About this pattern
For me, fingerless mitts are all about using hands freely while staying warm and cozy in the early fall and spring months.
They are a perfect accessory to drive, bike, do groceries, type on the phone (or computer if you can’t adjust the heating), eat outside and do all sorts of other things, where you need your fingers to be free, yet going without gloves or mittens is just too cold… This intended use dictates both the yarn choice and the intended fit (~10% negative ease).
Another advantage: they knit up in a flash, making them a perfect gift-knit option, or if you get hit by a sudden cold spell.
‘Gooseberry’ are classic fingerless mitts knit from the cuff up, with a panel of simple twisted-rib-based cables along the top of the mitt and thumb side for added interest. These oval shapes with a stripe in the middle remind me of gooseberries – hence the pattern name.
Thumb gusset ensures anatomic fit, while the print flows seamlessly from twisted rib cuffs and into ribbed top of the hand and thumb to sit snugly on your hands and protect them from the cold.
And fuzzy sport to DK-weight yarn makes incredibly warm yet very light accessories, that sit on your hand like a little soft cloud.

Sizes: pattern includes 3 sizes S (M, L), intended for hand circumference measured around the knuckles of 17 (18.5, 20) cm /6.5 (7, 7.5)”, worked with ~5-10% of negative ease.
__________________________________________________________________
For (yarn) inspiration, see projects on Instagram under the hashtag #Gooseberry_Mittens (you can simply click on it from here).
__________________________________________________________________

Yarn: sport to DK-weight yarn with high wool content (~250-350m/275-375yds per 100g/3.5oz).
I especially like how these mitts turn out in a fuzzy yarn (with alpaca or mohair content) to slightly counterbalance the graphic print.
I would not recommend using heavily variegated / speckled yarns to ensure the print doesn’t get lost, but the pattern works well in solid, tonal, tweedy or even gradient yarns (with gradients be mindful of the fact that the thumb will be knit later and at a small circumference, so perfect colour alignment would be very tricky).
My samples are knit in
• Tukuwool ‘Fingering’ held together with Camarose Manestrale
• Schachenmayr Regia ‘Premium Alpaca Soft’
• Rosarios 4 ‘Meu Bem’

Yardage (if using 2 yarns held together – of each): ~200 (230, 260) m/220 (250, 285) yds

Needles: I’ve knit all my samples using 5 wooden Lykke DPNs in size 3mm/US 2.5.
For the hand you can use your preferred method: DPNs, magic loop on long circulars, three needles, short circulars; for the thumb you will in any case need DPNs.

Notions: waste yarn, stitch markers, tapestry needle, scissors

Gauge: ~20 sts х 38 rows per 10х10cm/4x4” in stockinette after wet-blocking
Make sure to swatch until you get gauge!

Techniques used

• Classic long-tail cast on (or your preferred medium elastic cast on method)
• 1x1 half-twisted rib (k1 tbl, p1)
• Lifted increases (right and left: RLI/LLI).
• Simple 11 cables: left/right twist (LT/RT) and 21 cable
• Reading charts (optional)
• Traditional Bind Off (or your preferred medium elastic bind off method)

Pattern tech-edited and translated into English by Olga Barshai GingerHandcrafts