Turn Leftover Yarn Into Winter Magic with This Nordic Mittens Pattern — CraftBits.com

Turn Leftover Yarn Into Winter Magic with This Nordic Mittens Pattern

If you’re looking for a cozy winter knitting project that’s both stylish and practical, these Frostbite Mittens are just the thing. Taken from the beautifully curated book Happy Nordic Knits by Une Cecilie Oksvold, this pattern combines traditional Scandinavian design with modern sizing and colorwork.

Designed to be felted for extra warmth and structure, these mittens are a perfect stash-buster — ideal for using up leftover wool in complementary shades.

With easy-to-follow instructions and a striking Nordic motif, this project is suited to confident beginners and seasoned knitters alike. Sizes are available for both small and larger adult hands, and the final felted result is dense, soft, and wonderfully warm.

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What you need

Measurements Before Felting

Length (from the cuff to the top of the mitten): 12 1/2 (13 ¹⁄³)”

Width (below the thumb): 5 (5 1/2)”

Measurements After Felting

Length (from the cuff to the top of the mitten): 8 ²⁄³ (9 1/2)”

Width (below the thumb): 4 (4 ¹⁄³)”

Yarn Colors Used:

Color 1: Blåne, dark rose 2114
Color 2: Blåne, nature gray 2115
Color 3: Troll, white 702
Color 4: Troll, mélange light teal 7060

Alternate Palette:

Color 1: Vams, light gray mélange 03
Color 2: Vams, light purple mélange 300
Color 3: Vams, midnight blue 77
Color 4: Vams, rose 60

Sizes: XS/S (M/L)

Yarn Options:

Rauma Vams (100% Norwegian wool: 91 yd [83 m]/50 g)
Hillesvåg Blåne (100% Norwegian Pelt wool: 125 yd [114 m]/100 g)
Hillesvåg Troll (100% Norwegian wool: 125 yd [114 m]/100 g)

Yarn Amounts:

Color 1: 100 (100) g
Color 2: 50 (50) g
Color 3: 50 (50) g
Color 4: 50 (50) g

Needles: US size 10 (6 mm) set of 5 double-pointed needles

Gauge: 14 stitches in stockinette = 4″ before felting

Instructions

Tip: If you knit loosely or tightly during the colorwork section, adjust your needle size accordingly.

Right Mitten

Cast on 36 (42) stitches with color 2 on double-pointed needles as follows:

Cast on 9 (10) stitches on the first needle,

cast on 9 (11) stitches on the next needle.

Repeat for the remaining 2 needles.

You now have 18 (21) stitches for each side of the mitten.

Work seed stitch for 6 rounds as follows:

Round 1: Knit 1, purl 1 across the round.

Round 2: Purl 1, knit 1 across the round.

Repeat these two rounds two more times.

Note

The mittens might feel tighter over the patterned section. If this happens, stretch them well while they are still wet to ensure they fit well. Alternatively, you can go up a needle size when working the colorwork section, then go back down to size when knitting stockinette.

Knit 8 rounds in stockinette stitch.

Knit the pattern following the chart as follows:

Repeat stitches 1–6 for each round.

Work rounds 1–14 of chart one time.

Using color 1, knit 1 round decreasing 0 (2) stitches evenly.

You now have 36 (40) stitches total.

Knit 5 (6) more rounds in stockinette stitch.

On the next round, you’ll mark the position of the thumb as follows:

Knit the first 6 (7) stitches on needle 1 with a piece of scrap yarn in a contrasting color. Slip the scrap yarn stitches back onto the left needle, knit them with your regular yarn, and knit to the end of the round.

Knit in stockinette stitch until the mitten measures 4 3/4 (5 1/2)” after the thumb stitches, or to your desired length.

Decrease 8 (10) stitches evenly on the next round as follows:

*Knit 2 (2), knit 2 together, knit 3 (2), knit 2 together*.

Repeat from * to * 4 (5) times. You now have 28 (30) stitches.

Knit 3 rounds without decreasing.

On the next round, decrease 8 stitches evenly as follows:

*Knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 2, knit 2 together*.

Repeat from * to * 4 times, then knit 0 (2) stitches. You now have 20 (22) stitches on your needles.

Knit 3 rounds without decreasing.

On the next round, decrease 8 stitches evenly as follows:

*Knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 2 together*.

Repeat from * to * 4 times, then knit 0 (2) stitches. You now have 12 (14) stitches on the needles.

Knit 1 round without decreasing.

Decrease 4 (6) stitches evenly as follows:

XS/S:

*Knit 1, knit 2 together*. Repeat from * to * 4 times.

M/L:

*Knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 2 together, knit 2 together*. Repeat from * to * 2 times.

You now have 8 stitches. Cut the yarn and pull it through the remaining 8 stitches.

Thumb

Remove the scrap yarn and place the 6 (7) stitches on each side onto double-pointed needles. Pick up 1 additional stitch on each side, so you now have a total of 14 (16) stitches on the needles. Knit in stockinette stitch in the round for 3 (31/2)”.

On the next round, knit 2 together 7 (8) times. You now have 7 (8) stitches left.

Cut the yarn and pull it through the remaining stitches.

Left Mitten

Knit the same way as the right mitten but mark the position of the thumb as follows:

Knit until there are 6 (7) stitches remaining on needle 2. Knit the next 6 (7) stitches with the contrasting scrap yarn.

Slip the scrap yarn stitches back onto the left needle and knit them with your regular yarn, and knit to the end of the round. Then, continue the left mitten the same as the right mitten.

Weave in all loose ends. Felt the mittens in a washing machine, a dryer, or by hand.

Reprinted with permission from Happy Nordic Knits: Modern Stranded-Colorwork Designs from the Heart of Scandinavia by Une Cecilie Oksvold