Birch

The leafy design of these mittens were inspired by my favourite tree, the Silver Birch (Betula pendula). Native across Northern Europe, the birch is a hardy pioneer species. It is one of the first trees to appear, it’s roots reaching & gathering scarce nutrients to the tree. When the tree sheds its leaves these nutrients are re-cyled, enriching the soil. In summer its leaves create a fluttering dappled canopy, casting a light shade that allows other plants to grow, supporting many species of birds & animals. In winter its white bark striped with slashes of black stand out monochrome. The birch symbolises renewal & purification. Bundles of birch twigs were used to drive out the spirits of the old year & gardeners still use the birch besom, or broom, to cleanse their gardens.

The mittens are worked using two colour stranded knitting beginning at the cuff with a corrugated rib. The thumb is worked afterthought. They make the per-fect project for learning stranded knitting.