These mittens have been directly inspired by Monkley Ghyll Farm and serve as a treasured memory of a very special place. On the back of the mitten is an illustration in stitches of the old stone farmhouse nestling into the hillside, surrounded by trees, fields and of course, sheep. In the the distance, wind turbines turn as the wind blows across the nearby fells. The palm of the mittens features a traditional repeating motif echoing the shapes on the main image.

Winter Warmers are knitted in the round throughout, commencing with a striped, twisted rib cuff, after which the main sections commence. A thumb gusset is inserted into the palm of each mitten by working increases until this section is completed. At this point the thumb stitches are placed on waste yarn and the hand of the mittens are completed. Separating the front and back of each mitten is a 3-stitch wide spine on each ‘side’ of the mitten which continues right to the top of the mittens, with upper shaping worked inside this spine. The pattern is worked using stranded colourwork technique, carrying the unused colour behind the one being used.

Three sizes are included in the pattern based on achieving a set gauge. Please ensure you match your gauge to that stated in the pattern to obtain your preferred mitten size. There are individual charts for the Left and Right Hands and for the thumbs. The mittens are designed to be worn with approximately 2-5cm (0.75-2in) of positive ease. The size shown in photographs is the 2nd size.

Winter Warmers are knitted in Wold 2 Ply fingering weight wool, an exclusive blend of British breeds spun especially for Susan Crawford Vintage. I have used two shades, a rich, vintage shade of green - Evergreen - hand-dyed here at Monkley Ghyll, and the natural undyed shade of Snowdrop which is held together with un-dyed Mist, my laceweight mohair and silk creating an even cosier mitten.

The pattern contains full written instructions as well as clear schematic diagrams.

Yarn

Susan Crawford Wold 2 Ply Fingering weight, 100% British wool; 50% Southdown, 25% Bluefaced Leicester, 25% white Shetland (200m / 218yds per 50g skein)
1 skein, shade Snowdrop - yarn A (held together with yarn c)
1 skein, shade Evergreen - yarn B

Susan Crawford Mist, 72% mohair / 28% silk (210m / 230 yds per 25g skeins)

1 skein, shade Mallow - yarn c (held together with yarn A)

Gauges

Size 1: 30 sts and 35 rows = 10cm(4in) measured over stranded colourwork knitted in the round, after blocking. We obtained this gauge using 3mm needles.
Size 2: 28 sts and 34 rows = 10cm(4in) measured over stranded colourwork knitted in the round, after blocking. We obtained this gauge using 3.25mm needles.
Size 3: 27 sts and 33 rows = 10cm(4in) measured over stranded colourwork knitted in the round, after blocking. We obtained this gauge using 3.5mm needles.

Suggested Needles

Size 1: Small needles: Set of 2.75mm (US 2) DPNs or 2.75mm (US 2) circular needle 25-30cm in length
Large needles: Set of 3mm (US 2/3) DPNs and 3mm (US 2/3) circular needle, 25-30cm in length, if preferred.

Size 2: Small needles: Set of 2.75mm (US 2) DPNs or 2.75mm (US 2) circular needle 25-30cm in length
Large needles: Set of 3.25mm (US 3) DPNs and 3.25mm (US 3) circular needle, 25-30cm in length, if preferred.

Size 3: Small needles: Set of 3mm (US 2/3) DPNs or 3mm (US 2/3) circular needle 25-30cm in length
Large needles: Set of 3.5mm (US 4) DPNs and 3mm (US 4) circular needle, 25-30cm in length, if preferred.

Notions
Stitch marker, waste yarn

Techniques

Long tail cast-on; Working in the round; Using double pointed needles; Twisted ribbing; Stranded colourwork; Following a chart; Simple decreases; Blocking