This ageless technology still works best and a vital part of Newfoundland’s creative history is preserved

by Jodi DeLong

Newfoundland is a place of staggering beauty, harsh and awe-inspiring at the same time. For five centuries Newfoundlanders have fished the seas and worked the land and forests, fighting bone-aching cold, shocking winds, and often the foulest weather the North Atlantic can throw at a place.

What helped keep those stalwart souls protected against unforgiving squalls, winds and waves and able to do their work were the hand-knit woollen goods they wore—sweaters, hats, socks, and especially their distinctively-patterned mittens and gloves, knitted for them by wives, mothers, sisters and sweethearts in long evenings at home. They wore traditional mitts or gloves, or the so-called trigger mittens—partial gloves whereby dexterity was preserved but hands would still be kept warm when tending a trap, cutting firewood, discharging a firearm, or engaging in myriad other tasks.

Often, the instruction patterns for these mittens weren’t written down but were verbally shared—you might say genetically shared—since every girl and woman in outports knew how to knit from childhood. This meant, however, as the modern world took over and a global society brought a plethora of synthetic fibres and manufactured knit goods to every community, many designs were lost. The distinctive double-knit, two-colour mittens—also known as by some as Fair Isle knitting, which originated in Scotland’s equally weather-exposed Shetland islands, where there is a three-year waiting list for an authentic hand-knit sweater—were utilitarian yet exquisitely made and beautiful.

However, while efforts were being made in artistic circles to celebrate and preserve rug hooking and quilting patterns and works, knitted goods were often overlooked, and rarely donated to museums. Yet they appear as iconic images in contemporary works of artists around the province and pop up in shops—unfortunately often knit with non-authentic synthetic yarns to keep costs down—as souvenirs to be taken out of province as a memento of traditional Newfoundland craft and culture.

Christine LeGrow and Shirley Scott are two artists living and working in Newfoundland who deeply love knitting, especially the patterns and designs of their province. For years they were concerned about the potential loss of distinctive Newfoundland mitten designs and published a set of pattern cards for a few designs which they sold around the province. These proved so popular that they talked about creating an entire book celebrating and sharing even more designs.

Gavin Will, the founder and publisher of Boulder Books (formerly Boulder Publications) of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, NL was keen on the idea, and so Saltwater Mittens was born. The book is already in its third printing.

Knitting and crocheting have both experienced a huge resurgence in popularity in recent years—along with other needlework and fibre crafts—and somewhat surprisingly, as Shirley observes, “the Internet has proved to be a valuable way of learning.” But while the crafts themselves are flourishing, Shirley adds, “the future of Newfoundland mitten styles and patterns was a different matter because most were never written down—and they aren’t easy to figure out working only from samples.” She and Christine were worried about them disappearing and believe they may have written their book just in the nick of time.

Saltwater Mittens is part history and part instruction manual—and all parts heart. Beautifully designed, it includes photos of new and old mittens and anecdotes taken from various old publications from “The Rock.” The patterns come from a collection of some three dozen vintage mittens and designing the patterns for instructional use was time consuming and precise. Shirley explains that, “there’s a formal, international language of knitting patterns which you must either know or learn really fast. Then you must imagine every little step in the process and make sure you include every step in the written instructions.” She adds that nothing can be taken for granted in creating a pattern, but sometimes you have to leave extra hints and tips out because these would make a pattern far too long, and such tips are better taught in classes and workshops.

One of the most delightful parts of this book is the naming of each pattern and the little bit of history that the authors include in the introduction to instructions. For the “Signal Hill” classic mittens, the pattern includes dots and dashes in tribute to Guglielmo Marconi, who received the first transatlantic wireless signal from the hill (but the origin of the name is much older).

The “Fogo Island Nine Patch” design draws on quilts of the same name, often seen hanging on a clothesline on a fine summer’s day. Some of the patterns draw their names and the colour combinations from the landscapes of the province, as in the “Hangashore” trigger mitts knit in red and white like the Bonavista lighthouse.

When asked about the yarns used in creating proper Newfoundland mittens, both authors agreed that pure sheep’s wool is best, and they recommend Briggs and Little yarns, made in Harvey Station, NB, and which come in a rainbow of colours. Other fine yarns will work, but Shirl is adamant not to knit in acrylic yarns, even for those allergic to wool.

“They’re all form and no substance. No warmth to them, and when they get wet, they stay wet and freeze on to your hands.” (Natural wool can provide warmth even when wet.)

“Woollen mittens benefit from a little steam ironing when you finish them, whereas acrylic might just melt!” Christine adds, “Natural fibres are better than acrylic, and many fine merino blends with alpaca, silk or cashmere have way less chance of irritating the wearer.” Shirley also suggests that a workaround is to buy a pair of cheap stretch gloves at your local dollar store and wear those under the mittens.

If you’ve never picked up a set of knitting needles, these patterns are probably not for you—just yet—but this is a book for every knitter to cherish and hand down. Christine does say if you are an average knitter able to knit in the round with more than one colour, you can certainly knit these designs. Each pattern is given a degree of difficulty from “Easy does it” to “Tangly” to “Over the Wharf”, the most challenging. They suggest knitters begin with the Baccalieu Mitten, one of the best known and easiest of stitch patterns, with an endless variety of colour combinations possible.

Speaking of yarns, choosing yarn colours is one of the most enjoyable parts of any sort of needlework, and Christine and Shirley let the landscapes and seascapes of the province help inspire them. You can knit your mittens in any colour choices you desire so long as there’s some good contrast to show off the patterns, but the authors have named a number of combinations in Briggs and Little yarns, including Dogberry (Khaki and Orange yarns), Beet and Pea Salad (Mulberry and Fern) and Republic (Briar Rose, Bleached White and Dark Green, the three colours of the Republic of Newfoundland flag).

This latter combination will be the colours in my first attempt to knit a pair of Newfoundland mittens.

The only change I would make to the book would be to make it coil-bound, as it’s a bit of a challenge to keep it open to a pattern and knit and keep cats off it at the same time.

And if you are wondering if any of these patterns can be adapted for crocheting, or if there are crochet patterns, as Shirley says, abandon hope. “In Atlantic Canada, crochet was always a form of fancy work for trimming pillow cases and such. It’s such a different skill. We stick to our knitting.”

As of January 2019, Shirley and Christine are contracted to do two more books with Boulder Books about Newfoundland mittens, helping to further preserve the distinctive patterns of traditional woollen knitwear.  

Header credit: J. Laaning
Header caption: Nor’ easter pattern with colourful buildings of The Battery in the background.

Intro Credit: Christine LeGrow
Intro caption: Vintage patterns and both traditional and modern colour selections are inspired directly by the surrounding environment and culture.