While visiting one of my favorite family farms in Maine, I had purchased different shades of natural yarn made from the wool of their sheep. Although color-blocking has been popular recently it can often be a bit hard on the eyes. Using this style with natural wools, however, creates a pleasing, but subtle, effect.

In addition to the contrast in colors, this hat and matching mittens include a garter stitch texture. The mittens include garter-stitch on the back of the hand which also contrasts with the smooth stockinette stitch on the palm and thumb. Instead of including traditional folded cuffs that constantly need readjusting, the cuffs are worked doubled and knit together using a technique similar to a 3-needle bind off.

The mitten pattern is written in three sizes –youth, women’s, and men’s- while the hat is written in youth and adult sizes.

SIZE
Mittens:
• Youth: 7-inch hand circumference
• women’s: 8-inch hand circumference (shown)
• men’s: 9-inch hand circumference
Hat:
• Youth: 21-inch head circumference
• adult’s: 23-inch head circumference (shown)

Mitten pattern is written for youth size with women’s and men’s sizes in parentheses. Hat pattern is written for youth size with adult size in parentheses.

YARN
• 1 skein Nezinscot Farm Yarns & Wool 100% Shetland Wool (200 yards/4 ounces) natural light brown, or other worsted weight wool (main color – MC)
• 1 skein Nezinscot Farm Yarns & Wool 100% Shetland Wool (200 yards/4 ounces) natural dark brown, or other worsted weight wool (contrasting color – CC)
• 2 yards of scrap worsted weight yarn

NEEDLES
• 2 - U.S. size 6 (4.00mm) 32-inch (or longer) circular needles

NOTIONS
• 3 stitch markers
• Row counter
• Crochet hook U.S. size G (4.00mm)

GAUGE
18 sts in a 4 inch swatch in garter stitch in the round