Ophelia’s Garden Mittens
Given the Nordic setting of Hamlet, I immediately thought of using stranded colorwork. The aim of the mitten is to create a garden scene with a warm and soothing creamy oatmeal background, used to counteract the icy cold (both weather and human) that surrounds Ophelia. Two contrasting colors—green and purple—add the details. The outer side of each mitten is covered with a vertical sprig of green rosemary and three sets of purple pansies as comforting reminders of Laertes. On the palm-side, the green color is used to create a trellis pattern.
In her sane moments, it may have reminded Ophelia of the coming spring, while in her less sane moments, it could have served as a backdrop for her imaginary garden. Ultimately, these mittens are a warm, fancy addition to any winter wardrobe.
Designer: Rosemary Cox
Size
Women’s Medium Finished Measurements
Hand circumference: 7½” / 19cm
Length (excluding cuff ): 8″ / 20.5cm
Materials
Knit Picks Palette (100% wool; 231 yds / 211m per 50g ball)
[MC:] Oyster Heather or Mist; 1 ball
[CC1:] Edamame or Clover; 1 ball
[CC2:] Clematis Heather or Royal: 1 ball
Gauge
32 sts and 35 rows = 4″ / 10cm, on larger needles
Mittens can be made slightly larger or smaller by changing needle size, and thus the gauge.
