Product Description
In the fairy tale ”Das Waldhaus” or ”The hut in the forest” three sisters play the leading characters. All three are are send out to bring food to their father but get lost on their way. The first two girls won’t help the animals they meet on the way and are send to the cellar. But the youngest helps the animals and old people she meets and, as fairy tales usually go, get’s the prince at the end. The girls are represented in the meandering cables where only one of them meets the upper edge.
Size: Women S, M, L (6, 7, 8 inches / 15, 18, 20 cm hand circumference)
Needles: 3.25mm (US 3) circular needles or DPN
Yarn: MC: 25g (263m / 288 yards) fingering shown in Wollmeise pure, 3 times 10g fingering weight yarn (85m / 92 yards) for the contrast colours used for the ribbings and cables and app. 1 m (1 yard) of 2 remaining contrast colours for the remaining cables.
Difficulty: working in the round and cabling skills needed.
Das Waldhaus Mitten by Atalante
What Is Being Made
Das Waldhaus Mitten is a knitted mitten pattern inspired by the German fairy tale "Das Waldhaus" (The Hut in the Forest). The design features three sisters as the central narrative element, with the youngest sister's story represented through the mitten's cable pattern. Available in three women's sizes—Small, Medium, and Large—these mittens fit hand circumferences of 6, 7, and 8 inches (15, 18, and 20 centimeters) respectively.
Techniques and Stitches
This knitting pattern employs several fundamental and intermediate techniques. The mittens are constructed using stockinette stitch as the primary fabric base, providing a smooth, classic knit surface. Ribbing forms the cuff portion of the mittens and incorporates multiple color changes throughout. The most distinctive design element is the use of meandering cables, which tell the story of the fairy tale by featuring only one cable pattern that reaches the upper edge of the mitten—representing the youngest sister who alone receives the prince's favor in the tale.
The pattern requires working with multiple color changes (abbreviated as CC in the pattern notes), with five different contrast colors used strategically throughout the design. The ribbed cuff section specifically utilizes colors CC1, CC3, and CC5. Managing multiple strands while knitting requires careful tension control to prevent tangling, which the pattern addresses in its construction notes.
Materials and Tools
Needles: The mittens are worked on 3.25 millimeter (US size 3) circular needles or Lotta Groeger double-pointed needles (DPNs), allowing for seamless, in-the-round construction.
Yarn: Fingering weight yarn is required. The yardage breakdown is as follows:
- Main color (MC): 263 meters (288 yards) in 25 grams
- Contrast colors 1, 3, and 5 (CC1, CC3, CC5): 34.3 meters (37.5 yards) each in 10 grams each
- Contrast colors 2 and 4 (CC2, CC4): 1 meter (1 yard) each
Additional supplies: A tapestry needle for weaving in ends and one stitch marker for tracking the beginning of rounds.
Gauge
The pattern is worked to a gauge of 31 stitches by 46 rows over a 10-centimeter (4-inch) square in stockinette stitch. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for obtaining the proper finished mitten size.
Design Narrative
The mitten's design draws directly from the fairy tale's plot. In "Das Waldhaus," three sisters are sent to gather food for their father but become lost. The first two sisters refuse to help the animals and people they encounter and are consequently sent to the cellar. The youngest sister, however, shows kindness to all she meets and is rewarded by marrying a prince. This narrative is woven into the mitten's cable pattern, where the meandering cables represent the three sisters, with only one cable reaching the upper edge—symbolizing the youngest sister's triumph and reward.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Designer: | Atalante |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
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