Alight On January Pines

Alight On January Pines Mittens by Liz Hewson

Project Overview

Alight On January Pines is a pair of knitted mittens designed by Liz Hewson featuring colorwork patterning. These intermediate-level mittens are sized to fit an average adult hand, measuring 10.5 inches (26.7 cm) from the bottom of the cuff to the tip of the fingers, with a width of 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) when unstretched. The design includes both left and right mitten variations, making it suitable for creating a matched pair.

Craft and Techniques

This project uses knitting as the primary construction method. The mittens are worked in the round using circular needles, which allows for seamless construction and continuous colorwork patterning. The design incorporates colorwork techniques, specifically utilizing charted patterns that repeat around the circumference of the mittens. The cuff features a repeating chart pattern that is worked twice around—once for the front and once for the back of the cuff. The mitten body continues with additional charted colorwork, creating a cohesive design from cuff to fingertip.

Stitches and Construction Details

The mittens are constructed using a Kihnu troi cast on, a traditional cast-on method that creates a flexible edge suitable for cuff work. The pattern involves dividing stitches strategically between needles to shape the mitten structure. The cuff begins with 60 stitches cast on and divided equally with 30 stitches on the front needle and 30 stitches on the back needle. For the mitten body, stitches are redistributed with 33 stitches on the front needle and 27 stitches on the back needle to accommodate the shaping of the palm and back of the hand. The colorwork is achieved through tapestry techniques worked from charted patterns, allowing for precise color placement and pattern repeats.

Materials Required

This project uses Knit Picks Palette yarn in a 4-ply weight, which provides excellent stitch definition for colorwork. The pattern calls for one ball each of two colors:

• Pennyroyal (25090) - Main Color (MC)
• Abyss Heather (25993) - Contrast Color (CC)

Additional supplies include US 2 (2.75mm) needles for working at the specified gauge, a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and potentially grafting, and small stitch holders for managing stitches during construction. The pattern is worked to a gauge of 34 stitches and 35 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in colorwork, which is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this pattern is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are comfortable working in the round, reading charts, and managing multiple colors. The colorwork element and the need to follow charted patterns require attention to detail, making this project ideal for knitters looking to develop or practice their stranded colorwork techniques.