bike to work during the winter in Stockholm, I need woolen handcoverings that are strong and durable but also keep my hands warm and dry. Twined knitting makes a sturdy fabric that will last forever, especially if you use a fiber that has an outercoat for strength and undercoat for softness and warmth.
For my Heartwarming Mitts, I used lamb’s wool from Värmland sheep in a subtle mother-of-pearl shade with honey-dipped tips. Värmland, a Swedish landrace, has the strong outercoat and soft undercoat I wanted for twined handcoverings. A double-coated Shetland would also be a good choice, or you could blend fiber from two breeds for the same effect, such as Finn for warmth and softness and Lincoln for strength.
For Josefin's notes on spinning yarn for twined knitting and her mitts, see "Notes on Spinning for the Heartwarming Mitts."
Twined handcoverings are both sturdy and warm.
[PAYWALL]
Heartwarming Mitts
Fiber 7 oz dual-coated wool.
Yarn 2-ply (spun S and plied Z); 220 yd; 910 ypp; 14 wpi; sportweight.
Needles U.S. sizes 1-1/2 (2.5 mm) and 2-1/2 (3 mm): set of double-pointed needles (dpn). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Notions Marker (m); contrasting yarn (CC) for CO; stitch holder; tapestry needle.
Gauge 38 sts and 34 rnds = 4" in twined St st on smaller needles.
Finished Size 6-3/4" wrist circumference and 6-3/4" tall.
Notes
- These mitts are worked in the round from the cuff up using the twined-knitting technique.
- The mitts have quite a snug fit. Check the mitt measurements, your measurements, and your gauge. If necessary, change to a larger or smaller needle.
Stitch Guide
M1: K1 with both yarns held tog.
Mitts
Cuff
With larger needles and using the twined-knitting method, CO 64 sts.
Undo the slipknot and make a braid of the 4 yarn ends to mark beg of rnd.
Change to smaller needles.
Work Rows 1–20 of Wrist chart.
Thumb gusset
Right mitt only:
Next rnd Work Hand chart over 32 sts, place marker (pm), M1 (see Stitch Guide), twine knit to end—65 sts.
Inc rnd Work in patt to m, sl m, M1, twine knit to end—1 st inc’d.
Rep inc rnd every rnd 8 more times—74 sts.
Rep inc rnd every other rnd 8 times—82 sts.
Divide for thumb
Next rnd Work in patt to m, sl m, place next 22 sts on holder for thumb, using the backward-loop method and alternating yarns, CO 4 sts, twine knit to end—64 sts rem.
Left mitt only:
Next rnd Twine knit 32 sts, M1, place marker (pm), work Hand chart to end—65 sts.
Inc rnd Twine knit to m, M1, sl m, work in patt to end—1 st inc’d.
Rep inc rnd every rnd 8 more times—74 sts.
Rep inc rnd every other rnd 8 times—82 sts.
Divide for thumb
Next rnd Twine knit 28 sts, place next 22 sts on holder for thumb, using the backward-loop method and alternating yarns, CO 4 sts, sl m, work in patt to end—64 sts rem.
Top of Hand (both mitts)
Work even in patt to end of chart.
Work 3 crook rnds.
BO all sts in twined St st.
Thumb
Return 22 sts to needles. With RS facing, pick up and knit 4 sts along CO edge of thumb—26 sts total. Pm and join in the rnd. Twine knit 4 rnds. Work 2 crook rnds. BO all sts in twined St st.
Finishing
Weave in ends. Sew any holes closed at base of thumb. Soak mitts and block.
Josefin Waltin started spinning in 2011. She is a spinning teacher and teaches both online and offline. She publishes instructional and documentary-style videos and manages a spinning blog from her home in Sweden at www.waltin.se/josefinwaltinspinner.
This pattern was published in the Fall 2019 issue of Spin Off.
