The Mergelland mittens are a fun pair of mittens, created to play around with colour. You can go playful and colourful or more subtle and work with neutral colours. It’s your choice! The Mergelland mittens are named after the yarn that was used for the original sample and therefore also after the Mergelland sheep breed. Using sheep wool for these mittens not only makes them sturdy and cosy, they will also make them extra warm, as the different strands of yarn will slightly felt with wear and thus create an even warmer and denser fabric. So now the only question is: which colours will you use for your pair of Mergelland mittens?

Sizes
1 (2, 3) 4, 5 to fit a hand circumference of 10 (13, 15) 18, 21.5 cm / 4 (5, 6) 7, 8.5”, which corresponds with a toddler (child, small adult) medium adult, large adult size.
The mittens are meant to be worn with 1 – 2.5 cm / 0.5 – 1” positive ease.

Measure the palm of your hand at its widest point (usually around the knuckles), without the thumb.
Shown in size 4 with 3 cm / 1.25” positive ease.

Yarn
1 (1, 1) 1, 2, 2 skein(s) for the Colour 1 and 1 skein for Colours 2, 3 and 4 of Greener Wool Mergelland (70 m / 50 g) or approx.:
-Colour 1 (hand and top): 40 (45, 55) 65, 85) m / 44 (49, 60) 71, 93 yd
-Colour 2 (colour pattern): 25 (40, 45) 50, 60 m / 27 (44, 49) 55, 60 yd
-Colour 3 (cuff): 20 (25, 30) 35, 45 m / 22 (27, 33) 38, 49 yd
-Colour 4 (CO and thumb): 10 (15, 15) 20, 25 m / 11 (16, 16) 22, 27 yd
in aran weight yarn to obtain gauge, e.g. Fonty 1880, Fonty Fado, Drops Nepal.

Suggested needles
-Needle A: 2.5 mm / US 1.5 circular needle with total length of 80 cm / 32” (or 0.5 mm / 0.5 size smaller than needle B)
-Needle B: 3 mm / US 3 circular needle with total length of 80 cm / 32” (or 0.5 mm / 2 sizes smaller than needle C)
-Needle C: 3.5 mm / US 4 circular needle with total length of 80 cm / 32” (or size to obtain gauge in stockinette stitch)
-Needle D: 4 mm / US 6 circular needle with total length of 80 cm / 32” (or size to obtain gauge in colourwork)

Gauge
-24 sts x 32 Rnds to 10 cm / 4” in stockinette stitch with needle B, after blocking
-24 sts x 26 Rnds to 10 cm / 4” in colourwork pattern with needle C, after blocking

Stitch patterns and techniques
-Tubular cast-on
-1x1 rib stitch in the round
-Stockinette stitch in the round
-Stranded colourwork with 2 colours
-Left and right leaning decreases
-Magic loop method
-Kitchener stitch