Vertigo (Halloween Mystery Mittens 2020)

DESCRIPTION

Vertigo are a pair of stranded colorwork mittens inspired by the 1958 psychological thriller that portrays a character's descent into madness… or is it all just a deceitfully schemed plot?

Scenes from this classic movie directed by the Master of Suspense, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, are depicted in these colorwork mittens. Pick two colors of (light) fingering-weight yarn with a good amount of contrast between them. Black and white is a classic combination but you don’t have to stick with neutrals.

The pattern comes in three sizes: 66, 70, or 74 sts. Right and left mittens are worked from separate colorwork charts. The pattern contains long floats; using the Ladderback Jacquard technique is recommended but not essential.

This pair of colorwork mittens was originally released as a mystery knit-along in nine clues in October 2020.

Share your project on Instagram with the hashtags #halloweenmysterymittens and #talviknits.

YOUR DONATION WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

All proceeds are donated to IBE, the International Bureau for Epilepsy.

SIZES

• S [M, L]
• 66 [70, 74] sts

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

• Palm circumference: approx. 21.5 [22.5, 24] cm / 8½ [9, 9½]”
• Length from top to wrist: approx. 25.5 cm / 10”

MATERIALS

Yarn

Holst Garn Supersoft (100% wool, 287 m/50 g, 314 yd/1.76 oz), 2 colors, or
Holst Garn Noble (95% wool, 5% cashmere, 333 m/50 g, 364 yd/1.76 oz), 2 colors

• Main color (MC): 1 skein
• Contrasting color (CC): 1 skein

Or (light) fingering-weight yarn, 2 colors

• MC: approx. 155 [170, 185] m / 170 [185, 200] yd
• CC: approx. 155 [170, 185] m / 170 [185, 200] yd

Needles

• 2.25 mm / US #1 DPNs or circular needles for working small circumferences in the round (or size needed to obtain gauge)

Notions

• Yarn guide or Norwegian knitting thimble (optional)
• 4 stitch markers, 2 for each mitten
• Stitch holder (for example, waste yarn or safety pin) for thumb stitches
• Darning needle

TECHNIQUES USED

The pattern uses the following techniques: working small circumferences in the round, ability to work stranded colorwork from a chart, color dominance, grafting, and whip stitch.

The pattern requires the ability for managing floats in colorwork; Ladderback Jacquard is recommended but references are given for a couple of alternatives.

REFERENCES

• Catching floats on the next round
• Color dominance in stranded colorwork
• Kitchener stitch
• Ladderback Jacquard a.k.a. invisible stranding
• The Finchley Graft
• Three methods for catching floats