Port Townsend Mitts in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Aran - Free

Port Townsend Mitts: Knitted Accessory Pattern Overview

What is Being Made

The Port Townsend Mitts are a pair of knitted hand coverings designed as an intermediate-level knitting project. This pattern creates fitted mitts available in two size options: Small and Medium-Large. The mitts are crafted to provide warmth and comfort while showcasing decorative stitch work throughout the cuff and body.

Craft and Technique

This is a knitting project worked in the round using the traditional method of circular knitting with double point needles. The pattern employs the Long Tail cast-on method to begin construction, which creates a sturdy, elastic edge ideal for fitted garments. The mitts are constructed by dividing stitches evenly across four double point needles and joining to work continuously in circular rounds, a fundamental technique for creating seamless tubular garments.

The design features a decorative cuff section that spans eleven rounds of patterned knitting before transitioning to stockinette stitch for the main body. The pattern incorporates strategic decreasing to shape the mitts appropriately, with the Small size requiring a decrease round at Round 12 to achieve the correct finished dimensions.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques Used

The Port Townsend Mitts utilize several fundamental and intermediate knitting stitches:

• Stockinette Stitch – The primary stitch pattern, created by knitting every round when working in the round, forming the smooth, classic knit fabric base
• Knit (K) – The foundational knit stitch worked throughout
• Purl (P) – Used in the decrease round for the Small size
• Yarn Over (YO) – Creates decorative eyelet holes that appear throughout the cuff pattern, adding visual interest and texture
• Knit Two Together (K2tog) – A right-leaning decrease stitch used extensively in the cuff pattern to shape the fabric and create the lace-like effect
• Slip, Slip, Knit (SSK) – A left-leaning decrease stitch that balances the K2tog decreases and creates symmetrical shaping in the later rounds of the cuff
• Purl Two Together (P2tog) – Used in the decrease round for the Small size to reduce stitch count

The cuff pattern is constructed through a series of eleven rounds that combine knit stitches with strategic yarn overs and decreases. This creates a flowing diagonal pattern that moves across the fabric, with the decreases and yarn overs positioned to create balanced, symmetrical stitch decreases that produce an elegant lace-like appearance while maintaining fabric integrity.

Materials and Tools Required

The Port Townsend Mitts are designed to be made with Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Aran, a premium yarn choice that offers practical benefits for hand coverings. The yarn is composed of 100% Superwash Merino Wool, making the finished mitts easy to care for and suitable for regular washing. One skein of yarn in color #317 (Dark Moss) provides sufficient yardage to complete the project, with the skein containing 100 grams (3.5 ounces) and 150 yards (137.5 meters) of yarn.

The recommended needle size is US 7 (4.5 mm) double point knitting needles, specifically a set of five needles to accommodate the in-the-round construction method. The gauge is established at 5.5 stitches by 16 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters) when measured in blocked Stockinette Stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct finished mitt dimensions. Additional tools include a yarn needle for weaving in ends, two stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and round beginnings, and waste yarn for holding stitches if needed during construction.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as INTERMEDIATE difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to advance beyond basic projects. The intermediate classification reflects the combination of working in the round with double point needles, managing multiple stitch types including decreases and yarn overs, and following a multi-round lace-like pattern repeat. Knitters should be comfortable with basic knitting techniques and able to read pattern instructions before attempting this project.