Newfoundland mitts have been knitted on the North Atlantic coast for generations, and the design has survived because it works. They are knitted at a tight gauge in worsted weight yarn, which produces a dense fabric that blocks wind rather than letting it through – the difference between a mitten that looks warm and one that is warm.
Yarn and needles
Worsted weight yarn on 3.0mm (US 2.5) and 3.5mm (US 4) needles. Those sizes are a starting point rather than a rule: different brands of worsted vary considerably, and the gauge matters more than the needle size printed on the label. If your fabric feels loose enough to see daylight through, go down a needle size.
The tight gauge is the whole point. It is harder work than knitting at a relaxed tension, and your hands will notice after an hour, but a loosely knitted mitten in the same yarn will not keep anyone’s fingers warm in wind.
Fibre
Traditionally these are knitted in wool, and wool is still the right answer. It keeps insulating when damp, which is exactly the condition mittens end up in. Superwash wool is easier to care for but felts less and therefore wears out faster at the fingertips. Untreated wool will full slightly with wear and washing, which tightens the fabric further and is a feature rather than a fault.
Size
Written for adults. Mittens should fit close but not tight – compressed air does not insulate, so a mitten squeezed onto a hand is colder than one with a little room. Knit the cuff long enough to overlap a coat sleeve.
Wear and repair
Fingertips and thumbs go first. Keep a length of the yarn aside when you finish so you can darn them later; a mitten repaired twice will outlast three unmended pairs.
