Elfin Mittens

Elfin Mittens by Rebecca Blair

What Is Being Made

The Elfin Mittens are a pair of woodland-inspired knitted mittens featuring a distinctive leaf-like lace pattern that grows from a rolled cuff and climbs up the back of the hand, culminating in a pointed tip. These mittens are designed to evoke the whimsical aesthetic of garments that might be worn by forest creatures, combining practical function with imaginative, nature-themed design elements.

Finished Measurements and Sizing

This pattern is offered in one size with the following finished measurements:

• 7.5 inches around the hand above the thumb
• 10 inches from cuff to tip

Knitting Techniques Used

The Elfin Mittens employ several intermediate-level knitting techniques that create their distinctive appearance and structure. The pattern utilizes a rolled cuff construction, which naturally curves inward without requiring ribbing, creating a clean, finished edge. The lace pattern climbing the back of the hand requires working increases and decreases in a coordinated manner to form the leaf-like motifs. The pointed tip finish adds a tailored, elfin quality to the completed mittens. Thumb shaping is incorporated into the design, and the pattern requires working in the round using double-pointed needles, a fundamental technique for seamless circular knitting.

Stitches and Stitch Abbreviations

The Elfin Mittens pattern uses the following stitches and abbreviations:

• CO: Cast on
• k: Knit
• p: Purl
• M1L: Make one by using your left needle to pick up the strand between the last worked stitch and the next stitch, from front to back, then knit into the back of the new stitch to twist it

The primary stitch used throughout the mittens is stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic knitted fabric. The lace pattern is formed through strategic placement of yarn overs and decreases that create the leaf-like motifs characteristic of the design.

Yarn and Materials

The Elfin Mittens pattern calls for 1 skein of Knit Picks City Tweed HW in the colorway Toad. This yarn is a premium blend containing 55% Merino wool, 25% superfine alpaca, and 20% Donegal tweed, offering a combination of softness, warmth, and subtle texture. The yarn provides 164 yards per 100-gram ball and is classified as aran weight, making it an ideal choice for mittens that will be both durable and insulating.

Additional materials required include:

• 1 set of 5 US #6/4mm double-pointed needles for working in the round
• A tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and finishing
• A medium stitch holder for temporarily holding stitches during thumb construction
• Stitch markers to help track pattern repeats and shaping sections

Gauge and Pattern Difficulty

The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches and 32 rounds equal 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for the mittens to fit properly at the specified measurements. The Elfin Mittens are rated as an intermediate difficulty pattern, making them suitable for knitters who have mastered basic techniques like casting on, knitting in the round with double-pointed needles, and basic increases and decreases, but who are ready to tackle more complex stitch patterns and shaping.

Designer Information

The Elfin Mittens are designed by Rebecca Blair. For pattern support and questions, knitters can contact the designer at doilyblog@gmail.com.