I’m very happy to unveil my latest design today, and not a moment too soon for the never-ending winter weather. Please meet my Winesap Mitts, a great one-skein project (gift knitting, anyone?) that includes three different sizes to fit older children to adults!
I loooove a good pair of fingerless mitts. You can wear them indoors (just ask me), you can even wear them under gloves outside. And when I need a pair of mitts, it’s usually because my forearms, as well as my hands, are chilled. So my goal was to design some mitts that were functional and pretty.
I designed a longer arm that fits snugly, thanks to the ribbing pattern, and also is shaped to narrow toward the wrist. For a bit of whimsy, I designed the arms to be knit flat so that they could be closed with coordinating buttons. Then the knitting is joined in the round to knit the hand and thumb as with traditional mittens/gloves.
Perhaps my favorite part about the design process behind these mitts was that, as the saying goes, it took a village. Allow me to explain… 🙂
The beautiful yarn featured in these cozy mitts was hand-dyed by Christine of Skeinny Dipping in Massachusetts. (Isn’t that a great name for a yarn company?) I first met Christine a few years back at, where else, Rhinebeck. We were both at the Knitspot meet-up, and I noticed that she was wearing gorgeous mitts in a vibrant yellow-green color. They were so great that I had to find out more, and lo and behold, she had knit them up in her own hand-dyed yarn! Christine is a truly gifted dyer (and a wonderful friend to boot). Just look at her nearly-endless palette of color choices here. Swoon! Luckily for me, she dyed up a skein for these mitts in one of my fave colorways: “Evolution of the Maple.”
The colorway is primarily brown and green, but has lovely undertones of yellow and the occasional flash of purple. Because the colorway is such a complex combination, I focused on finding a stitch pattern to show off its rich variegation. The slip stitch pattern that you see on the hand of the mitts fits that bill nicely, I think, while also giving the mitt an unusual texture. The yarn base used for the mitts, her “Cannonball Sock,” is a lovely blend of merino and nylon, which lends both warmth to the mitts and a hint of sheen and glow to the colorway. I also like having the nylon content to ensure a snug fit and a hard-wearing lifespan for the mitts.
To further play up the variegation of the yarn, I thought it would be fun to draw out some of the accent colors. The best way I thought to do that? With the coordinating buttons I mentioned above! And this is where my Button-Partner-In-Crime comes in: my mom.
With one completed Winesap Mitt in hand, my mom and I descended upon the button aisle at her local Joann Fabrics store. We must have pored over every single button hanging in that aisle that day, as we clutched and compared different sizes, shapes, and patterns while muttering “almost,” and “not quite,” and my favorite: “well, I don’t hate it.” Then, in a stroke of genius, my mom alighted on the almost-chartreuse buttons you see pictured above. The combination did not hit me at first, but the more we stared at it, the more we loved it. After a few minutes, I was practically giddy. These were the ones! And it only took almost an hour to find them! (Hey, if you’re gonna do it, do it right…) So I hope you agree that these are the perfect fit. 🙂
Once the mitts were completed, the task fell to Andrew to accurately capture the stitch patterning, the fit, and the unique tones of the yarn in photographs. We discovered that: (a) snow on the ground provides some decent, if finicky, natural light; and (b) hand modeling is HARD hehehe. I think he did a great job, and is becoming quite the knitwear photographer, if I do say so myself…
Of course, I’ve been saving the best part for last. You know I love a giveaway, so let’s do it!
Leave a comment on this post before midnight Eastern time on Friday, January 31st to win not only a copy of the pattern, but also a skein of yarn from Christine to make your very own pair! And here’s the best part: Christine has very generously agreed to CUSTOM dye the skein for the winner!
(I want to enter just to try and get my paws on more of her yarn hahaha).
So there you have it: the Winesap Mitts in all their cozy glory. I hope you love them and find them as versatile, easy to knit, fun to wear, and mood-enhancing as I do. To learn more about the pattern or to purchase the pattern, you can go here on Ravelry or here at MWD. Thanks to everyone in my little village (including my very talented tech editor, Karen) for bringing these mitts to life!
daniellechalson.com 
Love them. Can I order a pair? Great to see you yesterday! Xo M
Sent from my iPhone
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Oh, my gosh, Danielle…Just when I thought that they couldn’t look more LOVELY, more professionally designed and executed, and more FUN…they DO…!!! The fit is perfect, and Andrew’s expertise with the camera adds immeasurably…Congratulations on yet ANOTHER exciting and engaging design that I predict will rival your Zuni Shawl in its popularity…let me know…XO…Mom
When I saw this I really thought: oh, a maple tree! Look at the mitts and you see the trunk from the the maple and above the buds coming in spring. Well, its soon maple sirup time in Quebec 🙂
Very nice design and fitting yarn. Well done!
Lovely mitts! I’d love to win.
Lmecoll on Ravelry
Congratulations Danielle, you’ve done it again. I’ve seen many a pair of fingerless mitts, but these really do stand alone as something very special. I love the design, and the yarn really did work with the design, to make them exceptionally special. Cu-do’s to Mom too, for her imagining the buttons on the mitts. Looking at them now, I can’t imagine any others that would work so well with the pattern, and the yarn, to be more perfect. Fantastic mitts!! 🙂
Really wonderful mitts! And the colour of the yarn is perfect for winter!
I love a good pair of mitts since my hands are always cold. These are lovely, love the stitch pattern!
I am a tree obsessed girl so I love love love this design! The detail on the inner arm section is brilliant and the yarn is beautiful for this pattern. Sometimes variegated yarns compete with highly patterned pieces but the subtlety in the colors in this yarn work beautifully.
I love your new design! You’ve paid so much attention to the details that really count. Adding it to my queue now…..
and thanks for the giveaway……
I normally don’t go to blogs off of Ravelry, but loved the design of these mitts. The yarn also is so perfect for these. Great job..and I love how you give credit to those who helped you…great design!
Beautiful design and beautiful colorway!
Once again, Miss Danielle, you have designed a masterpiece. So elegant, the Dowager might just snatch these for her next Grantham family get-together ! My hands have been frozen all winter, so these mitts would be the perfect solution to that. Happy knitting !
Lovely pattern, looks like a fun knit!
Both the yarn and pattern are beautiful!
Beautiful mitts with such charming details!
Really beautiful mitts and yarn! I love the design.
Lovely fingerless mitts! I would love to make them.
I love the color and the design! Thanks for offering the pattern & yarn!
These mitts are BEAUTIFUL! The cuff is the prettiest I’ve ever seen. I’d so looooove to make a pair for myself.
These mitts are gorgeous! I always wear my fingerless gloves indoors! They are perfect for typing during the summer when the ac is cranked low in the office. Beautiful job by both you and the village! 😀
Those are gorgeous!
Wow! Those mitts are just beautiful! I really love the yarn + the stitch pattern. It’s a really great combination. Congrats!
I have to say that I was so taken by these, that I have already purchased the pattern! I’m looking forward to casting on soon!
Just saw these on Ravelry and I have to make them! Any fingerless glove pattern that allows subtle variegated colors to play well together and also includes buttons is a winner in my book. Plus, Jan 31st is my birthday so I think I’ll make them just for me!
Nice mitts, an inspired use of variegated yarn. It would be lovely to win a kit!
Lovely pattern! Very nice and the buttons certainly do make it work!
What a perfect pairing of pattern and colorway. Absolutely stunning!
So very lovely! Beautiful mitts!
Love them, gorgeous work.
I love these! Most mitts I’ve seen don’t have a patterned palm. These really stand out. Love the extra length, too!
Is your village in need of an idiot? If so, then I volunteer! Sounds as though you all had great fun enlisting everyone’s expertise to create the perfect match of fabulous fiber, pretty & practical pattern and bonny buttons, professionally photographed. Talentedly titled, also. (Winesaps are my favorite apple & the colors in the yarn reflect those in the peel.) Congratulations on these marvelous mitts! I hope they do quite well for you.
Given how cold this winter has been I have been wearing my handknit sweaters, cowls, etcetera inside, while stuffing yet another log into the stove. I shall have to knit myself a pair of Winesap Mitts not only to complete the ensemble.
Thank you for the opportunity to win a kit.
Beautiful pattern and definitely on my wish list.
wow, those are gorgeous, and so is the yarn! i’d love to knit these up.
what a gorgeous pattern, i’d love to make these. and the yarn is gorgeous!
What a lovely pattern! I would love to win the pattern and yarn. Thank you!
I am obsessed with fingerless gloves/mittens, and these are next on my list. Always love finding new yarn to drool over, too! =)
What a beautiful pattern! Kudos! Fingerless mitts are one of my favorite things to knit—so satisfying!
They are lovely! Yes, Christine creates fab colours! Thanks for the chance. 😀
What beautiful mitts.
I love to read behind the scene story of designs. I am always curious as to people’s creative process.
Beautiful pattern and wonderful yarn, your mitts are stunning!
Gorgeous! I would love to make a pair.
They are such a pretty design! I really like how the stitch pattern plays with the color specs in the yarn. Very pretty 😀