Humber Star Mittens

Humber Star Mittens by Beth Brown-Reinsel

What Is Being Made

The Humber Star Mittens are a pair of knitted mittens designed by Beth Brown-Reinsel that showcase a historic textile motif. The Humber Star was a popular decorative feature found on ganseys—traditional knitted sweaters—worn on the inland waterways of England during the nineteenth century. These mittens adapt that iconic star pattern into a contemporary accessory, with the sample shown measuring 8½ inches (21.5 cm) in hand circumference.

Design Inspiration and Construction Method

The mittens use the classic Norwegian Selbu Mittens as a structural template, drawing from a well-established tradition of mitten construction. Rather than employing the traditional two-color stranded colorwork technique typical of Norwegian mittens, the Humber Star Mittens create their textured design through the interplay of knit and purl stitches. This approach offers an alternative aesthetic while maintaining the historical integrity of the pattern.

The mittens are knitted from the cuff to the top working in the round, following the construction method of classic Norwegian mittens. A thumb gusset is incorporated on the palm side of the mitten. After the gusset stitches are placed on waste yarn for later finishing, new stitches are cast on using the Cable cast-on method to replace some of the removed stitches, ensuring proper shaping and fit.

Techniques Used

• Cable Cast-on: Used to cast on replacement stitches after the thumb gusset is removed, providing a secure and elastic edge
• Make 1 Increases: Employed to shape the mitten and create increases where needed for proper fit and pattern alignment
• Center Double Decreases: Used for decreasing stitches, particularly in shaping the top of the mitten and creating a refined finish
• Circular knitting: The mittens are worked in the round from cuff to top, eliminating the need for seaming
• Thumb gusset construction: A classic mitten-making technique that creates a properly fitted thumb opening

Stitches and Pattern Elements

The pattern features a combination of knit and purl stitches that work together to create the textured Humber Star motif. The design is charted, allowing knitters to follow the pattern visually. The pattern includes abbreviations and a bibliography for reference, supporting knitters at an intermediate skill level who are comfortable with pattern charts and shaping techniques.

Materials

The Humber Star Mittens are designed to be worked in sport-weight yarn, a lighter yarn weight that creates a refined, fitted mitten suitable for layering or moderate weather. The pattern specifies the use of needles appropriate for circular knitting in the round, allowing the mittens to be constructed seamlessly from cuff to fingertips.

Skill Level

This is an intermediate-level knitting project. Knitters should be comfortable reading pattern charts, executing various increase and decrease techniques, and working in the round. The combination of charted colorwork-style patterning created through knit and purl texture, along with thumb gusset construction, makes this an engaging project for knitters looking to expand their skills beyond basic mittens.