Baby Selbu Mittens

Baby Selbu Mittens Knitting Pattern

What is Being Made

The Baby Selbu Mittens are a pair of small-scale mittens designed for infants aged 3–6 months. These mittens feature traditional Selbu colorwork, a classic Norwegian knitting pattern style. Each mitten measures approximately 14.5 cm (5.7") in total length, with a hand section of 8.5 cm (3.3") from fingertip to cuff and a cuff measuring 6 cm (2.4"). The hand circumference is 13 cm (5.1"), making them appropriately sized for a baby's small hands. The mittens are designed to be warm and snug, with a dense fabric suitable for protecting a young child's hands.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs colorwork knitting in the round as its primary technique, which is characteristic of traditional Selbu mittens. The mittens are constructed using the circular knitting method, worked on double-pointed needles to create seamless, tubular fabric. The pattern incorporates stranded colorwork (also known as fair isle), where two colors are carried simultaneously throughout the rounds to create the distinctive patterned design. An I-cord is also used in the construction, likely for decorative or functional finishing elements such as a hanging loop or edging detail.

Stitches Used

The pattern is worked primarily in knit stitch throughout the colorwork sections. The gauge is worked at 36 stitches and 36 rounds per 10 cm (4") in the color work, which is notably tighter than the standard suggested gauge for the yarn weight. This higher stitch count is intentional, designed to create a dense and warm fabric that provides better insulation and durability for baby mittens. The I-cord component uses basic knit stitches worked in a small tubular form.

Materials and Yarn

The Baby Selbu Mittens pattern calls for sport-weight, baby-weight, or fine-weight wool yarn, specifically yarn that yields approximately 175 metres per 50 grams. The pattern is written for three sizes (A, B, and C), with varying yardage requirements:

• Main Color (MC) in white: Size A requires 10 grams, Size B requires 12 grams, and Size C requires 10 grams
• Contrast Color (CC): Size A requires 5 grams, Size B requires 3 grams, and Size C requires 5 grams
• I-cord: Approximately 5 grams of yarn

The example mittens shown in the pattern were created using Sisu by Sandnes Garn, a Norwegian wool yarn brand. Knitters will need 2.0 mm double-pointed needles (or the size required to achieve the specified gauge) to complete this project. The use of wool yarn provides warmth and elasticity, making it ideal for baby garments.

Pattern Details and Difficulty

This is an intermediate-level knitting pattern suitable for knitters with experience in circular knitting and colorwork techniques. The pattern was designed by Hilde Ropstad of Småtterier and is available as a downloadable PDF. The pattern is intended for personal use only and represents an independent designer project. Knitters interested in this pattern can find more of Småtterier's designs on Ravelry, LoveCrafts, Etsy, Pinterest, and Instagram (@smaatterier).