Ag piocadh Smeara Dubha

Ag Piocadh Smeara Dubha Fingerless Mittens by Ciara Ní Reachtnín

What is Being Made

Ag Piocadh Smeara Dubha is a fingerless mitten pattern designed by Ciara Ní Reachtnín. The name translates to "Picking Blackberries," reflecting the inspiration behind this knitted accessory. This pattern produces a pair of fitted mittens available in two sizes: small and large. The design is exclusive to An Irish Knit Odyssey and features ombré-dyed yarn in the Smeara Dubha colorway, with one 25-gram skein provided for each mitt.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

The mittens are constructed using several key knitting techniques that combine both structure and stretch:

• Double Ribbed Cuff: The mittens begin with a double ribbed cuff at the wrist, providing a secure and elastic foundation.
• Twisted Ribbing: Stretchy twisted ribbing runs along the entire length of the mitt, ensuring the design accommodates a variety of hand sizes and provides comfortable wear.
• Cable Panel: A cable panel is incorporated along the front of the mitt, adding visual interest and textural depth to the design.
• Back Ribbing: Ribbing on the back of the mitt complements the front cable panel while maintaining flexibility.
• Shaped Thumb Gusset: A shaped thumb gusset is integrated into the construction, allowing the mittens to fit naturally around the hand and thumb.

Stitches Used

The pattern primarily utilizes Stocking Stitch as the main fabric, combined with various ribbing techniques. The twisted ribbing and double ribbed cuff create the elastic, fitted qualities essential to the design. The cable panel on the front adds dimensional interest through cable stitching techniques.

Materials and Gauge

This pattern is designed to work with ombré-dyed Aran weight yarn in the Smeara Dubha colorway. The kit includes two 25-gram skeins of yarn, one for each mitt. The pattern is worked on 4.5mm knitting needles and achieves a gauge of 17 stitches by 25 rows over a 10-centimeter (4-inch) square in Stocking Stitch when blocked.

Important Pattern Notes

This is a yarn-efficient design that utilizes almost every centimetre of the provided yarn. Knitters should take care to match gauge precisely and keep yarn tails as short as possible to avoid running out of yarn, as each mitt uses only 25 grams. The pattern instructions are available in both small and large sizes to accommodate different hand measurements.

Skill Level

Ag Piocadh Smeara Dubha is classified as a beginner-level knitting pattern, making it accessible to those new to the craft while still offering interesting construction techniques such as cable panels and shaped thumb gussets.