Product Description
This mitten pattern is currently available in one (spacious) size only, which should fit most women and men.
Measurements (cuff not included): 8x4.4 inches.
These two-color mittens where loops are created on the inside with each color change, a layer-upon-layer effect is created where warm air is kept in the small, natural pockets made by the loops, making it warm and cozy even on the coldest of days. Also, a knitted wool mitten will not get cold as fast when wet as a mitten of fabric when wet. These mittens are also washable on the wool program of your washing machine – just remember that they need to air-dry! No dryers etc.
The story behind the design:
Kiruna was founded in the year 1900, between the mountains Luossavaara and Kiirunavaara, and the southern parts of mountain Haukivaara. The first two have large iron ore deposits, and Kiruna is a distinct mining town. The mining of iron ore was started by the mining company LKAB in the late 1890s, and Kiruna was founded by one of the managers of the company; Hjalmar Lundbohm. In 1948, the county municipality was transformed with the municipal community into the city of Kiruna, which is reflected in the stripes in pattern color in the mitten's cuff, where each section corresponds to the year when Kiruna received its urban privileges; 1-9-4-8.
As the mining in the Kiirunavaara mountain causes deformations in the ground moving towards the city, several of the buildings in Kiruna's city center have now been moved 3 km further away. Among the buildings that have been moved, we find Kiruna Church, Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården, Ingenjörsvillan, Länsmansbostaden and the twelve inkwells, which was a type of workers' home with a distinctive roof that made them look like inkwells.
About 40 kilometers east of Kiruna is the Esrange Space Center, which is Sweden's only space base. The reason why this is located right here is that it is sparsely populated, virtually no light pollution and that you can study the northern lights.
About the motifs on the mittens:
At the top of the right-hand mitten, we find one of the twelve inkwell houses, and the middle motif of the mitten is Länsmansbostaden. The bottom motif of the right-hand mitten is Kiruna Church.
At the top of the top of the left-hand mitten we see the northern lights, which are dancing over Tolpagorni, one of the subsidiary peaks in the Kebnekaise massif in Kiruna. Below Tolpagorni we see Ingenjörsvillan, and at the bottom of the mitten Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården.
In the palms of the mittens, we have a mountain grouse at the top, which is one half of Kiruna municipality's municipal coat of arms. The name Kiruna comes from the word kiiruna, which in Finnish/Meänkieli means mountain grouse. Most of the palm is covered with cloudberries, which constituted an important source of income for many residents in the northern municipalities until the 1960s through the sale of self-picked berries. At the bottom of the inside of the mitten is the symbol for iron ore, which is the second part of Kiruna's municipal coat of arms, and what the city was founded on; the iron ore.
On the inside of the glove, you can also insert the year when the glove is made, or another year of importance for you. Maybe it is a gift for someone’s birthday? Then you can instead use the year when they were born.
The motif on the right thumb shows a rocket from Esrange on its way to space, and on the inside of the thumb we have cloudberries. On the left thumb, the motif is railway rails, symbolizing the Iron Ore Line that runs from Kiruna down to Narvik’s ice free harbor.
Size: One size (spacious)
Measurements: (Cuff not included) Approx. 20x11cm / 8”x4.4”
Yarn: Visjögarn or Rauma finull, or an equivalent 2-ply wool yarn with approx. 164 yd/50 g.
Gauge: 30 stitches x 40 rows = 4x4 inches.
Yardage: 164 yd of each color for all sizes.
Needle size: 2 mm and 2.5 mm