Love Autumn Mittens

Love Autumn Mittens by Knitted Wishes

Project Overview

Love Autumn Mittens are a pair of knitted mittens designed by Knitted Wishes, created in an intermediate skill level project perfect for knitters looking to expand their colorwork techniques. These mittens feature a classic autumn aesthetic and are worked in the round using double-pointed needles, making them an ideal portable knitting project.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a pair of fitted mittens with a wrist cuff and hand section. The mittens are designed to fit hands with approximately 19.1 cm (7.5 inches) palm circumference and 16 cm (6.25 inches) wrist circumference. Each finished mitten measures approximately 7.75 inches in palm circumference, 6.5 inches in wrist circumference after blocking, and 8 inches in length, making them suitable for average adult hands.

Knitting Techniques Used

Love Autumn Mittens employ circular colorwork as a primary design technique, worked in the round on double-pointed needles. The pattern incorporates increases and decreases to shape the mitten structure, including make one left (m1L) and make one right (m1R) increases for shaping the hand and thumb sections. Knitters will also work with contrasting colors to create the autumn-inspired colorwork pattern, requiring attention to yarn management when switching between the main color and contrasting color.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

• Knit (k) – The primary stitch used throughout the mittens
• Purl (p) – Used for texture variation within the pattern
• Knit through back loop (k tbl) – Creates twisted stitches for decorative or structural purposes
• Knit 2 together (k2tog) – A right-leaning decrease used for shaping
• Make one left (m1L) – A left-leaning increase for mitten shaping
• Make one right (m1R) – A right-leaning increase for mitten shaping
• Cast on (CO) – Creates the foundation stitches for the wrist cuff
• Bind off (BO) – Secures stitches at the completion of the mittens

Yarn and Materials

Love Autumn Mittens are worked in DK weight yarn, a lightweight yarn perfect for creating fitted, wearable mittens. The pattern specifies The Farmer's Daughter Fibers Craggy Tweed DK, which features a blend of 80% Merino Wool and 15% Manufactured Fibers, providing warmth, durability, and elasticity. This yarn has a yardage of 211 meters (231 yards) per 100 grams.

The colorway used in the pattern includes MC (Eagle Eye) as the main color, requiring 106 meters (115 yards) from a 50-gram skein, and CC1 (Winter Wolf) as the contrasting color, requiring 23 meters (25.5 yards) from an 11-gram skein. Knitters may substitute any other DK weight yarn of similar fiber content and yardage if preferred.

Needles and Notions

The mittens are worked on US 2.5 (3 mm) and US 3 (3.25 mm) double-pointed needles in a set, allowing for seamless circular knitting in the round. Needle size may be adjusted to obtain the correct gauge. Additional notions required include a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and a stitch marker for tracking pattern repeats and round beginnings.

Gauge

The pattern calls for a gauge of 27 stitches and 32 rounds per 4 inches (10 cm) in circular colorwork on the larger needles after blocking. Achieving proper gauge is essential for mittens to fit correctly, and knitters should swatch before beginning the project to ensure their tension matches the pattern specifications.

Difficulty Level

Rated as an intermediate project, Love Autumn Mittens require prior knitting experience, particularly with circular knitting on double-pointed needles and working colorwork patterns. Knitters should be comfortable with basic increases and decreases, as well as managing multiple yarn colors while maintaining even tension.