Grace Note Mitts in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Fingering - FW300 - Downloadable PDF

Grace Note Mitts in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Fingering – Pattern Summary

The Grace Note Mitts is a free, downloadable PDF knitting pattern designed by Laurie Beardsley and published by Cascade Yarns. This intermediate-level pattern produces a pair of elegant fingerless mitts featuring a flowing, lace-based decorative motif that gives the design its name. The mitts are sized to fit a range of wearers from teen to adult, making them a versatile accessory knit suitable for gifting or personal use.

What Is Being Made

The pattern creates a pair of knitted fingerless mitts — sometimes referred to as hand warmers or wrist mitts — worked in the round. Five sizes are offered, accommodating hand circumferences of 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, and 9.5 inches, with finished hand circumferences of 7 (7.5, 8, 8.5, 9) inches and total lengths of 8.5 (9.5, 10.5, 11.5, 11.5) inches. The mitts cover the hand and wrist while leaving the fingers free, making them practical for everyday wear in cooler weather.

Design Details and the Grace Note Motif

The defining feature of these mitts is the Grace Note Motif, a 31-round lace panel worked over 15 stitches. This motif uses a combination of yarn overs, decreases, and a centered double decrease to build an intricate, flowing lace design across the back of the hand. The motif progresses through a series of carefully sequenced rounds, with all even-numbered rounds knitted plain to allow the lace structure to develop clearly and rhythmically. This approach makes the pattern accessible to knitters who are comfortable with basic lace techniques but may not yet have tackled complex charted lace. The result is a delicate, graceful texture that catches the light beautifully in a fine-weight yarn.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The mitts are constructed circularly, which means the right side is always facing the knitter, simplifying the lace motif execution.
• Lace knitting – The Grace Note Motif relies on yarn overs paired with various decrease types to create open, decorative eyelets and directional lines within the fabric.
• Thumb gusset shaping – As is standard in well-constructed mitt patterns, increases are worked to create a thumb gusset for a comfortable, anatomical fit.
• Gauge swatching in the round – Gauge is measured in stockinette stitch in the round on blocked fabric, an important step for achieving the correct finished dimensions in a fingering-weight project.
• Optional needle sizing – The pattern notes the optional use of a needle one size smaller than the size needed to obtain gauge, allowing knitters to fine-tune their fabric tension.

Stitches Used

The Grace Note Mitts draw on a range of knitting stitches and techniques, including:

• Knit (k) and Purl (p) – the foundational stitches forming the stockinette body of the mitts
• Yarn over (yo) – creates decorative eyelets and increases within the lace motif
• k2tog (knit two together) – a right-leaning decrease used throughout the lace panel
• ssk (slip, slip, knit) – a left-leaning decrease that mirrors k2tog for balanced lace shaping
• s2kp2 (centered double decrease) – slipping two stitches together knitwise, knitting one, then passing the slipped stitches over; creates a symmetrical, centered decrease that forms a focal point within the lace motif
• kfb (knit in the front and back) – a simple increase stitch used in thumb gusset shaping
• Bind off (BO) and Cast on (CO) – standard construction techniques

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Fingering, a 100% Superwash Merino Wool yarn. Each skein contains 219 yards (200 meters) and weighs 50 g