If a knitter had to have a signature project, we’re pretty sure mittens would fit the bill. There’s something so basic, so primal about warming the hands of your loved ones; with just a few sticks and some string (and a bit of time, of course!), you can create a cozy, wooly cocoon to ward off the harshest winter chill. We started with a basic mitten pattern as the canvas, and for both visual and knitterly interest (just a little something to keep the mind engaged!), we added a traveling stitch motif that winds around the entire hand. The un-dyed domestic wool–a blend of Romney and Merino that’s grown and spun in the U.S.–is rustic and handsome and wholesome and farm-fresh; while you’re knitting with it, you can’t help but feel like you’re living a part of American wool history. There are a few techniques here to add to your knitterly toolbox–knitting on double-pointed needles, make-one increases, picking up stitches–but these lay the foundation for everything else that’s to come in your knitting journey. If you’re looking for a simple first (or second!) project, these would be it.

Design by Melissa Kelenske