Nielsdatter Mitts

Nielsdatter Mitts are 20% off for the Launch January 28-31st, 2025.

Knit in the round with your favorite way to work small circumferences. I like to work these mitts with Flexiflips (aka Crazy Trios) so that the back of the hand is on one needle and the palm is on the other. First the colorwork cuff is worked, then the back of the hand/palm is worked with a gusset for the thumb.Stitiches are set aside for the thumb and the rest of the mitt is finished. Finally the stitches for the thumb is picked up and knit. When colorwork thumb is completed, and then all you have to do is knit the second mitt, then you are ready to spread some serious love. This pattern has hundreds of hearts. You can count them as you knit, and brainstorm ways to make the world a lovely place. I love the thought of wearing these happy heart-filled mitts year round to encourage me to love, lift, help, care, and scatter joy. That’s what life is all about.

Materials
Yarn: Rauma Finull Garn| 2-ply Fingering| 100 % Norwegian Wool | 175 m (191 yd) per 50-g skein|
Main Color: 1 skein 400 White | approximately 82 meters/90 yards
Contrasting Color: 1 skein 435 red | approximately 77 meters/ 85 yards
Needles: Gauge-sized needles DPNs. I used Flexiflips (Crazy Trios) in 2 mm and 2.5 mm for larger size mitts 2 mm and 2.25 mm for smaller mitts

Gauge and swatch
30 stitches/34 rows = 4 inches or 10 cm for men’s medium/ women’s large mitt
32 stitches/38 rows =4 inches or 10 cm for a women’s small mitt

Sizes
Women’s large/men’s medium: 4.5 (11.25 cm) x 7.25” (19 cm)
Women’s small 4.25 (10.6 cm) x 7” (17.77 cm)

Nielsdatter Mitts, named after my grandpa’s grandma. Designed and knit with anticipation of Valentine’s Day (with 281 hearts) and hope that that they will be worn on chilly days year-round. We believe in Valentine’s Season. As soon as the Christmas season is over, we decorated for Valentine’s Day. We hang hearts on doors, windows, on chandeliers. We make cut out hearts to frame our front door. We make valentines for a month for each other, for our friends, and neighbors. We like to make heart shaped tracks when we go cross country skiing. We make heart-shaped cookies, heart-shaped pies, cinnamon rolls, waffles and pizza. We make Valentine’s Day play lists. We think about making someone’s day a little brighter. We read Valentine’s books. We have a secret admirer that leaves flowers, little gifts and all red treats. We believe in Kindergarten Valentine’s Day. A day when you give everyone in your class a valentine. Everyone feels loved. We think of it as a family day, a neighborhood day, a scatter love day. Have you read book Somebody Loves you, Mr. Hatch? Just like in that book, we believe that love can change the world. We believe that the more you love, the more you are loved. We believe that wearing hearts, reminds us to love everyone. These mitts are packed with Nordic symbolism-representing love, friendship, courage, bravery, kindness, and understanding. My dream is that you will make these mitts for yourself and for someone you love, with a note of encouragement or maybe even left on the doorstep anonymously. Imagine the delight!

Skills used
DPN (Flexiflips) skills
longtail-cast on
Knitting
Purling
Ribbing
Knitting in colorwork
Gusset increases
Picking up and knitting in colorwork
Catching Floats
two-color longtail cast-on
Binding off
K2top
SSK
Backward loop
Chart reading
Yarn dominance
Duplicate Stitch