One Little Mitten Selbuvotter Style

I've tweaked the charts for the Squirrel Mittens a bit: changed the direction of the main motif so that the squirrels will be facing each other when worn, broken up some (but not all) of the long stretches of a single color, substituted a different side border. I debated whether the squirrels should have their heads toward the wrist or towards the fingertips. Since the mittens are for a child, I decided that the squirrels should be right side up when the wearer looks at his/her hands, so it's "heads toward fingertips". The new charts (in pdf format) are here.


These are charts only, and do not include line by line directions. If you have ever knit Norwegian style mittens you will know that a chart is all that is needed.


The sample was worked in Knit Picks "Telemark" DK weight wool at a gauge of 6 1/2 sts per inch, giving finished measurements of 6 inches around the palm. This resulted in a pretty firm fabric, and if I were doing it over I would probably shoot for 6 sts/inch. For larger mittens worsted weight could be used at around 4.5 sts/inch to make mittens measuring 7 1/2 inches around the palm.






This is what the back looks like. You will notice that at the left side of the top decrease section there is a bit of goofiness. While I cannot exactly say "I meant to do that.", I will quote Terri Shea:


"Selbuvotter are folk objects, not high art. A hallmark of folk art is the small mistakes and inconsistencies; they are what give a piece its life and liveliness..."


All the same, I'll be aiming to get it right on the second mitten.