Snowy Kittens Toddler Mitttens

Snowy Kittens Toddler Mittens by Terry Liann Morris

What is Being Made

These are toddler-sized mittens designed for children ages 2-4, featuring a charming winter-themed colorwork pattern of kittens nestled among snowflakes. The mittens are sized to fit hands measuring 2½ inches wide by 4 inches tall. The design was inspired by a photograph of Russian socks, adapted into a mittens pattern that showcases the same playful aesthetic. The mittens feature a unique construction that allows them to be worn on either hand, making them a practical and whimsical addition to a toddler's winter wardrobe.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key techniques to create the finished mittens:

• Stranded colorwork knitting – The primary technique used to create the kitten and snowflake motifs, requiring the knitter to work with two colors simultaneously while following the provided charts
• Thumb gusset construction – Positioned on the sides of the mittens rather than the traditional thumb placement, with increases worked to create the gusset opening
• Swirled hand decreases – The crown shaping uses a swirled decrease pattern that creates a symmetrical finish and allows the mittens to be worn on either hand
• Mirrored pair construction – Two separate charts are provided to knit one mitten from each chart, automatically creating a properly mirrored left and right pair

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches executed in the context of stranded colorwork. Knit stitches form the foundation of the fabric, while increases and decreases are worked throughout to shape the gusset and crown. The pattern notes indicate that all increases and decreases are worked in the background color, maintaining the integrity of the colorwork design. Stitch markers are recommended to help track the thumb gusset placement, with markers positioned before and after the gusset increases for easier pattern management.

Materials and Gauge

The mittens require fingering or sock weight wool yarn in two colors: 80 yards of background color and 30 yards of contrast color, totaling 110 yards. The project is worked on US Size 1½ (2.50mm) double point needles or the size needed to achieve the correct gauge. The specified gauge is 8 stitches equals 1 inch over stranded colorwork knitting, which is typical for fingering weight yarn and creates a fabric dense enough to provide warmth while maintaining stitch definition for the colorwork pattern. Additional materials include 2 stitch markers and a small amount of smooth waste yarn for provisional cast-on or stitch holders.