Valley Yarns Parrish Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Parrish: Fingerless Mitts and Beanie Set

Project Overview

The Parrish pattern, designed by Julie Turjoman, offers a coordinated set of two complementary accessories: fingerless mitts and a matching beanie. Inspired by traditional Bohus designs, this intermediate-level knitting project combines stranded colorwork techniques with a distinctive slip stitch pattern to create stylish, gender-neutral pieces perfect for keeping warm during cooler seasons.

What Is Being Made

• Fingerless Mitts: Available in two sizes (S/M and L/XL), these mitts feature a hand circumference of 7¼" or 8¾" at the palm, providing versatile sizing for different wearers.
• Matching Beanie: Offered in three sizes (S, M, and L) with circumferences of 17½", 20¼", and 21¾" respectively, the beanie complements the mitts while providing complete coverage.

Techniques and Construction Methods

This pattern employs several advanced knitting techniques that make it suitable for intermediate-level knitters:

• Worked in the Round: Both the mitts and beanie are constructed using circular needles or double-pointed needles, allowing for seamless, tubular construction without side seams.
• Bottom-Up Construction: The pieces are worked from the cuff or base upward to the finished edge, providing flexibility in fit and length adjustments.
• Stranded Colorwork: The primary decorative technique involves carrying multiple yarn colors across rows while working stitches in the desired color, creating intricate color patterns without cutting yarn.
• Slip Stitch Pattern: A novel variation on traditional colorwork, the pattern incorporates knit and purl stitches carried on the right side of the work, offering an approachable alternative to standard stranded techniques.
• Stripe Integration: The design combines stranded colorwork sections with striped sections, adding visual interest and texture variation throughout the pieces.

Stitches Used

The Parrish pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches executed in a colorwork context:

• Stockinette Stitch: The base stitch structure, created by alternating knit and purl rows when working flat, or knit rounds when working in the round.
• Knit and Purl Stitches: Combined on the right side of the work as part of the slip stitch colorwork variation, creating texture and pattern definition.
• Slip Stitches: Used within the colorwork sections to create the distinctive pattern without the bulk of traditional stranded colorwork.
• Decreases: Incorporated for shaping the mitts and beanie to fit properly around the hand and head.

Yarn and Materials

The Parrish pattern is designed specifically for Valley Yarns Sunderland, a luxurious 100% baby alpaca yarn that provides softness and warmth:

• Main Color (MC): 2 balls of Valley Yarns Sunderland in Medium Gray (50g/109 yards per ball)
• Contrast Color 1 (CC1): 1 ball of Valley Yarns Sunderland in Plum (50g/109 yards per ball)
• Contrast Color 2 (CC2): 1 ball of Valley Yarns Sunderland in Pacific Teal (50g/109 yards per ball)

The pattern notes that this versatile design works with a wide variety of color combinations, allowing knitters to customize their project while maintaining the integrity of the traditional Bohus-inspired aesthetic.

Needles and Tools

The pattern requires different needle sizes for different sections to accommodate gauge changes:

• For Mitts: US 5 (3.75mm) 40" circular needle or double-pointed needles for the stockinette base; US 6 (4.00mm) 40" circular needle or double-pointed needles for the stranded colorwork sections. The Magic Loop method is noted as an alternative to traditional double-pointed needles.
• For Beanie: US 5 (3.75mm) 16" circular needles and double-pointed needles for the stockinette sections; US 6 (4