Brunswick Fingerless Mitts

Brunswick Fingerless Mitts by Jo Torr

What is Being Made

The Brunswick Fingerless Mitts are a pair of hand-warming accessories designed to leave the fingers exposed while covering the palm and back of the hand. These fingerless mitts are sized at 7.5 inches (19 centimeters) around the palm of the hand, making them a versatile accessory for crafters who want to keep their hands warm while maintaining full finger dexterity. The design is particularly suited for using up small amounts of colored yarn from your stash, though a single contrast color can also be used for a more striking, minimalist appearance.

Techniques Used

The primary technique featured in the Brunswick Fingerless Mitts is stranded colourwork, a method of knitting that incorporates multiple colors within the same row or round. Stranded colourwork creates intricate patterns by carrying unused yarn colors along the inside of the fabric, allowing for detailed, multi-colored designs without the need for separate sections or color changes. This technique is worked in the round, which is ideal for creating seamless, tubular garments like fingerless mitts. The pattern also includes rolled edges, which are created by knitting stockinette stitch without ribbing; these naturally curl at the edges and are used at both the top of the thumb and the cuff. The designer notes that the rolled edges can be substituted with ribbing if a different finish is preferred.

Stitches Used

The Brunswick Fingerless Mitts are constructed primarily using stockinette stitch, which forms the base fabric for both the stranded colourwork sections and the rolled edges. Stockinette stitch, created by alternating knit and purl rows (or knit rounds when working in the round), produces a smooth, V-textured fabric that is the ideal canvas for displaying the multi-colored patterns. The rolled edges at the cuff and thumb are created by continuing stockinette stitch without ribbing, allowing the natural curl of the fabric to form a decorative border. The stranded colourwork itself is worked in stockinette stitch while carrying multiple yarn colors throughout each round.

Materials and Yarn

The sample mitts shown in the pattern were created using Jamieson and Smith 2ply jumper weight yarn, which yields 125 yards (114 meters) per 25 grams. This is a fine, 4-ply weight yarn suitable for detailed colorwork. The color palette consists of four shades: Shade #2 (beige) as the main color, requiring 36 grams or 180 yards (164 meters); Shade #4 (dark brown) as the first contrast color, requiring 5 grams or 25 yards (23 meters); Shade #12 FC (dark green) as the second contrast color, requiring 4 grams or 20 yards (18 meters); and Shade #1A (cream) as the third contrast color, requiring 2 grams or 10 yards (9 meters). The relatively small yardage requirements for contrast colors make this pattern ideal for using leftover yarn from other projects.

Needles and Gauge

The Brunswick Fingerless Mitts are knitted using 2.75mm (US 2) circular needles or double-pointed needles for the main fabric, with a gauge of 8 stitches and 10 rows per 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) measured over the stranded colourwork in the round. A smaller 2.25mm (US 1) circular needle or double-pointed needles is used for the cuff ribbing or rolled edge. The pattern notes that the size can be adjusted by changing the gauge, allowing knitters to customize the fit. The use of circular needles or double-pointed needles is essential for working in the round, which creates the seamless, tubular construction ideal for fingerless mitts.

Difficulty Level

The Brunswick Fingerless Mitts are classified as an advanced knitting project. This difficulty rating reflects the complexity of working stranded colourwork, which requires managing multiple yarn colors simultaneously, maintaining even tension across color changes, and coordinating the pattern repeats while working in the round. Knitters should have solid experience with basic knitting techniques, comfort working with circular needles or double-pointed needles, and familiarity with colorwork methods before attempting this pattern.