Sunnuntaiaamu mittens—easy colorwork for crisp mornings
These cozy mittens from the Sunnuntaiaamu series feature a timeless stranded colorwork pattern. The design is ideal for beginners and keeps your hands warm on chilly autumn strolls.
Sizes: Child (Adult Small) Adult Large
Sunnuntaiaamu mittens—materials:
- Yarn: Sandnes Garn Børstet Alpakka (alpaca 96 %, polyamide 4 %), 110 m / 120 yds / 50 g, MC: (Color 1012) 50 (100) 100 g, CC: (Color 3819) 50 (50) 50 g
- Needles: DPNs 4 mm / US 6
- Notions: Stich markers, darning needle, contrasting-colored waste yarn
Gauge: 20 s × 24 krs / 10 × 10 cm Stockinette st in the round
Abbreviations:
- CO: cast on
- LH: left-hand
- N: needle
- MC: main color
- CC: contrast color
- k: knit
- k2tog: knit two sts together (right-leaning single decrease)
- rnd: round
- DPN: double pointed needle
- st(s): stitch(es)
- SKPO: Slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped st over the knit st.
Sunnuntaiaamu mittens—Instructions:
Mittens are worked from the cuff to the top, and they have an afterthought thumb. The back features an easy colorwork pattern and the top is worked with contrasting color.
LEFT-HAND MITTEN
Using MC and DPNs, CO 32 (44) 48 sts.
Divide sts evenly onto four needles, join to work in the round and PM. Work approx. 7 cm / 2.75˝ in Rib St (K1, P1). Knit 1 rnd.
From now on the needles are referred to as N1 – N4. Sts on N1 and N4 are knitted with MC (palm) and the chart is followed for the sts on N2 and N3 (back).
Start following the chart in the beginning of N2, attaching CC and starting from column 5 (3) 1 (see the lines in the chart), and continue following the chart on N3 until column 20 (22) 24. Follow the chart on N2 and N3 until the mitten measures 5.5 (7) 8 cm / 2.25 (2.75) 3.25˝ from the ribbed cuff.
On the next rnd, mark the thumb hole on N1 as follows: K1 (3) 3 with MC, K5 (7) 7 with contrasting-colored waste yarn. Return sts worked with contrasting-colored yarn back on LH needle, then K them with MC and work the rest of the palm sts as est. Continue following the colorwork pattern at the back until you have worked it a total of 2 (3) 4 times. Knit 3 rnds with MC or until the mitten measures approx. 12 (16) 21 cm / 4.75 (6.25) 8.25˝ from the ribbed cuff.
Top Decreases
Change to CC. Knit 1 rnd with CC. On the next rnd, work K2tog in the end of N1 and N3 and work SKPO in the beginning of N2 and N4. Work these decreases on every rnd until you have 8 sts left. Cut yarn, and using darning needle, thread through the remaining sts and tighten. Weave in ends on the WS of the work.
Thumb
Carefully unravel the contrasting-colored yarn and at the same time pick up the live sts from the top and bottom edge of the thumb hole. Also, PUK extra sts from each end of the thumb hole so that you end up with a total of 12 (16) 17 thumb sts. Divide sts onto 3 needles and using MC, work in St St in the round.
Once the thumb measures 3.5 (5) 6 cm / 1.5 (2) 2.25˝ or the thumb nail is half covered, start working the top decreases. Work K2tog in the end of each needle until 4 sts remain. Cut yarn and using darning needle, thread through the remaining sts and tighten. Weave in ends on the WS of the work.
RIGHT-HAND MITTEN
Work the right-hand mitten otherwise the same as the left-hand mitten but place the thumb hole as a mirror-image, ie. on N4, as follows: On N4, K1 with MC, then K5 (7) 7 with contrasting-colored waste yarn. Return the contrasting-colored sts back on LH needle and from there on continue the same as described for the left-hand mitten.
Finishing
Weave in all remaining ends. Carefully steam block or soak the mittens in lukewarm water until thoroughly wet. Gently squeeze out the excess water and then lay flat to dry.
The pattern has been originally published in Beloved Patterns 2/2023 magazine.
