It’s time to welcome July’s Confident Knitting pattern, the Burnished Mittens by Lily Kate France! Do you spy those tidy, irresistible little bands around the cuff? They are this month’s featured technique, Vikkel braids!

Lily is a designer with a real eye for detail, and that’s on full show in these beauties! There are, of course, the delightful braids, which so neatly set off the simple colourwork of the cuff! And did you notice that little rolled hem? Perfection! The action-packed cuff gives way to 3x1 rib, making for restful knitting for lazy July days … and a well-fitting mitten come the first winds of autumn!

Vikkel braids are one of those special little techniques that are pleasing and not-too-difficult to work, but delightfully confounding before you try them! Those uninitiated into Vikkel braid-dom will wonder just how the braids made it onto those mitten cuffs. Was casting off involved? Or some post-knitting embellishment, perhaps aided by a crochet hook? Nothing as complicated as that: an extra stitch cast on, some simple manoeuvres and you’re away! And the best part about Lily’s design? It gives us three chances to get accustomed to the technique while working a single-colour Vikkel braid, then lets us stretch our skills just that bit further with a two-colour braid to finish off the cuff (which keeps the braid in that lovely gray, and the mitten’s delightful orange body uninterrupted).

Which brings us to the yarn. Oh, the yarn! This month’s pattern features the hand-dyed styles of none other than Lilith of Old Maiden Aunt. We’re longtime fans of OMA yarns, so were beyond thrilled when Lilith agreed to be one of Confident Knitting’s featured hand-dyers. The Burnished Mittens show off the subtle shifts of Lilith’s colourways so well. Two stunning colourways are available, exclusively as part of our Confident Knitting Summer Kits, or you can check out what Superwash Merino 4ply is currently available over on the Old Maiden Aunt website.

We will be chatting all things Vikkel braid over in The Knitalong Hub. Whether you choose to cast on for Lily’s glorious mittens or dive into another project using Vikkel braids, any project using the featured technique is welcome! We’ve really been enjoying seeing your Confident Knitting projects over there and on social media. Keep sharing using the hashtag #ConfidentKnitting!

And if you’d like to join the Confident Knitting journey, it is, of course, never too late to come aboard! You can purchase the print + eBook bundle or eBook only option over in our online shop. When you do, you’ll receive all five patterns released to date, plus stepwise photo tutorials for each pattern’s featured technique, as well as all subsequent patterns! Print books ship in September 2021. You can shop the whole Confident Knitting collection, including Spring and Summer Yarn kits, in the online shop.

All photos © Jesse Wild