Heartwarming Mitts: The Pattern

When I ride by bike to work during the winter in Stockholm, I need woolen handcoverings that are strong and durable but also keep my hands warm and dry. Twined knitting makes a sturdy fabric that will last forever, especially if you use a fiber that has an outercoat for strength and undercoat for softness and warmth.

For my Heartwarming Mitts, I used lamb’s wool from Värmland sheep in a subtle mother-of-pearl shade with honey-dipped tips. Värmland, a Swedish landrace, has the strong outercoat and soft undercoat I wanted for twined handcoverings. A double-coated Shetland would also be a good choice, or you could blend fiber from two breeds for the same effect, such as Finn for warmth and softness and Lincoln for strength.

For Josefin's notes on spinning yarn for twined knitting and her mitts, see "Notes on Spinning for the Heartwarming Mitts."

Twined handcoverings are both sturdy and warm.