Flora Mitts

Flora Mitts by Ella Gordon

What is Being Made

The Flora Mitts are a pair of small fingerless gloves or mitts designed to fit small to medium adult hands. These mitts measure 19cm (7.5 inches) in hand circumference above the thumb and 19cm (7.5 inches) in length. They are inspired by a Fair Isle Yoke cardigan and feature a coordinated colorway using traditional Shetland design principles.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

The Flora Mitts employ traditional Shetland glove construction and design, a time-honored method that creates fitted, durable hand coverings. A key design feature is the chequerboard palm pattern, which serves a practical purpose: it eliminates long floats that could catch on fingers during wear. This thoughtful construction detail makes the mitts more comfortable and functional for everyday use.

The mitts use an afterthought thumb technique, allowing the knitter to complete the entire mitt before returning to pick up stitches and finish the thumb opening. This method streamlines the knitting process and provides flexibility in thumb placement.

The design incorporates Fair Isle colorwork, a traditional stranded knitting technique that creates intricate patterned designs using multiple colors within the same row. The motif and color combinations are drawn directly from the cardigan that inspired this project, making these mitts a wearable homage to vintage Fair Isle design.

Stitches and Stitch Work

While specific stitch abbreviations are not detailed in the pattern summary, the Flora Mitts utilize classic Fair Isle and Shetland glove stitches. The chequerboard pattern on the palm creates visual interest while maintaining structural integrity, and the colorwork sections employ stranded knitting techniques where yarn colors are carried across the back of the work to create the patterned design.

Yarn and Materials

The Flora Mitts are designed to be knitted with Jamieson & Smith 2ply Jumper Weight yarn, which is classified as 4ply weight or fingering weight. This yarn is 100% real Shetland wool, providing authentic texture and performance characteristics. Each ball yields 115 meters or 125 yards and weighs 25 grams.

The pattern calls for six coordinating shades of Jamieson & Smith yarn:

• Yarn D: Shade 75 (1 x 25g ball)
• Yarn A: Shade 4 (2 x 25g balls)
• Yarn E: Shade 71 (1 x 25g ball)
• Yarn B: Shade 1 (1 x 25g ball)
• Yarn F: Shade FC34 (1 x 25g ball)
• Yarn C: Shade FC15 (1 x 25g ball)

The use of multiple small quantities of yarn makes these mitts an excellent project for using up odds and ends from other projects, reducing yarn waste while creating a cohesive, professionally designed colorway.

Skill Level

The Flora Mitts are rated as a beginner-friendly knitting project, making them accessible to knitters who are new to Fair Isle colorwork or Shetland glove construction. Despite their traditional techniques, the pattern is designed to be approachable for those building their knitting skills.