From the pattern:  "I tend to spin a lot of bulky singles. Our family is already clad in enough hats, so I needed some new knit items to pawn off on them. Mittens came to mind. Quick and easy! But bulky singles aren't the ideal yarn to make a pair of mittens out of, especially a pair that will last a Vermont winter! They will pill, and possibly not be the sturdiest things.

Logic told me to felt. Ideal. Sturdy, pretty water resistant, and they won't pill! For a nice finishing touch (and for function, since I perpetually lose things), on the wrists I added beautiful handmade glass buttons from Moving Mud, and loops on the cuffs. (These knit up very fast; it might have taken these longer to felt & sew the buttons on than to knit the mittens.) One could even skip the whole spinning process and knit with some pre-drafted roving. Talk about quick!"