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

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), fingerless 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 knitters and non-knitters alike can enjoy.

Christine LeGrow has been a knitter since early childhood. Her keen interest in preserving the traditional handknits of Newfoundland and desiging new ones with the same flavour has taken her through life. Christine has been recognized by the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador for these efforts and awarded both the Award for the Preservation of Traditional Craft Skills and the Award for the Interpretation of Provincial History. She is the owner of Spindrift Handknits and makes her home in St. John's.

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• Winner, Best Atlantic-Published Book Award
• Booklist Starred Review