Under the cold glow of a crescent moon, shadows stir around the historic, Whitby Abbey. Bound by timeless whispers, the land holds secrets as old as the stones themselves. In Whitby something watches, something waits, and the echoes of the past linger in every silent corner…

This mitten tells the Anglo-Saxon legend of St Hilda, the abbess and founder of Whitby Abbey. The thumb depicts in runic writing the past plague that had befallen the land prior to the abbess’ battle - ‘serpentine earth’. Hilda is said to have rid the town of evil snakes by turning them into ‘serpentine stones’ (now known to be amnonites). The mitten depicts the magical night when this transformative act occurred. Included with your digital pattern file is a brief introduction to the legend.

• Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
• Blocked Size: 9.5 inches x 4 inches (2.5 and 2.75mm or US 1.5 and 2)
• Needles: 2.5mm and 2.75mm (US 1.5 and 2) double pointed needles (DPNs) for a medium-sized mitten
• Blocked Gauge: 34 stitches x 32 rounds = 10cm/4 inches over colourwork pattern in the round.
• Yarn: contrast yarn (black), main yarn (white), duplicate stitch yarn (DK weight grey, goldenrod) (Sport weight dark blue, red, electric blue, turquoise)
• Quantity: 2 x 50g main colour, 1x 50g contrast colour, scrap yarn for duplicate stitching
• Supplies: a stitch marker, tapestry needle, blocking mat and pins and scrap yarn for the afterthought thumb.