From the Designer’s Notebook…

Autumn in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina is one of my favorite times. Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, drinking in the crisp mountain air, and photographing broad vistas of undulating mountain waves fading into a distant blue… Beautiful mountains covered in a patchwork of yellow, orange, brown, red, and some green; mist resting in the valleys; the clear blue sky only found at higher altitudes. Warm apple cider, cinnamon rolls, and pumpkin pie. Or, preferably, apple pie made with fresh mountain apples. Leaves dancing their way to the earth in a swirl of color. These are the things that captivated me as a child and still do even now.

As you knit these mittens, you will work in seed stitch, giving the cuffs texture. The gusseted thumb is easy and rewarding. And the pointed ends are a bit unusual but fun. The leaf appliques give you versatility and let your imagination run free. Will your mittens be covered in leaves? Sport only one? You decide.