Hearth

Hearth Fingerless Mitts by Julia Swart

What is Being Made

Hearth is a pair of fingerless mitts designed by Julia Swart. These cozy accessories feature a cable pattern that creates visual interest while remaining functional for everyday wear. The fingerless design makes them ideal for layering and allows for hand mobility while keeping wrists and the back of hands warm. The mitts are described as equally at home next to a fire as they are lighting one, emphasizing their casual, comfortable aesthetic.

Knitting Techniques

This advanced-level knitting project employs several key techniques that create the signature look of Hearth. The primary technique is cable knitting, which involves crossing stitches over one another to create twisted, rope-like patterns. The pattern uses both left-leaning and right-leaning cable crosses, requiring the knitter to work with a cable needle to temporarily hold stitches while others are worked. The mitts are constructed using circular knitting on double pointed needles, which allows for seamless, tubular construction ideal for fitted wrist wear. The pattern also incorporates decreasing techniques, specifically purl two stitches together, to shape the mitts appropriately around the wrist and hand.

Stitches Used

The Hearth pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with cable variations:

• Knit stitch (k) – the basic stitch forming the foundation of the fabric
• Purl stitch (p) – used to create texture and definition within the cable pattern
• Cable Left 4 (CL4) – slip two stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit the next two stitches, then knit the stitches from the cable needle, creating a left-leaning cable cross
• Cable Right 4 (CR4) – slip two stitches to cable needle and hold in back, knit the next two stitches, then knit the stitches from the cable needle, creating a right-leaning cable cross
• Cable Twist Left 3 (CTL3) – slip two stitches to cable needle and hold in front, knit one stitch, then knit the stitches from the cable needle for an asymmetrical left-leaning twist
• Cable Twist Right 3 (CTR3) – slip one stitch to cable needle and hold in back, knit two stitches, then knit the stitch from the cable needle for an asymmetrical right-leaning twist
• Purl two together (p2tog) – a decreasing stitch that combines two purl stitches into one

Materials

Needles: Double pointed needles in US size 6 (4.25mm) are required for this project. Double pointed needles allow for seamless circular knitting in the round, essential for creating fitted mitts without seams.

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn is specified for Hearth. The designer recommends using a solid or tonal colorway to best showcase the cable pattern details. The pattern was tested with Plymouth Encore, a worsted weight yarn, and requires one skein for the pair of mitts.

Gauge: The pattern is worked at a gauge of 20 stitches over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in stockinette stitch, which is essential information for achieving the correct finished size and fit of the fingerless mitts.

Pattern Notes

This downloadable PDF pattern is designed for advanced knitters who are comfortable working with cable stitches and circular needles. The pattern includes a chart for visual reference, though knitters should note that the chart maker labeled rounds as rows, requiring careful attention when reading the instructions to work in the round rather than in rows.