Universal Yarn Balsam Mitts Gloves Knitting Pattern

Universal Yarn Balsam Mitts

What Is Being Made

The Balsam Mitts are a pair of elegant, fitted fingerless gloves designed for adults in three size options: Small, Medium, and Large. These sleek mitts combine function with aesthetics, featuring a stretchy slipped ribbing pattern that provides a flattering and fitted look while maintaining comfort and durability. The design emphasizes both practical wearability and refined visual appeal through thoughtful stitch pattern placement.

Techniques Used

This knitting project is worked using several key techniques that create its distinctive character:

• Seamless, worked in the round: The mitts are constructed as a continuous tube using circular needles or double-pointed needles with the magic loop method, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish.
• Bottom-up construction: The mitts are knitted from the cuff upward, allowing for easy customization of length and straightforward sizing adjustments.
• Cable techniques: Two cable needles are employed to create the decorative twisted panel elements that form the visual centerpiece of the design. The pattern uses 1x1x1 Left Purl Twist (LPT) and 1x1x1 Right Purl Twist (RPT) stitches to achieve these elegant cable details.
• Thumb gusset shaping: The thumb opening is constructed with a reverse stockinette insert that grows elegantly and highlights the surrounding rib columns through thoughtful contrast.

Stitches Used

The Balsam Mitts employ a carefully selected range of stitches to achieve their distinctive appearance and performance:

• Slipped Rib Stitch: The primary pattern stitch used throughout the mitts. This stitch is exceptionally stretchy, providing excellent fit across the three size range. The central slipped stitch of each rib column adds a subtle, pleasing detail while creating a resilient, durable fabric that resists stretching out over time.
• 1x1x1 Left Purl Twist (LPT): A cable stitch created by slipping one stitch to cable needle one and holding it to the front, slipping the next stitch to cable needle two and holding it to the back, then knitting through the back loop once, purling once from cable needle two, and knitting through the back loop once from cable needle one.
• 1x1x1 Right Purl Twist (RPT): A mirror cable stitch created by slipping one stitch to cable needle one and holding it to the back, slipping the next stitch to cable needle two and holding it to the back, then knitting through the back loop once, purling once from cable needle two, and knitting through the back loop once from cable needle one.
• Reverse stockinette stitch: Used for the thumb gusset insert, creating visual contrast that highlights the surrounding rib pattern.
• Knit through the back loop (k1 tbl): Used throughout the pattern to create twisted stitch details that add texture and visual interest.

Materials

The Balsam Mitts are designed to be knitted with Universal Yarn Bella Cash, a luxury blend yarn that contributes significantly to the finished quality of the project. One ball of yarn in the color Storm (114) is sufficient to complete all three sizes.

Yarn specifications: Universal Yarn Bella Cash is composed of 60% fine merino superwash, 30% nylon, and 10% cashmere. Each 50-gram ball contains 230 yards of yarn, providing excellent yardage for a delicate, refined finished garment.

Needles and notions: The pattern requires US Size 2 (2.75 mm) needles, available as either a set of double-pointed needles (dpns) or a 32-inch circular needle suitable for the magic loop method. Additional notions include a tapestry needle for finishing, two cable needles for executing the twisted panel stitches, a stitch holder or waste yarn for managing stitches, and stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping increases.

Finished Measurements

The Balsam Mitts are available in three graduated sizes with the following finished measurements:

• Small: 5½ inches circumference, 8 inches length
• Medium: 6¾ inches circumference, 8½ inches length
• Large: 8 inches circumference, 9