Classic Elite Yarns Sydney Mittens Knitting Pattern

Classic Elite Yarns Sydney Mittens

What Is Being Made

The Sydney mittens are a pair of classic, reversible mittens designed by Lillian May. These mittens are worked flat in garter stitch and can be worn on either hand, making them versatile and practical for everyday wear. The design features a two-directional construction method that creates a unique architectural approach to mitten shaping.

Construction Method and Techniques

The Sydney mittens are constructed using a distinctive two-directional knitting technique. The thumb side is worked flat from cuff to fingertips, while the pinky side is worked sideways from the center of the hand outward. This approach allows for seamless integration of the two halves.

The mittens are worked flat rather than in the round, utilizing a three-needle bind-off method to join the two halves together. This technique creates a clean, professional finish where the live stitches from each half are bound off together with right sides touching.

The pattern includes a thumb gusset that is increased strategically to accommodate the thumb, with increases worked on right-side rows at marked positions. The mitten top is shaped through paired decreases worked symmetrically on either side of a center marker, creating a tapered crown.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The Sydney mittens are worked primarily in garter stitch, which creates a reversible fabric that appears identical on both sides. This characteristic makes garter stitch ideal for mittens that can be worn on either hand.

Key stitch techniques used throughout the pattern include:

• Knit front and back (kfb) – used for increases in the thumb gusset and mitten shaping
• Knit two together (k2tog) – used for right-leaning decreases
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) – used for left-leaning decreases to create symmetrical shaping
• Three-needle bind-off – used to join the two halves of the mittens with a secure seam
• Slip marker (slm) – used to track gusset and shaping positions

Stripe Pattern

The Sydney mittens feature a striped design created through the use of two colors designated as A and B. The cuff is worked in color A, while color B is introduced when picking up stitches for the pinky half along the selvedge of the thumb half. This color work adds visual interest while maintaining the simplicity of garter stitch construction.

Materials and Specifications

The pattern is designed to be worked with yarn and needles appropriate for a gauge of 20 stitches and 40 rows over 4 inches in garter stitch. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure the mittens fit properly.

The pattern is available in three sizes, with the cuff cast on using 15 (17, 19) stitches depending on desired size. The finished hand measures approximately 3½ (3¾, 4) inches from the thumb, with the complete mitten measuring approximately 10½ (10¾, 11¼) inches from the cast-on edge to the top.

The cuff section measures 2½ inches in length before transitioning to the thumb gusset and hand shaping. The pattern requires working with separate needles for the three-needle bind-off technique and the use of stitch markers to track increases and decreases throughout construction.

Design Notes

Because garter stitch appears identical on both sides of the fabric, the pattern recommends using a removable marker to identify the right side during construction, which can be helpful for maintaining consistency in shaping and orientation.

The Sydney mittens were originally published in Strips and Stripes 1512, a printed collection of designs by Classic Elite Yarns, and represent a thoughtful approach to mitten design that prioritizes both functionality and visual appeal.