Mittens to Knit Inspired by a Late-Medieval Mitten

A sixteenth-century child’s mitten now in the collection of the Museum of London inspired this contemporary mitten design in two sizes. Susan has chosen knitting techniques known from the sixteenth century, such as the early German fingertip (or Emily Ocker) cast-on and the haphazard placement of knit-two-together decreases. In this pattern download, you'll get instructions to knit a child size and adult size.

Materials

• Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, 55% merino/33% microfiber/12% cashmere yarn, sportweight, 137 yards (125 m)/50 g ball, 1 ball of #26 Seafoam (MC) for mitten body (child) or, 1 ball of #502 Pea Green (MC) for mitten body (adult); small amount of #11 Chocolate (CC) for decorative band
  
• Needles, two sets of 5 double pointed, size 2 (2.75 mm)
• Tapestry needle
  
• Finished size: 5 inches (12.7 cm) hand circumference and 5¼ inches (13.3 cm) long
  
• Gauge: 13 sts and 19 rnds = 2 inches (5.1 cm)

About Susan Strawn: Susan Strawn is professor emerita at Dominican University (Chicago). She researches and writes stories she finds in textiles and clothing. A frequent contributor to Long Thread Media, she is the author of Knitting America: A Glorious Heritage from Warm Socks to High Art (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Voyageur Press, 2007). She lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington, and writes about her life with knitting on Substack.

All items in the library are intended for personal use. Please do not distribute without written approval.