Have silky wrist warmers and sturdy mittens, too, all from the same Shetland fleece.  Use the variation in the fiber of this ancient sheep breed to spin yarns exactly suited to the demands of your mittens.

(To learn how to process a Shetland fleece, see article Sinclair's Search for a "Kindly" Shetland Sheep.)  Wear your wrist warmers alone for some toastiness on a cold day or slip the sturdy, cropped mittens over them for extra warmth. Invisible hooks and bars join the mittens when they are worn together and fade into the background when the wrist warmers are worn separately.

SIZE
One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Wrist Warmers
Length: 7.25"
Cuff circumference: 6" unstretched
Palm circumference: 7.5" unstretched

Cropped Mittens
Length: 7.75"
Cuff circumference: 6.5" unstretched
Palm circumference: 8" unstretched

MATERIALS
Wrist Warmers OR Mittens [same fiber requirements for either project]
Fiber
Spinning Loft [raw Shetland fleece, washed, dehaired, and blended into batt with a drum carder]; color: Natural gray, 4 ounces from The Spinning Loft (120 yards, 2-ply)
OR
Spinning Loft [washed Shetland fleece, dehaired and blended into batt with a drum carder]; color: Natural gray, 2 ounces from The Spinning Loft

Finished Yarn:
Wraps per inch: 12
Yardage used: 175 yards

Drafting Method:
Short forward draw

Commercial Yarn Alternative
Jameson's Shetland Spindrift [100% Shetland wool; 115 yds/ 105m per 25g skein]; color: 550 Rose or 285 Plum; 2 skeins
Note: Wristwarmers shown in #550 Rose. Mittens shown in #285 Plum

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #2 / 2.75mm double point needles
1 set US #3 / 3.25mm double point needles

	Spinning Tool: Majacraft Little Gem; [scotch tension, 10.8:1 ratio] Niddy Noddy: Kromski 72 inch Lazy Kate: Kromski Arch Flick: Schacht Drum Carder: Strauch Finest

Tools
1 size D / 3.25mm crochet hooking
Waste yarn
Cable needle
Safety pin or split ring marker
Stitch markers
Yarn needle
Sewing thread
Sewing needle
12 small hooks

GAUGE
27 sts/34 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st using larger needles

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

RT (Right Twist): When worked on RS row, slip next st to cable needle and hold to back of work, k1 from left needle, k1 from cable needle. When worked on WS row, slip next st to cable needle and hold to back of work, p1 from left needle, p1 from cable needle.

RPT (Right Purl Twist): Slip next st to cable needle and hold to back of work, k1 from left needle, p1 from cable needle.

LPT (Left Purl Twist): Slip next st to cable needle and hold to front of work, p1 from left needle, k1 from cable needle.

RPT Join: Slip next st to cable needle and hold to back of work, k1 from left needle, p st from cable needle together with st from wristwarmer or mitten.

ssp: Slip next 2 sts knitwise, one at a time, to right needle. Slip them both, purlwise, back to left needle. Purl them together through their back loops.

Instructions for grafting can be found here.

Instructions for basic crochet stitches can be found here.

Crochet Cast On:
Using waste yarn, work a crochet chain several sts longer than the number of sts to be cast on. Starting 1 or 2 sts in from end of chain and using working yarn, pick up and k 1 st in the back loop of each ch until the required number of sts have been picked up. Later, the chain will be unraveled and the resulting live sts picked up.

Instructions for the Cable Cast On can be found here.

Instructions for Blanket Stitch can be found here.

Chart: Click here to see the charts; they will print on a single letter-sized page.

DIRECTIONS

WRISTWARMERS

Work Rounds 1-4 of Chart A five times. 20 rounds have been worked.

Hand is worked differently for right and left wristwarmers. Next round establishes pattern for hand.

Left Hand:
Next Round: Work Row 1 of Chart B over first 26 sts, place marker, k24. This round sets pattern for left hand: Chart B is worked over first 26 sts, remaining sts are worked in stockinette st.

Right Hand:
P first st of next round from first needle of round onto last needle of round. This point will now be beginning of round; move end-of-round marker accordingly.
Next Round: K24, place marker, work Row 1 of Chart B over last 26 sts. This round sets pattern for right hand: First 24 sts are worked in stockinette st, Chart B is worked over remaining 26 sts.

Both Hands:
Work 11 more rounds in pattern as set. You will have just completed Row 12 of Chart B.

Turn work so that WS is facing. Work 12 rows back and forth, forming a thumb opening; when all rows of Chart B have been worked, remove marker and work these sts in stockinette st.
At end of last row (a RS row), join work to resume working in the round.

Upper hand shaping is worked differently for right and left wristwarmers.

Left Hand:
Next Round: K24, k2tog, k to last 2 sts, ssk. 2 sts decreased.
K 3 rounds.
Repeat these 4 rounds three times more. 42 sts.

Right Hand:
Next Round: K2tog, k22, ssk, place marker, k24. 48 sts.
K 3 rounds.

Next Round: K2tog, k to 2 sts before marker, ssk, k to end.
K 3 rounds.
Repeat these 4 rounds twice more. 42 sts.

Both Hands:
Continue in stockinette st until work measures 5 inches from top of cuff, measured along center of palm.
Next Round: [K4, k2tog] seven times. 35 sts. Break yarn.

Upper Edging:
Using smaller needle and Crochet Cast On method, CO 4 sts.
Turn these sts so that WS is facing. Slip first st of wristwarmer to beginning of needle holding newly cast on sts; ssp (first st of wristwarmer worked together with first st of edging), k2, p1. This counts as Row 1 of Chart C.

Continue working sts of edging following Chart C, joining to sts of wristwarmer at beginning of each WS row and at end of chart row 6 as indicated, until all sts of wristwarmer have been joined. Break yarn, leaving a tail approx. 8 inches long.

Carefully remove waste yarn from CO edge of edging, placing resulting live sts on a smaller double-point needle. Graft to sts at end of edging.

Finish Thumb Opening:
Join yarn at base of thumb opening. Crochet around opening, working 1 slip st in each row. Fasten off.

MITTENS

Note: When working from Chart D, note that odd-numbered rows are WS rows.

Work Rows 1-4 of Chart D 13 times. 52 rows have been worked.

Leaving working yarn attached, carefully remove waste yarn from CO edge and place resulting live sts on double-point needle. Form cuff into a loop, ensuring that work is not twisted. Use yarn tail to graft sts at CO end of cuff to sts of last row worked.

Hand:
Using larger double-point needles and attached yarn, with RS facing, pick up and k 44 sts along edge of cuff formed by single column of p sts – this will be slightly more than 4 sts picked up for every 5 rows. If desired, place safety pin or split ring marker to indicate beginning of round.

K 1 round.

Thumb Gusset:
Hand is worked differently for right and left mittens. Next round establishes placement of thumb gusset.

Left Hand:
Next Round: K to last st, place marker, m1, k1, m1, place marker. 46 sts.

Right Hand:
Next Round: K22, place marker, m1, k1, m1, place marker, k21. 46 sts.

Both Hands:
K 1 round.
Increase Round: K to first marker, slip marker, m1, k to next marker, m1, slip marker, k to end. (For left hand, you will now be at end of round.)
Repeat these 2 rounds five times more. 58 sts; 15 sts between markers.

Note: Read ahead! Gusset shaping directions and stitch pattern directions and shaping directions are worked at the same time, beginning on the next round.

Continue shaping thumb gusset as set, working increase round every second round, twice more. 19 sts between markers.

Work 8 rounds over all sts without increasing further.

Next Round: Work in pattern to first marker, remove marker, [k1 for left hand] or [k2 for right hand], place next 16 sts on hold on waste yarn, turn work so that WS is facing and use cable cast on technique to CO 4 sts, turn work back to RS and join to continue working in the round, [k2 for left hand] or [k1 for right hand], remove marker, k to end of round.

AT THE SAME TIME, place chart pattern as follows:
Next Round: K1, work Round 1 of Chart E, increasing as shown, k to end of round.
This round establishes placement of Chart E for hand. As you work thumb gusset and upper hand as directed, continue working Chart E as set, increasing and decreasing as shown. When last round of Chart E is complete, work these sts in stockinette st.

Upper Hand:
When gusset shaping and chart are complete, there will be a total of 52 sts.
Continue in stockinette st until work measures 6 inches from top of cuff, or 1.5 inches less than desired length to tip of longest finger.

Next round is worked differently for right and left hands.

Left Hand:
Next Round: K24, place marker, k26; do not work last 2 sts. Repoition sts so that this is now beginning of round.

Right Hand:
K28, place marker, k to end of round, k first 2 sts of next round. Reposition sts so that this point is now beginning of round.

Both Hands:
Round is divided into two halves of 26 sts each.

Decrease Round: Ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, slip marker, ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. 4 sts decreased.
K 1 round.
Repeat these 2 rounds 6 times more. 24 sts.

Place first 12 sts on one needle, and remaining 12 sts on another needle. Graft sts together.

Thumb:
Place held sts of thumb on larger needles. K all sts, then pick up and k 3 sts in CO edge at point where thumb meets hand. 19 sts.
Next Round: K17, k2tog. 18 sts.

Work in stockinette st until thumb measures 2 inches from picked-up sts, or desired length to tip of thumb.

Next Round: [K2tog] to end. 9 sts.
K 1 round. Break yarn, leaving a tail approx. 6 inches long. Thread tail through yarn needle, draw through all sts and pull tight. Weave in end securely.

FINISHING
Weave in ends and block lightly.

Hook and Bar Mitten Connectors:

Mark six points evenly spaced around cuff of wristwarmer, placed in purl ribs between cables.

Form loop: Cut a piece of sewing thread approximately 1 yard long.
Fold it in half and thread doubled thread through the needle, knotting the ends.
Bring the needle up through the fabric near the top of the cuff, stitching through a strand of yarn.

Reinforce the loop with blanket stitch: Bring the thread up in front of the thread bar.
Place the needle under the thread bar but not through the cuff, leaving a loop.

Pass the needle through the loop.

Pull tight and repeat.
Continue until the thread loop is completely covered.
Repeat at each marked column of stitches.

Mark positions on inner edge of mitten cuff to correspond to loops on wristwarmer cuff. Sew hooks to inside of cuff, using photo as guide.

Lisa Jacobs discovered hand spinning at the age of nine when her grandmother taught her to use a drop spindle. After running out of fiber and trying unsuccessfully to spin cotton balls, she put her spindle down for a while to learn knitting and crochet. Today Lisa spins, knits, and blogs in Coralville, Iowa. 

She publishes her patterns through Ravelry under the name Fiber Tree Designs.