Make something.
The time to capture beauty and hold it close is always right now.
Bellingham Mitts
a reminder that being able to love a land with your whole being is a gift, and a gift not everyone gets to experience
Bellingham, Washington, was a stopping point town as my family headed for a small Alaskan island we would soon call home. Bellingham featured trails covered in layers of leaves and fern, offered quiet moments to collect myself, and encouraged me to look to nature for unexpected encouragement. Moving from the edge of the East Coast to an island off the West Coast was exciting, but not without times of anxiousness. A week wandering the wooded paths of the sweet college town filled dozens of pages in my travel journal. The soft grey mist was ever present on these hikes. The grey seemed to bring comfort to my nervousness and yet hinted to an adventure that I wouldn’t see until I pushed onwards. Push onwards I did. My husband, toddler, and I boarded the 4-day ferry headed for Sitka inspired by the beautiful ruggedness of this Pacific Northwest town.
Two years later we would be passing through Bellingham, once again headed for another place to call home. This time Bellingham offered me a white cloudy corner to cry silent tears as my heart broke. Leaving Alaska was the first gut-wrenching relocation ever for me. I loved Alaska. My journal had speckled tear drops on many pages, which are represented in this design by the flecks at the top of the mitts. It is a reminder that being able to love a land with your whole being is a gift, and a gift not everyone gets to experience. Bellingham means transition for me, a stopping place on the way to and from the most magical times I ever had.
Get started.
Yarn: 2 skeins Acadia Yarn by The Fibre Co./Kelbourne Woolens Colorways shown: 1 skein Egret, 1 skein Driftwood
Fiber Content & Yardage: 60% merino wool, 20% baby alpaca, 20% silk 1.75oz/50g approx. 145yds/133m
Experience Level: Intermediate knitter who can knit, purl, work flat and in the round, pick up stitches, and alternate yarn for easy colour changes
Finished Measurements: 9in(23cm) fingertip edge to cuff bottom [3in(7.5cm) for cuff, 6in(15.5) for hand], 7.25in(18.5cm) circumference above thumb, 1.75in(4.5 cm) for thumb opening
Needles: US5 (3.75mm)
Other Supplies: tapestry needle, stitch marker
Notes:
Cuffs are worked flat with body picked up along one side. First st on RS row is always slipped.
Body is worked in the round to thumb opening, then worked flat until joined to finish in the round.
Cuffs remain open and can be worn flat or folded. Examples of each are shown.
Cuff is worked in this direction first, then turned to overlap the edges of CO/BO or BO/CO to have first 3 PU sts, picked up through both layers
Cuffs: (work 1 in each colourway) Using long-tail method, CO 25.
Set up: p1, *k1, p1* repeat between ** to end
Row 1 (RS): sl1, *p1, ktb* repeat between ** to end
Row 2 (WS): p1, *k1, p1* repeat between ** to end
Continue to work Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 6.5in(16.5cm).
BO all sts.
Note: Work each mitt the same except work 1 with CO edge over BO edge and 1 with BO over CO.
With edges folded so that they overlap 3sts (see illustration A) using opposite color of cuffs, PU as follows:
Insert needle and PU through overlap of CO, BO edge 3sts, continue to PU 37sts, pm and join to work in the round. (40 sts)
Right and Left Mitt:(work each the same)
Rnds 1-4, 6-12, 14-18: k all sts
Rnds 5 and 13 (dec rnd): k2tog, k to 2 sts before m, skp (2 sts decreased)
Right thumb opening:
Set-up Row: k24, p1, k2, turn work, p2, k1, p to m, remove m, p4, k1, p2, turn work
Row 1 (RS): k2, p1, k to last 3 sts, p1, k2
Row 2 (WS): p2, k1, p to last 3 sts, k1, p2
Work Rows 1 and 2 a total of 6 times (12 rounds).
PM and rejoin to work in the round
Left thumb opening:
Set-up Row: K4, p1, k2 work to last 3 sts, p1, k2 remove m, turn work
Row 1 (WS): p2, k1, p to last 3 sts, k1, p2
Row 2 (RS): k2, p1, k to last 3 sts, p1, k2
Work Rows 1 and 2 a total of 6 times (12 rounds) On last row do not turn work, PM and rejoin to work in the round
Both mitts: [Note: Color 1 (C1) and Color 2 (C2) will be opposite for each mitt.]
K13 rounds in established color (C1).
Change to opposite color yarn (C2).
Rnd 1: k all sts
Rnd 2: *C1 k3, C2 k1* repeat between ** around
Rnd 3: C1 k all sts
Rnd 4: C1 k2, C2 k1,*C1 k3, C2 k1* repeat between ** to last st, C1 k1
Rnd 5: C1 k all sts
Rnd 6: C1 k1, C2 k1, *C1 k3, C2 k1* repeat between ** to last 2 sts, using C1 k2
Rnds 7 and 8: C1 k all sts
BO all sts loosely
Using C1, PU36.
K all sts for 1 row. BO all sts loosely.
PU all sts, k all sts for 1 row and BO once more.
Weave in ends.
The grey seemed to bring comfort to my nervousness and yet hinted to an adventure that I wouldn’t see until I pushed onwards.