Coy

Coy Mittens by Melissa Schaschwary

Project Overview

Coy is a soft and sweet, vintage-inspired pair of mittens designed by Melissa Schaschwary. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a classic mitten silhouette with thoughtful construction details, suitable for knitters with intermediate skill level.

What Is Being Made

These are fitted mittens available in three sizes: XS (6"/15cm palm circumference), S (6.5"/17cm palm circumference), and M/L (7-7.5"/18-19cm palm circumference). The mittens feature a vintage aesthetic and are designed to fit snugly on the hand while accommodating thumb movement through a gusset construction.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Coy mittens employ several intermediate-level knitting techniques that add visual interest and ensure proper fit:

• Thumb gusset shaping — increases are worked to create a structured opening for the thumb, marked with stitch markers during construction
• Increases and decreases — the pattern uses both left-leaning and right-leaning shaping methods for balanced decreases
• Fitted construction — the design incorporates shaping throughout to create mittens that conform to the hand's natural contours

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern uses standard knitting abbreviations and stitch techniques including:

• K (knit) and P (purl) — fundamental stitches forming the fabric base
• Kfb (knit into front and back) — creates an increase within a stitch
• Yo (yarn over) — creates decorative eyelets or additional stitches
• K2tog (knit two together) — right-leaning decrease
• Ssk (slip, slip, knit) — left-leaning decrease worked by slipping two stitches and knitting them together through the back loop
• M1l (make one left) — left-leaning increase worked by lifting the strand between stitches and knitting through the back loop
• M1r (make one right) — right-leaning increase worked by lifting the strand between stitches and knitting through the front loop
• CO (cast on) and BO (bind off) — edge techniques for beginning and finishing

Materials Required

The pattern calls for DK weight yarn (also known as DK or 8 ply), which is a lightweight yarn suitable for creating mittens with good stitch definition and drape. The recommended yarn is Western Sky Knits Magnolia DK in MCN (a blend fiber), requiring 1 skein with 250 yards (229 meters) of yardage.

Essential notions include:

• Appropriately sized needles for DK weight yarn
• Darning needle for weaving in ends and seaming if needed
• Stitch markers to track the thumb gusset placement and shaping
• Optional additional stitch marker for construction reference

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, the Coy mittens are suitable for knitters who have mastered basic stitches and are comfortable working increases, decreases, and shaping techniques. The thumb gusset construction and fitted design require attention to stitch marker placement and pattern sequence, making this an excellent project for developing shaping skills.