Spud & Chloe by Blue Sky Fibers Campfire Mitts Knitting

Spud & Chloe by Blue Sky Fibers Campfire Mitts

What is Being Made

The Campfire Mitts are a pair of knitted fingerless gloves or mitts designed by Colleen Powley. This project creates two separate mitts—a right mitt and a left mitt—each featuring a thumb gusset for proper fit and mobility. The mitts are worked in the round using double pointed needles, making them an ideal beginner-friendly introduction to lace knitting.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental knitting techniques suitable for crafters new to lace work. The mitts are worked in the round, a method that creates seamless, tubular fabric by knitting continuously in circular rows rather than flat pieces. The pattern incorporates thumb gusset shaping, which involves strategic increases to create a wider section for the thumb opening, ensuring the mitt fits comfortably around the hand and wrist while accommodating the thumb.

The construction begins by casting on stitches and dividing them evenly across three double pointed needles before joining to work in the round. Stitch markers are used to track pattern repeats and shaping points. The thumb is created separately by transferring held stitches back to needles and picking up additional stitches to close the gap between the thumb and forefinger, then working these stitches in the round to complete the thumb tube.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K): The fundamental stitch that forms the base fabric and appears throughout the pattern
• Purl (P): Used in combination with knit stitches to create the ribbed texture
• Make One (M1): An increase technique used to shape the thumb gusset by creating new stitches from the working yarn
• Slip Marker (Sl M): Moves stitch markers from one needle to another to maintain pattern alignment
• Bind Off Knitwise (BO Kwise): Secures stitches at the edges to finish the mitts

The pattern features a Lace Rib Stitch, which combines knit and purl stitches in a repeating pattern worked over a multiple of 4 stitches. This stitch pattern alternates knit 2, purl 2 throughout each round, creating a textured, elastic fabric with visual interest. The lace rib pattern is worked in 8-round repeats and appears multiple times throughout the mitt construction, providing both structure and an elegant appearance.

Materials

The Campfire Mitts are knitted using Spud & Chloë Fine yarn by Blue Sky Fibers, a premium yarn choice. One hank of this yarn, which contains 65 grams and 248 yards, provides sufficient yardage to complete both mitts. The pattern calls for Size 2 (2.75 mm) double pointed needles, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge as specified in the pattern. Additional materials include a stitch marker to denote the beginning of rounds and pattern sections, and a stitch holder or waste yarn to temporarily hold stitches during thumb construction.

This project is designated as a Beginner level pattern and is specifically noted as a perfect first-time lace project, making it an excellent choice for knitters new to lace techniques who want to develop their skills with an accessible, wearable finished object.