Terra Nova, a free knitting pattern from Knitty.com.

INTRODUCTION

Terra Nova

beauty shot by Cheryl Niamath

Tangy

How happy does it make you when someone you love asks if you'll knit something for them? It's one thing to make a surprise gift, hoping that your work will fit properly and be appreciated but it's another thing entirely when someone in your life asks you for something specific, so you know that the thing you're spending time on is wanted and will be worn.

So I was very excited when my dad asked me if I'd make him some fingerless gloves to keep his hands warm while he was taking photos with his new camera. He likes things really plain, so to make warmer, thicker, fabric I used a herringbone pattern on smaller-than-recommended needles. My dad is really pleased with the way these turned out, and he's already worn them a lot!

spacer model: Kent Niamath, Cheryl Niamath

spacer photos: Cheryl Niamath

SIZE

Teen/Adult S[M, L, XL, 2X]
shown in size S

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Hand circumference: 6.5[7, 7.5, 8, 8.5] inches / 16.5[18, 19, 20.5, 21.5] cm
Length: 9.25[9.25, 9.25, 9.25, 9.75] / 23[23, 23, 25, 25] cm

Choose a size about 0.5 to 0.75 inches / 1 to 2 cm smaller than the palm circumference measured above the thumb.

MATERIALS

Yarn
sweetgeorgia BFL+SILK DK (75% wool, 25% silk; 247yd /226m per 3.5oz/100g skein); 1 skein. Shown in Glacier.

Yarn Characteristics
This project is worked in a soft, tightly-twisted DK weight 3-ply wool-silk blend. A tighter twist helps keep the pilling to a minimum. The mitts would work best in a solid or nearly solid color to show off the stitch pattern. The yarn is worked on smaller needles than you might normally use, to make the mittens warmer, and to further reduce the pilling. If substituting yarn, look for a suggested gauge of 22-24 sts in stockinette stitch over 4 inches/10 cm.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #0/2mm needles for working a small circumference in the round: traditional or flexible DPNs, 1 long circular or 2 shorter circulars as you prefer
US #2.5/3mm needles for working a small circumference in the round: traditional or flexible DPNs, 1 long circular or 2 shorter circulars as you prefer

Notions
stitch marker
length of smooth scrap yarn in a contrasting color to hold thumb gusset sts
yarn needle

GAUGE

28 sts/36 rounds = 4 inches / 10cm in stockinette st. with larger needles
27 sts/36 rounds = 4 inches / 10cm in pattern st with larger needles.

PATTERN NOTES

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

M1B - Make 1 behind: insert tip of right needle into purl bump below next st on LH needle, and knitting into it. 1 st increased.

Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy BO.

Herringbone stitch (worked over a multiple of 7 sts + 1)
Round 1: *K2tog, k2, M1B, k3; repeat from * to last st, k1.
Round 2: Knit.
Round 3: K1, *k2, M1B, k3, k2tog; repeat from * to end.
Round 4: Knit.

Note: Depending on how your sts are split up, you might find you need to work a decrease across the last stitch of one needle, and the first of the next. Just rearrange the stitches, and keep the result of the decrease on the previous needle.

DIRECTIONS

Using smaller needles and the long-tail method, CO 44[48, 50, 54, 58] sts. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round. Note or mark start of round.

Ribbing round: (K1, p1) around.

Work 10[10, 10, 12, 12] rounds ribbing as set.

Change to larger needles.
Knit 1 round.
Sizes L and XL only: M1L after last st of round. 44[48, 51, 55, 58] sts.

Sizes S, L, 2X only, Next round: K1, work Herringbone pattern to end of round.
Sizes M, XL, only, Next round: (K1, p1) twice, k1, work Herringbone pattern to end of round.

Work in pattern as set until you have completed 5 full repeats of Herringbone pattern, or until mitt cuff is desired length, ending with round 4 of Herringbone pattern.

Thumb gusset
Sizes S, L, 2X ONLY
Round 1: K1, pm, work Herringbone pattern to end of round.
First increase: M1R, k to marker, M1L, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3[-, 1, -, 1] rounds even.

Second increase: K1, M1R-p, k1, M1L-p k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3[-, 1, -, 1] rounds even.

Third increase: k1, M1R, p1, K1, p1, M1L, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3[-, 1, -, 1] rounds even.

Fourth increase: k1, M1R-p, (k1, p1) twice, k1, M1L-p, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3[-, 1, -, 1] rounds even.

Fifth increase: k1, M1R, (p1, k1) 3 times, p1, M1L, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3[-, 3, -, 1] rounds even.

Sixth increase: k1, M1R-p, (k1, p1) 4 times, k1, M1L-p, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3[-, 3, -, 1] rounds even.

Seventh increase: k1, M1R, (p1, k1) 5 times, p1, M1L, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3 rounds even.

Eighth increase: M1R-p (k1, p1) 6 times, k1, M1L-p, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 1[-, 3, -, 3] rounds even.

For Size S only, stop here. 60 sts. Proceed to Upper Hand.

Ninth increase: k1, M1R, (p1, k1) 7 times, p1, M1L, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3 rounds even.

Tenth increase: k1, M1R-p (k1, p1) 8 times, k1, M1L-p, k1, sl m, k work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work –[-, 1, -, 3] rounds even.

For Size L only, stop here. 71 sts. Proceed to Upper Hand.

Eleventh increase: k1, M1R, (p1, k1) 9 times, p1, M1L, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3 rounds even,

Twelfth increase: k1, M1R-p (k1, p1) 10 times, k1, M1L-p, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased. 82 sts.
Work 1 round even.
Proceed to Upper Hand.

Sizes M, XL ONLY
Round 1: (K1, p1) twice, k1, pm, work Herringbone pattern to end of round.
First increase: K1, p1, M1R, k1, M1L, p1, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 1 round even.

Second increase: K1, p1, k1, M1R-p, k1, M1L-p k1, p1, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 1 round even.

Third increase: K1, p1, k1, M1R, p1, K1, p1, M1L, k1, p1, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work –[3, -, 1, -] rounds even.

Fourth increase: K1, p1, k1, M1R-p, (k1, p1) twice, k1, M1L-p, k1, p1, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work –[3, -, 1, -] rounds even.

Fifth increase: k1, p1, k1, M1R, (p1, k1) 3 times, p1, M1L, k1, p1, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3 rounds even.

Sixth increase: k1, p1, k1, M1R-p, (k1, p1) 4 times, k1, M1L-p, k1, p1, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3 rounds even.

Seventh increase: k1, p1, k1, M1R, (p1, k1) 5 times, p1, M1L, k1, p1, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3 rounds even.

Eighth increase: k1, p1, k1, M1R-p (k1, p1) 6 times, k1, M1L-p, k1, p1, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work 3 rounds even.

Ninth increase: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, M1R, (p1, k1) 7 times, p1, M1L, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, sl m, work in pattern to end of round. 2 sts increased.
Work –[1, -, 3, -] rounds even.

For Size M, stop here. 66 sts. Proceed to Upper Hand

Tenth increase: k1, p1, k1, M1R-p (k1, p1) 8 times, k1, M1L-p, k1, p1, k1, sl m, k to end. 2 sts increased.
Work 3 rounds even.

Eleventh increase: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, M1R, (p1, k1) 9 times, p1, M1L, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, sl m, k to end. 2 sts increased. 77 sts.
Work 1 rounds even.

Upper Hand
Next round, separate thumb: Work 17[21, 21, 25, 25] sts in pattern as established, then slip the last 17[19, 21, 23, 25] sts worked to scrap yarn.
NOTE: for sizes M and XL this leaves edge stitches. Pay careful attention to the numbers.
CO 1 using cable CO. K this st, work remaining sts in round as set.
44[48, 51, 55, 58] sts.

Work 4 more full pattern repeats (or continue until mitt body is .75 inches / 2cm shorter than desired finished length).

Next round, decrease for upper ribbing:
Size S only: (K9, k2tog) 4 times. 40 sts.
Size M only: (K10, k2tog) 4 times. 44 sts.
Size L only: (K8, k2tog) 5 times, k1. 46 sts.
Size XL only: (K9, k2tog) 5 times. 50 sts.
Size 2X only: (K8, k2tog) 5 times, k6, k2tog. 52 sts.

Change to smaller needles. Work 8 rounds of ribbing as set for lower cuff.

BO using Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy method, or a stretchy method of your choice.

Thumb
Return held thumb sts to larger needles.
With RS facing, rejoin yarn and work across the sts in rib pattern as set. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer, and pick up and knit 3 sts in the crook of the thumb. Join for working in the round. 20[22, 24, 26, 28] sts.

Round 1: Work 16[18, 20, 22, 24] sts in ribbing as set, k2tog, p2tog. 18[20, 22, 24, 26] sts.
Work ribbing as set for 7 more rounds.
Change to smaller needles and work 7 more rounds in ribbing.
BO using Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy method, or a stretchy method of your choice.

FINISHING

Soak mitts in cold water with a bit of mild soap if desired. Rinse in cold water. Carefully squeeze out water and roll mitts in a towel to absorb excess water. Unroll towel, lay mitts flat, and gently pat into shape. Weave in ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Cheryl Niamath lives and knits in Vancouver, Canada. She launched her career as a knitwear designer with the popular Fetching fingerless mitts in Knitty's Summer 2006 issue. Since then, she's published numerous patterns in Knitty (including Dashing, Wisp, Percy, Mr. Darcy, Miss Honeychurch, Flaming June, and Sophistical), Knitscene, Interweave Knits, and several pattern anthologies. Recently she's created a number of patterns for Woolfolk Yarns.

To see more of her work, check out her website, find her on Ravelry, and follow her on Instagram. Tag your finished projects with #fetchingknits and she promises to Like them!