Wayfarer Mitts

Wayfarer Mitts by Erica Heusser

What is Being Made

The Wayfarer Mitts are a pair of knitted hand coverings designed to showcase landscape-inspired colorwork. Each mitt features a wide figurative panel on the back that wraps around to meet a narrower striped panel along the palm side. The design is inspired by the beauty of canyons in the Western US, with a rocky landscape rising to meet a darkening night sky rendered through strategic color placement and stranded colorwork techniques.

Craft and Techniques

This is a knitting project suitable for intermediate knitters. The pattern is specifically recommended for knitters who have experience with stranded colorwork, which involves carrying multiple yarn colors across rows to create intricate color patterns. Additional required skills include reading from charts and knitting in the round, a fundamental technique for creating seamless tubular garments like mittens and gloves.

Stitches and Construction

While specific stitch abbreviations are not detailed in the pattern excerpt provided, the construction relies on stranded colorwork techniques to build the landscape imagery. The mitts are worked in the round, allowing the colorwork panels to flow seamlessly around the hand. The contrast between the wide figurative back panel and the narrower striped palm panel creates visual interest and structural balance.

Materials and Yarn

The Wayfarer Mitts are worked in fingering/sock weight yarn, which is a fine yarn that creates detailed, delicate fabric ideal for displaying intricate colorwork. The sample mitts were created using Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in seven coordinating colorways:

• Approximately 70 yards of Color 1 (Amber Trinket/orange)
• Approximately 30 yards of Color 2 (Ember/red)
• Approximately 10 yards of Color 3 (Alizarin/purple)
• Approximately 15 yards of Color 4 (Aura/light blue)
• Approximately 25 yards of Color 5 (Worn Denim/medium blue)

The pattern calls for small yardage amounts of additional colorways (Dirty Panther and Antler) to complete the landscape palette. The use of merino wool provides softness and breathability, making these mitts comfortable for regular wear despite their decorative nature.

Skill Level Considerations

Knitters approaching this pattern should be comfortable managing multiple colors simultaneously while maintaining even tension and consistent stitch gauge. The combination of stranded colorwork, chart reading, and circular knitting makes this an excellent intermediate project for those looking to expand their technical skills beyond basic mittens and gloves.