The ladies of the Jane Austen book club enjoy meeting on the lawn for afternoon tea. As we arrive in our breezy cotton dresses and pearls, we are greeted by birdsong and the perfume of new-mown grass. We discover a beautiful table in the shade of the big elm, laid with a lace tablecloth and delicate china. A bowl of pansies, fresh from the garden, is all that’s needed to complete the elegant setting! Tea is poured, pretty cakes are passed round, and we spend a happy hour chatting about Jane’s novel, immersed in a world of gracious manners, romance, and happy endings.

These mitts have a large blossom splashed across the hand and a dainty wallpaper print on the palm, surrounded by lace-like colorwork borders and eyelet garter edging. The flower is meant to be embellished at the center to create a focal point. There are lots of possibilities – a pretty button, a cluster of French knots, beads or sequins, a sew-on jewel, simple embroidery stitches – this is an opportunity to be creative and make your mitts truly personal!

Afternoon Tea mitts are knit from the bottom up in stranded stockinette and have a gusseted thumb. Colorwork is fully charted, with written instructions for the eyelet garter edgings. They are knitted in the round and can be knit on double points, two circulars or with the Magic Loop method, according to your preference. Any fingering or sock weight yarn can be used, and since they use small amounts of several colors, they’re a great project for leftovers. Two sizes are given, and sizing can be further adjusted by gauge. Full color charts for colorwork are given for both sizes, with both right and left hand charts for each size. Color descriptions are given for the sample version, but these would look lovely in many color combinations.

Skills required:
• Long tail and backwards loop cast on
• Knit and purl stitches
• Yarn over
• Knit 2 together
• Simple right and left leaning increases (M1L and M1R)
• Stranded color stockinette knitting
• Knitting small circumferences in the round