Mrs Lear's Mitts

Mrs Lear's Mitts by Julia Temisevä

What Is Being Made

Mrs Lear's Mitts are a pair of elegant, adjustable hand mitts designed by Julia Temisevä. These feminine accessories feature decorative picot edges and snug cabled cuffs that frame the wrists, while the hand portion is kept simple to showcase the intricate cuff details. The mitts are available in two yarn weight options—DK and laceweight—allowing crafters to choose between a standard or delicate finished garment. The pattern includes customizable sizing, with finished measurements of approximately 8 inches in total length and 7 inches around the knuckles when unstretched, stretching to at least 8 inches when worn.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key techniques that add sophistication to the finished mitts. Knitters will work in the round using circular needles or double-pointed needles, a fundamental method for creating seamless tubular garments. The pattern requires a provisional cast on, which allows for the creation of the decorative picot edges by temporarily holding stitches that are later grafted or bound off to form the characteristic bumpy picot trim. A cable cast on is used for other sections of the mitt, providing a sturdy, decorative foundation. The pattern includes increases and decreases to shape the thumb gusset, which can be modified for a customized fit to suit different hand sizes. Picking up stitches is necessary to transition between sections and to work the thumb opening. Working intricate cables from a chart is central to the cuff design, requiring careful attention to stitch placement and cable crossings to achieve the snug, textured cuff detail.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch: The main stitch used for the hand portion of the mitt, creating a smooth, classic fabric that allows the cuff details to be the focal point
• Cable Stitches: Intricate cables worked from a chart form the decorative cuff, creating the snug, textured detail that defines these mitts
• Picot Edges: Decorative bumpy edges created using the provisional cast on technique, adding a feminine finishing touch

Materials

Mrs Lear's Mitts can be worked in either DK weight or laceweight yarn, offering flexibility in the final appearance and drape of the finished mitts. For the DK version, the gauge is 19 stitches and 23 rounds per 4 inches in stockinette stitch. For the laceweight version, the gauge increases to 34 stitches and 48 rounds per 4 inches in stockinette stitch, creating a more delicate fabric. Circular needles or double-pointed needles appropriate to the chosen yarn weight are required for working in the round. The pattern originally appeared in Defarge Does Shakespeare (ISBN 978-1-937513-70-2), a published collection of Shakespeare-inspired knitting designs.

Sizing and Customization

The mitts are offered in an adjustable size, with specific sections marked in the pattern where resizing can be accomplished. To create a narrower or wider mitt, knitters can cast on fewer or more stitches in multiples of 4, allowing for a personalized fit. The thumb gusset length can also be modified for individual hand proportions, making these mitts adaptable to various hand sizes and shapes.