Dambrod Mittens

Sanquhar knitting originates from the town of the same name on the River Nith, in Scotland. I have always loved the look of it. The distinctive small squares (“dambrod”) containing the intricate patterns look complicated, yet are so easily achieved, just with basic two-colour stranded knitting!

When my eldest daughter told me that one of her best friends was hoping I could knit her something black and white for her birthday, I jumped at the chance to design some Sanquhar mittens for her. I paired two less-commonly seen motifs for a look which is somewhat of a departure from tradition, but still unmistakably Sanquhar.

Skills needed

• Knitting, purling
• Increases, decreases
• Stranded knitting
• Chart reading
• Working small circumferences in the round (i.e. double-pointed needles, magic loop, or two-circular methods)

Finished measurements

• Hand circumference: 7.5”
• Total height, including cuff: 10.75”
• Thumb length: 2.5”
• Thumb circumference: 2.5”
• Cuff circumference: 6.5”
• Hand length (i.e. length minus cuff): 7.75”
• Cuff length: 3”

Yarn requirements

• Main colour: approximately 135 yards
• Contrast colour: approximately 105 yards

Other materials needed

• 2.75mm needles
• Three stitch markers: one distinctive from the others to mark for beginning of rounds
• Spare length of yarn, about 6” long

Gauge

35 stitches and 35 rows = 4 inches in stranded knitting, after blocking