This month’s mittens are inspired by one of my favorite designers, Orla Kiely. I have items with her designs all over my house from my computer bag to the guest room towels. I wanted to make a pair of mittens with a similar look.

I knit these mittens up as a present for someone who specifically asked that they be vegan, so I used a yarn that was a cotton and acrylic blend. They are super soft like a favorite t-shirt. Still, I would like to knit up a pair for myself in wool, I think they would be even prettier.

Oh my gosh, only one more pair of mittens left for the year!

(Update 11/24: The Etsy yarn shop, Sophie’s Toes is now offering kits to make these mittens.)

Orla Mittens

Download the Orla Mittens Pattern w/chart or just the Orla Mittens Chart

Size: Women’s Medium (7.5 inches)

Supplies:

• sport weight yarn in four colors – approximately 130 yards of the base color and 40 yards of the other three. I used Knit Picks Comfy Sport in Ivory, Planetarium, Marlin and Peapod.
• four size 3 double-pointed needles (or size needed to get gauge)
• stitch markers
• scrap yarn, sport weight or thinner
• tapestry needle

Gauge: 7 stitches and 9 rows per inch

Abbreviations:

• k – knit
• p – purl
• m1 – make 1 stitch (direction doesn’t matter)
• ssk – slip, slip, knit
• k2tog – knit two stitches together

Follow the written pattern for shaping and the chart for color changes. Work chart as shown for left hand then do the side with the bigger leaves first for the right hand.

Cuff:

Cast on 52 stitches. Divide between three needles. Join together to knit in the round being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker between the last and first stitch to mark rows.

Row 1: p
Row 2: k
Row 3: p
Row 4 – 18: k

Hand and Thumb Gusset:

Row 19: k17, m1, k18, m1, k17, m1 (55 stitches)

(There have been some questions on how to do this row and make the color chart work. Here is a break down with the colors. white k1, blue k1, white k11, blue k1, white k3, white m1 (because the next color on the chart is white)
white k7, blue k1, white k10 (this includes the one stitch from the thumb chart), white m1, white k4, blue k1, white k12, white m1)

Row 20: k27, m1l, k1, m1r, k27 (57 stitches) (If you wish you can place stitch markers before the m1l and after the m1r to mark the thumb.)
Row 21: k
Row 22: k27, m1l, k3, m1r, k27 (59 stitches)
Row 23 – 24: k
Row 25: k27, m1l, k5, m1r, k27 (61 stitches)
Row 26 – 27: k
Row 28: k27, m1l, k7, m1r, k27 (63 stitches)
Row 29 – 30: k
Row 31: k27, m1l, k9, m1r, k27 (65 stitches)
Row 32 – 33: k
Row 34: k27, m1l, k11, m1r, k27 (67 stitches)
Row 35 – 36: k
Row 37: k27, m1l, k13, m1r, k27 (69 stitches)
Row 38 – 39: k
Row 40: k27, m1l, k15, m1r, k27 (71 stitches)
Row 41 – 42: k
Row 43: k27, m1l, k17, m1r, k27 (73 stitches)
Row 44: k
Row 45: k27, put the next 19 stitches on a piece of scrap yarn, cast on one stitch, k27 (55 stitches on the needles, 19 on the yarn)
Row 46: k26, k2tog, k27 (54 stitches)
Row 47 – 72: k
Row 73: ssk, k23, k2tog, ssk, k23, k2tog (50 stitches)
Row 74: k
Row 75: ssk, k21, k2tog, ssk, k21, k2tog (46 stitches)
Row 76: k
Row 77: ssk, k19, k2tog, ssk, k19, k2tog (42 stitches)
Row 78: ssk, k17, k2tog, ssk, k19, k2tog (38 stitches)
Row 79: ssk, k15, k2tog, ssk, k15, k2tog (34 stitches)
Row 80: ssk, k13, k2tog, ssk, k13, k2tog (30 stitches)
Row 81: ssk, k11, k2tog, ssk, k11, k2tog (26 stitches)
Row 82: ssk, k9, k2tog, ssk, k9, k2tog (22 stitches)
Row 83: ssk, k7, k2tog, ssk, k7, k2tog (18 stitches)

Cut yarn leaving about a 12” tail. Seam top of mitten with Kitchener stitch.

Thumb:

Put the 19 stitches on the yarn onto three needles. Pick up and knit a stitch from the hand of the mitten. Place a stitch marker after that stitch to mark rows.

Row 45 – 58: k
Row 59: ssk, k6, k2tog, ssk, k6, k2tog (16 stitches)
Row 60: ssk, k4, k2tog, ssk, k4, k2tog (12 stitches)
Row 61: ssk, k2, k2tog, ssk, k2, k2tog (8 stitches)

Cut the yarn leaving about a 10” tail. Seam the top of the thumb with Kitchener stitch.

Weave in all ends.

Copyright 2014 Kathy Lewinski JustCraftyEnough.com
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