Fisherman’s Net mittens are a lovely, traditional Skolt Sami knit from the Petsamo region in modern day Russia. This area where Norway, Finland and Russia meet is the Skolt Sami homeland. Traditionally, Skolt Sami had small herds of reindeer and fished in rivers and the Barents Sea. The cross-hatch knitting pattern mimics a fisherman’s net, an important part of that livelihood. The mitten incorporates several rows of Kierrekerros (knitted braid), traditional cupped mitten and thumb tips, and a three-strand braid.

Fisherman’s Net mittens are based on a pair of mittens currently held by the National Museum of Finland. The original mittens were knit by Skolt Sami master craftswoman Marfa Orttonen of Tsarmijärvi, near Nellim,
Finland (spelled Martha in the museum’s notes) and obtained in 1978. In 2017, the Finnish government announced its intent to return 2,600 items to Lapland, specifically the Sámi Museum Siida in Inari, Finland, as soon as the facility can handle the large influx of artifacts. The museum is now under expansion.

FINISHED SIZE 9 ¾ in 25 cm long and 4 in 10 cm wide, 8 in 20 cm circumference after blocking, not including the braid

YARN Östergötlands Ullspinneri Visjögarn (100% Swedish 2-ply wool yarn, fingering weight; 328 yards 300m /100g 3.54 oz. skein); one skein each in Vit / white (MC), small amounts (around 10g each) of Nyponröd / red (CC1) and Marinblå / navy blue (CC2) ALTERNATE YARN Rauma Finullgarn (100% Norwegian 2-ply wool yarn, fingering weight; 191 yards 175 m / 50g 1.75 oz. ball); colors: one ball each in #401 Off White (MC), #418 Red (CC1), and #438 Blue (CC2)

NEEDLES Set of 5 double pointed, size US 0 / 2 mm, or size needed to obtain gauge

NOTIONS Scrap of smooth waste yarn for thumb, tapestry needle and markers

GAUGE 16 sts x 20 r = 2 in / 5 cm over stranded patt, worked in the round and blocked