Terhi is mad about mushrooms. Her mushroom picking season starts in May when the false morels (Gyromitra esculenta) pop up from the icy Arctic Circle ground. At that time the weather can be very cold and windy, but the mushrooms are picked up barehanded, or at least with bare fingers.

These fingerless, two-layer mittens provide shelter as much as possible:
Firstly, the cuff is looooong and keeps the wrists and arms warm. Secondly, the two layer construction provides more options to adapt to the harsh circumstances. If the fingers are just about to freeze, the upper layer can be pulled down over all fingers. One can still use the bare finger tips but the rest of the hand is covered by the warm wool. Pulling the upper layer up, the wrists get additional shelter, while fingers are free. The inner layer exposes the fingers and part of the palm, but the back of the hand, knuckles included, are still in shelter.

The stitch pattern shows true morels, a mushroom delicacy worth chasing, but rather uncommon in Lapland.

The outer mitten

1. co 52 sts (thicker yarn, thicker needle)
2. work 2 X 2 ribbing ca. 28 cm (this cuff will cover the arm till the elbow)
3. separate stitches for the inner mitten: 3.a work every st twice: knit (or purl) from front leg and knit from back leg; 3.b transfer the knitted back leg sts on a spare cable, let hang
4. continue 10 cm with the outer mitt (the stitch pattern is right after the separation round);
5. bind off with a truly stretchy BO

The inner mitten

1. pick up the separated sts; using the thinner yarn and thinner needle, work an ordinary mitten past thumb hole
2. knit 1 rnd
3. knit short rows on the hand back as follows: 3.a k23 , work a turning sts, turn; 3.b slip the turning sts, p20, work a turning sts, turn; 3.c slip the turning sts, knit until 2 unworked sts remain before the turning stitch, work a turning sts, turn; 3.d slip the turning sts, purl until 2 unworked sts remain before the turning stitch, work a turning sts, turn; 3.e repeat steps 3.c and 3.d two more times (4 turning sts on both ends; after the last turn knit a full round
4. purl a full round
5. knit a full round
6. work two short rows on the hand back: 6.a p23, work a turning sts, turn 6.b slip the turning st, p20, work a turning sts, turn 6.c slip the turning st, purl to the end of the round
7. knit a full rnd
8. repeat steps 6 - 7 (work the rows 2 sts shorter, i.e. purl 21 sts (6.a) and p16 (6.b))
9. work 3 more garter sts rows (purl, knit, purl)
10. cast off the sts (use a stretchy CO on the palm side, preferably no stretch on the back side)
11. knit the thumb (finalize with three garter stitch rows and a stretchy BO)
12. weave in ends and enjoy!