From the pattern description:
I have been smitten with the traveling twisted stitch patterns of the Styrian Enns Valley (Bavaria and Austria) for years. These traditional stitch patterns were originally combined to create intricate stockings for men and women, and were part of the national costume throughout the 19th century. In the 20th century, they made their way into vests and jackets.

The pattern panels on the backs of the hands are typical of panels found on traditional stockings. The thumb gusset comes out of the palm rather than the side of the mitts, to prevent the pattern from skewing. The stitch pattern on the palm and thumb gusset is one often used as a filler stitch for calf gussets, and is also incorporated into more complex stitch patterns, much like seed stitch and moss stitch are used in Aran patterns.

The predominate technique used in traveling twisted stitch patterns is that all the knit stitches are worked through the back of the stitch, and 2-st cables (called “twists”) cross every row. The twisted knits travel across the background of purls. Twists consist of a twisted knit crossing another twisted knit, or a twisted knit crossing a plain purl stitch.

While the twists can be crossed with the aid of a cable needle, you can save time (and your sanity) if you use very pointy needles and cross the cables without using a cable needle.