Valley Yarns Nigella Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Nigella Fingerless Mitts

Project Overview

The Nigella design by Julie Turjoman creates elegant, long fingerless mitts perfect for cold weather wear. These luxurious mitts feature a neat array of repeating motifs worked in stranded colorwork, offering both visual interest and practical functionality. The design includes a practical afterthought thumb, making these mitts versatile for everyday wear or as a thoughtful handmade gift.

What Is Being Made

Nigella is a fingerless mitt pattern available in three sizes: Small (fits hand circumference 7"), Medium (8"), and Large (9"). The finished length measures 8¼" for size Small and 8¾" for sizes Medium and Large. These mitts are designed to be long and luxurious, extending up the forearm while leaving the fingers free for dexterity and warmth.

Knitting Techniques

This intermediate-level project employs several key knitting techniques that work together to create the finished garment:

• Worked in the Round: The mitts are constructed using circular needles or double-pointed needles, allowing the knitter to work continuously in rounds. This seamless construction method is essential for the stranded colorwork pattern and creates a professional finish without requiring seaming.
• Stranded Colorwork: The defining feature of these mitts is the repeating colorwork motifs created using the stranded technique. This method involves carrying two colors of yarn across the back of the work, switching between them to create the pattern on the front. The stranded colorwork chart guides the knitter through 43 rounds of patterning.
• Seamless Construction: By working in the round from the bottom up, the mitts are created as one continuous piece without seams, resulting in a smooth, comfortable fit against the skin.
• Afterthought Thumb: Rather than working the thumb as part of the main construction, this pattern uses an afterthought thumb technique. A length of waste yarn is knitted in place during the main body construction, then later removed and replaced with live stitches that are picked up and knitted to create the thumb opening. This method allows for a perfectly fitted thumb without the complexity of managing thumb stitches during the colorwork.

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The Nigella mitts primarily use fundamental knitting stitches combined into a structured pattern:

• Stockinette Stitch in Colorwork: The main body of the mitts is worked in stockinette stitch (knit stitches on the right side, purl stitches on the wrong side) using two colors simultaneously in the stranded colorwork technique. This creates a smooth, flat fabric with the colorwork pattern clearly visible on the front.
• Ribbing: The mitts feature K1/P1 ribbing (alternating knit and purl stitches), which provides stretch and recovery at the cuff and helps the mitts stay securely in place on the hand and forearm.
• Stranded Colorwork Chart: A detailed chart guides the knitter through the repeating motifs, which are worked over 43 rounds using the three yarn colors provided.

Yarn and Materials

The Nigella pattern calls for Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Sport, a premium yarn specifically chosen for its suitability in stranded colorwork projects. The yarn composition and yardage requirements are as follows:

• Main Color (MC): 1 ball of Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Sport in Color 08 Light Gray (100% Extra Fine Superwash Merino; 50g/153 yards)
• Contrast Color 1 (CC1): 1 ball of Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Sport in Color 17 Teal (100% Extra Fine Superwash Merino; 50g/153 yards)
• Contrast Color 2 (CC2): 1 ball of Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Sport in Color 05 Black (100% Extra Fine Superwash Merino; 50g/153 yards)

Valley Superwash Sport is composed of 100% Extra Fine Superwash Merino wool, offering both softness and durability. The superwash treatment makes these mitts easy to care for, as they can be machine washed without felting. The sport weight yarn is ideal for creating intricate colorwork with excellent stitch definition.

Needles and Tools

The pattern provides flexibility in needle choice to