Saltwater Mittens

Woollen mittens have long been a Newfoundlander's best friend. In a quirky climate of freeze, thaw, blow, and drizzle, good mittens made all the tasks easier-to split birch, hammer a nail, gut a fish, draw water, hang clothes, shoot a seabird, or snare a rabbit. Social life, too, always required the finest mittens and gloves. This continues today.

Christine Legrow of Spindrift handknits and Shirley A. Scott ("Shurl the Purl") have collected and studied mittens from across Newfoundland for the past 40 years. Recognizing the value of these artifacts, the have expertly and painstakingly recreated more than 20 heritage patterns for today's knitter.

These mittens are as practical as they are beautiful-double-knit with two colours means twice the warmth and wind resistance. The patterns are rated by difficulty and varied in style, including trigger mitts, wristers, five-finger mittens (a.k.a. gloves), thumbless mitts for wee ones, and, of course, classic mittens for all.

The dozens of colour photographs will inspire you to make your own bold colour choices. The nuggets of history, and tales of mittens and their knitters, make Saltwater Mittens a book everyone can enjoy.