This vintage knitting pattern for “Snow Play” mittens was first published in the early 1940’s. The design features a nordic inspired colour pattern. They are sized to fit adult women or men and are knit flat on 2 needles.
Note: This pattern uses old UK needle sizes and is knit with fingering weight wool.
Knitted on 2 needles
Materials
2 ozs. of 4-ply Worsted Fingering Wool in a light shade and 1 oz. of the same wool in a dark shade. 1 pair No. 13 knitting needles. A medium-sized crochet hook.
Measurements
To fit average size hand.
NOTE: These mittens may be made large enough to fit a man if No. 11 needles are used instead of No. 13.
Tension
9 sts. and 11 rows to 1 in.
Abbreviations
K. – knit
p. – purl
sts. – stitches
tog. – together
rep. – repeat
inc. – increase
dec. – decrease
beg. – beginning
rem. – remains(ing)
cont. – continue
patt. – pattern
sl. – slip
p.s.s.o. – pass slipped stitch over
ins. – inches
m.1 – make 1 (by bringing or leaving the wool forward before a k. st. or winding the wool around the needle before a p. st.)
r.s.f. – right side facing
tbs. – through back of stitches
st.st. – stocking stitch (right side k. wrong side p.)
reverse st.st. – right side p. wrong side k.
R. H. – right hand
L. H. – left hand
moss st. – moss stitch (k.1 p.1 alternatively on an uneven number of stitches)
M. – main shade
L. – light shade
D. – dark shade
A. – angora
Y. – yellow
d.c. – double crochet
Pattern
R. H. MITTEN
Using L. wool, cast on 52 sts. and work 2-1/2 ins. in k. 2, p. 2 rib, inc. into every 5th st. on last row (62 sts.).
These sts. are now divided for the back and front of mitten. Work only over the 31 sts. at right hand side of work and leave rem. 31 sts. on a spare needle for front of mitten until required.
Commence the Fair Isle patt., which is worked throughout in st.st. Work from “Chart A,” using the L. and D. wools as indicated. Each square represents one st. and the 31 sts. and 78 rows shows in the chart form the complete patt. row for back of hand.
NOTE: Read all k. rows from right to left of chart and all p. rows from left to right. The first 6 rows will read as follows:
1st row: K., 1 D., 1 L., 1 D., 12 L., 1 D., 12 L., 1 D., 1 L., 1 D. turn, leaving rem. sts. on the spare needle.
2nd row: P. 3 D., 3 L., 1 D., 7 L., 3 D., 7 L., 1 D., 3 L., 3 D.
3rd row: K. 1 D., 1 L., 1 D., 2 L., 1 D., 1 L., 1 D., 5 L., 2 D., 1 L., 2 D., 5 L., 1 D., 1 L., 1 D., 2 L., 1 D., 1 L., 1 D.
4th row: P. 3 D., 3 L., 1 D., 5 L., 2 D., 3 L., 2 D., 5 L., 1 D., 3 L., 3 D.
5th row: K. 1 D., 1 L., 1 D., 8 L., 2 D., 2 L., 1 D., 2 L., 2 D., 8 L., 1 D., 1 L., 1 D.
6th row: P. 3 D., 9 L., 2 D., 3 L., 2 D., 9 L., 3 D.
Cont. in this way as indicated in the diagram until the 64th row of chart has been completed.
Shape the top as marked on chart by dec. 1 st. at both ends of the next and every following alternate row until 5 sts. have been decreased at each end.
Now dec. 1 st. at both ends of the next 4 rows and cast off, working 2 tog. at both ends of casting-off now.
Now return to the 31 sts. for the palm and rejoin light wool and work 2 rows in st.st. Now work from “Chart B” and these 31 sts.and 8 rows form one complete patt.
Work the 8 rows of the patt. twice, then from the 1st to the 6th row inclusive.
Next row: Make thumb opening as follows:–Work 1 st., patt. next 10 sts. (as for 7th patt. row), then place these last 10 sts. on to a safety pin until required the patt. to end.
Next row: Patt. across all sts. as for 8th patt. row, casting on 10 sts. to replace those left on safety pin. Cont. in patt. until the 8 patt. rows have been worked 7 times, then work from the 1st to the 6th rows inclusive (64 rows in all from end of ribbing).
Now, keeping the patt. correct, dec. 1 st. at both ends of the next 5 alternate rows and then at both ends of the next 4 rows.
Cast off, working 2 tog. at both ends of casting-off row.
The Thumb
Using L. Wool, cast on 10 sts., make 1 st. in the loop at the right-hand side of the 10 sts. left on safety pin, patt. the 10 sts. from the pin, make 1 st. in the loop at the opposite end of these sts. (22 sts.).
Cont. in the palm patt. across the sts. (working the patt. to match that on the palm) for 2-1/4 ins. (or to 1/4 in. from tip), ending with a 4th or an 8th patt. row.
SHAPE TOP: Cont. in L. wool only.
1st row: K. 2 tog. every 2nd and 3rd sts.
2nd row: P.
3rd row: K. 2 tog. all along row. Break wool, thread through rem. sts., fasten off securely and sew down seam of thumb, then sew together the 2 sets of cast on sts at base of thumb.
To Make Up
Press work carefully with a warm iron over a damp cloth omitting ribbing.
Place the 2 wrong sides together and with D. wool work a row of double crochet (US single crochet) around the outside edges from wrist to wrist.
Join the wrist ribbing in the ordinary way with L. wool on the wrong side.
LH Mitten
Work as for RH but with the 31 sts for back and palm at opposite ends of the work. Also work the thumb at the opposite side of the palm, casting on the thumb stitches after the 10 stitches have been picked up from the safety pin instead of before as on the RH mitten.
Chart A
Chart B