The patterning on traditional Selbu mittens is captivating; the shaping is ingenious. Delve into this art form by knitting a small sampler mitten. Learn to follow the thumb and hand charts, and find out how you can customize them. Practice increasing for the thumb gusset, creating the thumb opening, and picking up stitches for the thumb. And learn a little history along the way.
- Duration:
- 3 hours
- Skills required:
- confident ability to knit stranded colorwork in small rounds, using dpns, two circulars, or the Magic Loop technique
- Materials:
- worsted-weight wool yarn in two contrasting colors (approximately 22 yards color A
and 19 yards color B for one mini-mitten, or twice that for two); 4.5mm (US size 7) needles (a set of dpns, a pair of circulars, or one long Magic Loop circular); stitch markers; contrast-color waste yarn; tapestry needle - Homework:
- With color A (your lighter color), cast on 36 sts. Join for working in the round. Work 11 rounds of k2, p2 rib, as follows: 3 rounds color A, 2 rounds color B, 1 round color A, 2 rounds color B, 3 rounds color A. (Do not cut the yarns when changing colors! Just carry them loosely on the inside of the work.) Next round: with color A, k13, M1, k14, M1, k9 ยป 38 sts.
