Nielsdatter Mitts Pattern

Nielsdatter Mitts Knit in the round with your favorite way to work small circumferences. I like to work these mitts with Flexiflips (aka Crazy Trios) so that the back of the hand is on one needle and the palm is on the other. First the colorwork cuff is worked, then the back of the hand/palm is worked with a gusset for the thumb.Stitiches are set aside for the thumb and the rest of the mitt is finished. Finally the stitches for the thumb is picked up and knit. When colorwork thumb is completed, and then all you have to do is knit the second mitt, then you are ready to spread some serious love. This pattern has hundreds of hearts. You can count them as you knit, and brainstorm ways to make the world a lovely place. I love the thought of wearing these happy heart-filled mitts year round to encourage me to love, lift, help, care, and scatter joy. That’s what life is all about. Materials Yarn: Rauma Finull Garn| 2-ply Fingering| 100 % Norwegian Wool | 175 m (191 yd) per 50-g skein| Main Color: 1 skein 400 White | approximately 82 meters/90 yards Contrasting Color: 1 skein 435 red | approximately 77 meters/ 85 yards Needles: Gauge-sized needles DPNs. I used Flexiflips (Crazy Trios) in 2 mm and 2.5 mm for larger size mitts 2 mm and 2.25 mm for smaller mitts Gauge and swatch 30 stitches/34 rows = 4 inches or 10 cm for men’s medium/ women’s large mitt 32 stitches/38 rows =4 inches or 10 cm for a women’s small mitt Sizes Women’s large/men’s medium: 4.5 (11.25 cm) x 7.25” (19 cm) Women’s small 4.25 (10.6 cm) x 7” (17.77 cm) Nielsdatter Mitts, named after my grandpa’s grandma. Designed and knit with anticipation of Valentine’s Day (with 281 hearts) and hope that that they will be worn on chilly days year-round. We believe in Valentine’s Season. As soon as the Christmas season is over, we decorated for Valentine’s Day. We hang hearts on doors, windows, on chandeliers. We make cut out hearts to frame our front door. We make valentines for a month for each other, for our friends, and neighbors. We like to make heart shaped tracks when we go cross country skiing. We make heart-shaped cookies, heart-shaped pies, cinnamon rolls, waffles and pizza. We make Valentine’s Day play lists. We think about making someone’s day a little brighter. We read Valentine’s books. We have a secret admirer that leaves flowers, little gifts and all red treats. We believe in Kindergarten Valentine’s Day. A day when you give everyone in your class a valentine. Everyone feels loved. We think of it as a family day, a neighborhood day, a scatter love day. Have you read book Somebody Loves you, Mr. Hatch? Just like in that book, we believe that love can change the world. We believe that the more you love, the more you are loved. We believe that wearing hearts, reminds us to love everyone. These mitts are packed with Nordic symbolism-representing love, friendship, courage, bravery, kindness, and understanding. My dream is that you will make these mitts for yourself and for someone you love, with a note of encouragement or maybe even left on the doorstep anonymously. Imagine the delight! Skills used DPN (Flexiflips) skills longtail-cast on Knitting Purling Ribbing Knitting in colorwork Gusset increases Picking up and knitting in colorwork Catching Floats two-color longtail cast-on Binding off K2top SSK Backward loop Chart reading Yarn dominance Duplicate Stitch