Berroco Atria Mittens Knitting Pattern

Berroco Atria Mittens

What Is Being Made

The Berroco Atria mittens are a pair of seamless, worked-in-the-round mittens designed by Amy Palmer. These mittens feature an innovative construction method that begins with an I-Cord band, from which stitches are picked up to form the hand portion. The mittens are available in three sizes with finished hand circumferences of 7, 8, and 9 inches, and adjustable lengths ranging from 9½ to 10½ inches. This design offers versatility for different hand sizes while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic.

Techniques Used

The Atria mittens employ several key knitting techniques that define their construction:

• Bottom-up construction: The mittens are knitted from the bottom (cuff area) upward toward the fingertips, allowing for easy length adjustments during the knitting process.
• Seamless, worked-in-the-round: Using double-pointed needles, the entire mitten is worked circularly without seams, creating a smooth, continuous fabric that is both comfortable and visually appealing.
• I-Cord band: The pattern begins with an I-Cord (idiot cord) band, a narrow tubular cord created using just 3 stitches on two larger double-pointed needles. This band is worked until it reaches 20 to 22 inches in length, depending on size.
• Afterthought thumb: The thumb is marked using waste yarn during the hand section, allowing the knitter to complete the main mitten body first and add the thumb opening later. This technique simplifies the construction process and provides flexibility in thumb placement.
• Stitch pickup: Stitches are picked up and knitted along one edge of the I-Cord band between marked points, creating the foundation for the hand portion of the mitten.

Stitches Used

The Atria mittens are primarily worked in Stockinette Stitch (St st), which creates a smooth, flat fabric with a classic appearance. This fundamental stitch is worked in the round, producing the characteristic V-pattern on the right side of the fabric. The simplicity of Stockinette Stitch makes this pattern suitable for intermediate-level knitters while allowing the yarn's texture and color to shine through.

Materials

The Atria mittens are designed to be knitted with Berroco Catena yarn, a worsted-weight yarn that comes in 50-gram balls. The pattern calls for 1 ball of yarn in colorway #5491 Rodin. Construction requires two sets of double-pointed needles—one set in size 9 (5.50 mm) and one set in size 10 (6.00 mm)—allowing the knitter to work with the appropriate needle size to achieve proper gauge. Additional notions include waste yarn in a contrasting color for marking thumb stitches, removable stitch markers to track pattern repeats and construction points, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends. The recommended gauge is 17 stitches and 21 rounds per 4 inches when worked in Stockinette Stitch on the larger needles, making gauge checking essential for accurate finished measurements.