Underleaf Mitts

Underleaf Mitts by Kyoko Nakayoshi

What is Being Made

The Underleaf Mitts are a pair of multi-coloured knitted mittens designed to be worked in the round. These fun, vibrant accessories feature a contrasting colour pattern that creates visual interest through strategic colour placement. The mitts are sized to fit various hand circumferences, making them suitable for different wearers.

Sizes and Finished Measurements

The pattern is available in three sizes:

• Size S: Hand circumference 16.5 cm (6.5 inches), length 27.5 cm (10.75 inches)
• Size M: Hand circumference 18.5 cm (7.25 inches), length 29.5 cm (11.5 inches)
• Size L: Hand circumference 20 cm (8 inches), length 31 cm (12.25 inches)

Techniques Used

The Underleaf Mitts are worked in the round, a fundamental knitting technique that creates seamless cylindrical fabric ideal for mittens and other accessories. This method requires joining stitches in a circle and working continuously in spiral rounds rather than flat rows. Working in the round eliminates the need for seaming and creates a more polished, professional finish. The pattern emphasizes careful stitch placement to avoid twisting stitches when joining, which is essential for achieving even fabric tension and appearance.

The design incorporates colour work through strategic yarn changes across multiple rounds, allowing knitters to create striking visual patterns without the complexity of stranded colourwork or intarsia techniques. This approach makes the pattern accessible to knitters of various skill levels.

Stitches Used

The Underleaf Mitts feature a small ribbon slip-stitch pattern that repeats over a multiple of 4 stitches. This stitch pattern creates texture and visual interest through the strategic use of slip stitches combined with knit stitches.

The slip-stitch pattern works as follows:

• Rounds 1 & 2: Knit all stitches in yarn A to establish the base colour
• Rounds 3 & 4: Using yarn B, work K1, *Sl 1, K3; repeat from * to last 3 stitches, Sl 1, K2. The slip stitch creates a floated effect that adds dimension to the fabric
• Rounds 5 & 6: Return to knit all stitches in yarn A
• Rounds 7 & 8: Using yarn C, work K3, *Sl 1, continuing the pattern with offset placement for visual variety

The pattern also incorporates a 1x1 ribbed cuff created by alternating knit and purl stitches, which provides elasticity and helps the mitts stay securely on the hand.

Materials

The Underleaf Mitts are designed to be knitted with 3.5mm needles (US size 4) in a circular or double-pointed needle configuration suitable for working in the round.

The recommended yarn is Olympus Premio, a DK weight yarn composed of 40% Tasmanian Polwarth wool and 60% wool, providing warmth, durability, and softness. Each 40g ball contains 114 metres of yarn.

The colour palette consists of:

• Yarn A - Blue (7): 3 x 40g balls for the primary base colour
• Yarn B - Espresso (970): 1 x 25g ball for contrast in the slip-stitch pattern
• Yarn C - Ginger (462): 1 x 25g ball for additional colour variation

The designer recommends choosing a contrasting colour for the base to make the slip-stitch pattern visually pop, creating maximum impact between the pattern rounds and the foundation colour.

Pattern Details

This downloadable PDF pattern by independent designer Kyoko Nakayoshi provides complete instructions for creating a pair of charming, wearable mittens. The combination of slip-stitch texture and multi-colour work creates a sophisticated, handmade accessory suitable for gift-giving or personal wear. The straightforward stitch pattern and clear sizing options