When I was a girl, we got spring coats from our grandmother every year. And we had to wear them off and on into May. I’m always ready for spring too early. So these mittens with baby birds beaks peeking out of the nest remind me that spring is coming, even though the view outside my office window is still white with snow.

These mittens are worked from the cuff up with a decorative Bulgarian cast on, Baltic Braids, and colorwork on the cuff, and an easy two-color pattern on the hand. A few purls add texture and interest to the knitting. The thumb opening is made by knitting with scrap yarn which is removed later to form a hole where the thumb is added. The finger tips are rounded so the mittens are not different for the right and left hands.