I was inspired to design these mitts after I interpreted the instructions to make “Very Pretty Cuffs” or “Graham Muffatees” that appear in Francis Lambert’s publications first in 1843. As I knit the antique pattern, I couldn’t help but think of the way the royalty look in Tenniel’s illustrations of Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. I thought that these pretty little mitts would make the perfect warm weather accessory for both the Red and White Queens. The sweet little “purl bump” striping makes a lovely decorative element that fits their aesthetic perfectly!

A muffatee is a wrist cuff that may or may not have a hole for the thumb. Today we sometimes call them wristers or fingerless mitts. A muffatee provides a bit of extra warmth at the wrist, which is surprisingly helpful at keeping one warm, especially of you’re spending time in (beautiful, but) drafty Victorian houses and castles.

These fingerless mitts are knit in the round, either on 9” circulars or on DPNs.