San Donato Hat and Mitts

Featuring stranded colourwork knitted in the round, with corrugated ribbing, this hat is inspired by a twelfth century mosaic pavement in the Basilica of Santa Maria e San Donato on the Venetian island of Murano. The matching mitts feature a steeked thumbhole – an ideal small project for learning how to create a steek.

 

YARN 

The Border Mill North Coast 4 ply 
100% Shetland wool, c. 360 m (394 yd) per 100g
1 x 100g ball Bealach na Bá (MC)
1 x 25g ball Applecross (CC1)
2 x 25g ball Grey Cairns of Camster (CC2)
1 x 25g ball Myrtle (CC3)
Note: The above quantities are for making both hat and mitts.  If making only one project, 2 x 25g of MC and 1 x 25g of each CC will be sufficient

 

NEEDLES & NOTIONS

Hat
3 mm / US 2.5 circular needle, 40 cm / 16” length
Set of 4 DPNs in gauge size for working centre of crown
2.75 mm / US 2 circular needle, 40 cm / 16” length 
Stitch marker, tapestry needle for finishing
Mitts
3 mm / US 2.5 preferred needles for small diameter knitting
2.75 mm / US 2 preferred needles for small diameter knitting 
2.5 mm or 2.75 mm crochet hook for steek reinforcement
Sharp scissors for cutting steek, stitch marker, tapestry needle for finishing
 

GAUGE

Hat
24 sts and 34 rnds to 10 cm / 4” at widest part of crown on larger needle. 28 sts to 10 cm / 4” above ribbing on smaller needle.
Mitts
33 sts and 36 rnds to 10 cm / 4"

 

MEASUREMENTS

Hat
Diameter of crown 27 cm / 10.5”
Ribbing circumference 54 cm / 21”
Mitts
Length 22 cm / 8.75” 
Circumference 22 cm / 8.75”

 

SKILLS REQUIRED

Both patterns use stranded colourwork, requiring the anchoring of longer yarn floats behind work. Other techniques include German twisted cast-on and corrugated ribbing. The mitts also use steeking to create the thumbhole after knitting the mitts as a tube. Knowledge of backward loop cast-on method is assumed.