Valley Yarns Orchid Mitts Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Orchid Mitts: Beginner-Friendly Cable Knit Gloves

What is Being Made

The Orchid Mitts are a pair of women's fingerless gloves designed by Kirsten Hipsky. These stretchy mitts measure approximately 7 inches around and are designed to fit most women's hands comfortably. The mitts feature an elegant cable pattern created through a simplified slip stitch technique, making them an accessible project for knitters new to cable work.

Knitting Techniques Used

These mitts are worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, which simplifies the construction process. The design incorporates seaming to close the mitts, with a strategic opening left in the seam to accommodate the thumb. This flat construction method makes the Orchid Mitts an excellent beginner-friendly introduction to cable techniques.

The pattern features a clever slip stitch cable technique that creates the appearance of complex colorwork without requiring the knitter to manage multiple colors simultaneously. Instead of traditional cable needles, the pattern uses dropped stitches that are worked back up in subsequent rows, eliminating the need for additional tools while maintaining stitch integrity. The designer notes that knitters preferring traditional cable needle methods can easily substitute that technique in the pattern.

Stitches Used

The Orchid Mitts employ several fundamental knitting stitches:

• Stockinette stitch forms the base fabric, providing a smooth, classic appearance
• Slip stitches are the foundation of the cable pattern, worked with yarn in back (wyib) and yarn in front (wyif) to create texture and visual interest
• Knit and purl stitches are combined in the stitch pattern to define the cable structure and create contrast
• Cable stitches are formed by dropping and re-working slipped stitches across six rows, creating the signature twisted cable effect without traditional cable needle manipulation

The stitch pattern repeats over a multiple of 8 stitches plus 2 edge stitches, with a six-row repeat that creates the dimensional cable design.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Orchid Mitts are knitted using Valley Yarns Bromley, a luxurious blend of 85% cashmere and 15% super kid mohair. This fiber combination creates exceptionally soft, stretchy mitts with excellent drape and warmth. The project requires 2 skeins of color A (23 Light Blue, Mint) and 1 skein of color B (09 Natural), with each skein containing 25 grams and 96 yards of yarn.

The pattern calls for US size 3 (3.25 mm) needles, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. The recommended gauge is 8 stitches and 6.5 rows per inch in stockinette stitch, ensuring the finished mitts will stretch appropriately to fit various hand sizes while maintaining the integrity of the cable pattern.

Difficulty Level

Rated as a beginner project, the Orchid Mitts provide an accessible entry point for knitters learning cable techniques. The flat construction eliminates the complexity of circular knitting, and the slip stitch cable method removes the intimidation factor of traditional cable needles. The straightforward color changes between rows A and B are managed simply by switching yarn colors rather than carrying multiple colors throughout the work.