Did you like the Enter Octopus hat but think, “What if I wanted octopuses on my hands?” Then this is the pattern for you. Named for a headland near my home on Vancouver Island, the Octopus Point mittens are worked in stranded colourwork using fingering weight yarn. The pattern has instructions for 4 sizes, with a slightly different chart for each size; you can further tweak the sizing by adjusting the gauge.

To make Octopus Point, you will need to know how to do 2-colour stranded colourwork in the round from charts.

Kits available at Beehive Wool Shop.

Buy Octopus Point, Enter Octopus, and Octopus Cowl for $16 USD! You do not have to buy them at the same time to receive the discount.

Sizes
XS (S, M, L)

Circumference: 7 (8, 8.75, 9.5) in/18 (20, 22.5, 24.5) cm
Hand length (not including cuff): 7 (8, 9, 9.5) in/18 (20.5, 23, 24.5) cm

See Pattern Notes for tips on choosing your size.

Yarn
Drops Flora (65% wool, 35% alpaca; 230 yds/210 m per 1.79 oz/50 g): MC: 1 (1, 2, 2) skein(s) (shown in 05), CC: 1 skein (shown in 27)
Note: The medium size may need little to none of the second skein of MC. To be sure of only using 1 skein in that size, you can swap the MC and CC for the cuff portion.

Needles
US 2/2.75 mm needles for working small circumference in the round, or size needed for correct gauge

US 1.5/2.5 mm needles for working small circumference in the round, or one size smaller than gauge needle

Note: At this needle size, the US/metric conversion is inconsistent. I recommend using the metric size as a starting point for swatching.

Gauge
36.5 sts & 40 rows = 4 in/10cm in stranded colourwork on larger needles, worked in the round and blocked

Recommended stockinette gauge: 24 sts & 32 rows = 4 in/10 cm on US 2.5/3 mm needles, worked flat and blocked (provided as a reference point for the yarn)

For a good fit, take time to check your gauge.

Notions
2 stitch markers, yarn needle, waste yarn or stitch holder for holding thumb sts

About the yarn
DROPS Flora is a 3-ply, fingering weight, wool/alpaca blend. The 3-ply structure makes for round stitches with good definition, which is slightly blurred by the faint halo of the alpaca. The wool gives memory to the fabric, while the alpaca adds softness and extra warmth.

If you’re substituting yarn, look for a fingering weight yarn with some memory that gives a cohesive (but not stiff) fabric at the pattern’s gauge and that is comfortable against your wrists. You will need approximately 160 (200, 245, 280) yds/145 (180, 225, 255) m of MC and 115 (145, 175, 205) yds/105 (131, 160, 185) m of CC.