Nov 154 min read

Join the Fair Isle Mitten MKALendar!

For the third time in a row, the Fair Isle Advent MKALendar is back, back, back again! After a cowl/hat in 2022 and socks in 2023, this year we're knitting hand accessories.

Just like the previous two advents, the free clues will be available for the members of my Mighty Networks community. Read on to learn all about this year's advent mystery knit-along!

What the What?

With the Fair Isle Mitten MKALendar you'll create a pair of colorwork mittens, fingerless mitts, or convertible flip-top mittens in 25 days while waiting for the holidays. The pattern comes in four sizes, three styles, and two cuff options, intended to fit from kids to large adults.

The pattern is released over 25 days starting on December 1 and leading up to Christmas Day on the 25th. Clues 1 through 24 are presented as stranded colorwork charts for the advent. The knit-along comes to a conclusion on December 25 with the tops and thumbs.

The regular and flip-top mittens contain 12 colorwork charts on each hand. For a matching pair, work either clues 1–12 or 13–24 on both mittens. For a non-matching pair, work clues 1–12 of the MKAL on the left mitten and clues 13–24 on the right.

If you opt to do the fingerless mitts, you can take a little break on days 11–12 and 23–24! This version contains only 10 colorwork charts on each hand.

Construction & Sizing

The mystery mitt(en)s are knit one at a time from the cuff up. Instructions for casting on the cuffs are already included in the pre-release information package so you can jump right into colorwork on December 1.

The fingerless mitts contain 10 colorwork charts on each hand, then a bit of twisted ribbing at the top. The mittens contain 12 colorwork charts on each hand and a closed top with shaped decreases, also worked in all-over colorwork. The flip-top mittens are a cross between the two: you'll have ribbing at the top of the fingers (like in the fingerless mitts version) but also a convertible top that can be flipped open for extra hand dexterity or closed for extra warmth.

The mitt(en)s also feature a forethought a.k.a. peasant thumb: waste yarn is inserted to mark thumb placement between two colorwork clues. The waste yarn is unraveled on December 25 to make an opening and live stitches are picked up all around for the thumb. The thumbs are then worked either in colorwork (regular and flip-top mittens) or in twisted ribbing (fingerless mitts).

Thumb position can be adjusted within pattern. I've provided instructions on how to measure the correct thumb placement to fit your (or your recipient's) hands, even if your gauge differs from the pattern.

Finished measurements for the Fair Isle Mitten MKALendar.

The pattern is available in four sizes, XS [S, M, L], intended to fit from kids to large adults. Always go by finished measurements when choosing a size in any knitting pattern.

Choose a size that comes closest to your (or your recipient's) hand circumference with zero to a small amount of positive ease. Fingerless mitts can be made quite snug but I'd allow a bit more ease for the mittens.

Yarn, Colors & Other Materials

The clues on December 1 through 24 are presented as two stranded colorwork charts: one for a light(er) background and another for a dark(er) background color. For some charts I've also added in an optional accent color but that's just a start.

All of the colorwork charts can be worked using just two colors of yarn. But they are just a starting point: you can use as many colors as you wish! Regardless of how many colors you pick, in traditional Fair Isle fashion all colorwork rounds are knit with just two colors and short floats that, for the most part, don't need to be caught.

To knit the pattern you'll need fingering-weight yarn in at least two colors:

for the fingerless mitts: approx. 190 [240, 280, 330] m or 210 [260, 310, 360] yd in total
for the mittens: approx. 230 [280, 340, 390] m or 250 [310, 370, 430] yd in total, or
for the flip-top mittens: approx. 260 [320, 390, 460] m or 280 [350, 420, 500] yd in total

This is a great opportunity to use up all sorts of sock yarn leftovers, scraps, half-a skeins, unicorn tails, or advent calendar minis! Your color choices determine whether your advent mittens will be filled with classic or modern interpretations of traditional Fair Isle motifs.

Like the last two advent MKALs, this one also comes with a primer on color theory to help you choose colors for colorwork in general and apply color theory to Fair Isle knitting in particular.

You'll also need 2.5 mm or US 1½ needles (or size to obtain gauge), either DPNs or circular needles depending on your small-circumference knitting method of choice. If you're doing the regular mittens or flip-top mittens, you'll need two sets of needles. If you're doing the fingerless mitt, you can get by with just one set of needles.

As for the notions, you'll need a bit of fingering-weight waste yarn for the peasant thumb, a darning needle, and — optionally — a colorwork yarn guide (a.k.a. tension ring or Norwegian knitting thimble).

How to Join?

Fair Isle Mitten MKALendar starts on December 1, 2024 at 8:00 am (UTC) in my Mighty Networks community. The pattern is free for a limited time: the clues will be available for two months, from December 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025.

Can't wait? You don't have to! Join the dedicated MKAL group in advance and start planning your colors. Once December 1 rolls around, you can share your progress photos, admire other participants' mittens, and ask questions should they arise.

The pre-release information package comes with a list of materials, a detailed schedule for the MKAL, tips for planning your color palette, and instructions for casting on the cuffs. All of these will be released in the Fair Isle Mitten MKALendar group in my Mighty Networks community in the days leading up to December but you can also download it right now on Payhip or Ravelry (seizure warning).