Ravens in Snow Fingerless Mitts

Ravens in Snow Fingerless Mitts

Project Overview

Ravens in Snow Fingerless Mitts is an intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Stephannie Tallent. These fingerless mitts celebrate the designer's appreciation for corvids, particularly ravens, drawing inspiration from their presence in Norse mythology (referencing Odin's ravens Hugin and Munin, representing Thought and Memory) and North American indigenous traditions. The pattern combines functional warmth with decorative bird motifs, making these mitts both practical and artistically meaningful.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a pair of fingerless mitts, also known as fingerless gloves or mitts. The design features raven imagery integrated into the knitted fabric. Fingerless mitts leave the fingers exposed while providing warmth and coverage to the palm, back of the hand, and wrist area, making them ideal for activities requiring finger dexterity while maintaining hand warmth.

Finished Measurements

• Available in two sizes: Women's Small and Women's Large
• Palm circumference (above thumb): 7 inches / 18 cm (Small) or 8 inches / 20.5 cm (Large)
• Total length: 7½ inches / 19 cm (Small) or 8 inches / 20.5 cm (Large)
• Cuff length: 2¼ inches / 5.5 cm

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

This intermediate-level project employs colorwork knitting techniques to create the raven design. The pattern uses two colors to build the bird motifs into the fabric, requiring the knitter to work with multiple yarn colors simultaneously. The construction involves circular knitting methods, as indicated by the needle specifications for cast-on work. Knitters will need to manage color changes and maintain even tension across colorwork sections, skills that define intermediate-level knitting projects.

Materials

The mitts are constructed using 4-ply yarn weight, which provides a balanced thickness suitable for detailed colorwork and a comfortable fit.

• Main Color (MC): Knit Picks Palette in Oyster—100% Peruvian Highland Wool, 231 yards per 50 grams, 1 ball required
• Contrast Color (CC): Knit Picks Palette in Mineral—100% Peruvian Highland Wool, 231 yards per 50 grams, 1 ball required
• Needles: US 4 / 3.5mm needles for cast-on (additional needle sizes for the body of the mitts are referenced in the pattern)

Peruvian Highland Wool provides excellent warmth and durability while maintaining the softness needed for a comfortable wearable. The two-color palette of Oyster (a neutral, light tone) and Mineral (a deeper shade) creates visual contrast that allows the raven motifs to stand out clearly against the background.