At one time most Maine mittens were knit without ribbed cuffs, or without any attached cuff at all. The cuff was separate, a wrister, and stayed on even when a man had to take off his mittens in the woods to do a fine adjustment on a bit of harness or a tool.
Wristers are cuffs without mittens, usually about 5 inches (12.75cm) long, extending in under the sleeve and out under the mitten. Sometimes a little loop secures them to the crotch of the thumb.
Wristers have also been called “pulse warmers,” “half-mitts,” “half-handers,” and “fingerless gloves,” which pretty much sums up their function and shape.
Wristers are still used by Maine coastal fishermen. Even fishermen who have gone over to insulated rubber gloves often still use wristers underneath to protect their wrists from chafing by the edges of their frozen oilskin jackets. Laura Ridgewell, wife of West Point fisherman Bob Ridgewell, says that wristers prevent “pin boils” on the wrists.
Wristers are useful under loose, cuffless mittens for any outdoor occupation requiring occasional fine work—delivering mail or newspapers, working on cars, horseback riding—or as an indoor glove—working (typing, playing the piano) in a chilly home or workplace.
One style of wrister
Laura Ridgewell’s wristers
Yarn Laura knits her wristers of Bartlettyarns 3-ply Fisherman Yarn, a naturally oily cream-colored yarn. The sample here was made of Halcyon Yarns Deco, which is less oily and has a longer staple than Fisherman Yarn.
| For each pair you will need | (oz) | 1¾ | 2 | 2 | 2¼ |
| (g) | 50 | 57 | 57 | 65 |
Equipment 1 set Size 4 (3.5mm, Can. Size 9) double-pointed knitting needles, or size you need to knit in stockinette at correct tension • Size F (4mm, Can. Size 8) crochet hook • Blunt-tipped yarn needle
Tension 6 sts = 1 inch (2.5cm) in k2, p1 ribbing (Measure from the center of a k rib without stretching the ribbing.)
ABBREVIATIONS beg: beginning • CC: contrast color • dec(s): decrease(s) • inc(s): increase(s) • k: knit • k2tog: knit 2 together • MI: make 1 stitch • MIL: make 1 stitch left • MIR: make 1 stitch right • MC: main color • p: purl • rep: repeat • rnd(s): round(s) • SSK2tog: slip, slip, knit 2 sts together • st(s): stitch(es) • twisted MI: twisted make 1 cast-on
Measurements—inches and centimeters
| Child | Adult | Adult | Adult | |||
| 6–8 | S | M | L | |||
| Around hand including tip of thumb | (inches) | 7½ | 8 | 9 | 9¾ | |
| (cm) | 19 | 20.25 | 23 | 24.75 | ||
Note: These wristers fit quite snugly and easily transcend sizes. Adult M should be wearable by medium-sized children’s hands through medium adult hands.
Some years ago, Phyllis Wharton of Seal Harbor sent me another kind of wrister, which she knitted for her grandson and other scallop fishermen. This is the wrister shown in the photograph, essentially a close fitting mitten without thumb or finger coverings. It will fit men’s and women’s medium and large hands.
This is a work garment, and no effort has been made to prettify it by working the top edge in ribbing or garter stitch, or by introducing all-over color or stripes. Of course, you are not bound by any of these limitations.
Phyllis Wharton’s scallopers’ wristers
Yarn Mrs. Wharton uses Bartlettyarns 2-ply Fisherman Yarn with No. 4 double-pointed needles. You can use any natural, oily medium weight yarn.
| For each pair, you will need | (oz) | 2 | 3 |
| (g) | 57 | 85.5 |
Needles Although Mrs. Wharton, like many traditional mitten knitters, used Size 4 (3.5mm, Can. Size 9) double-pointed needles throughout, knitting the cuff with Size 3 (3.25mm, Can. Size 10) needles improves the appearance and the fit. Likewise, binding off with a smaller needle will prevent the top edge from rolling. For the hand of the wrister, use Size 4 double-pointed needles or the size you need to knit stockinette at the correct tension.
Tension 5½ sts = 1 ” (2.5cm) in stockinette on larger needles
Other supplies Blunt-tipped yarn needle
ABBREVIATIONS beg: beginning • CC: contrast color • dec(s): decrease(s) • inc(s): increase(s) • k: knit • k2tog: knit 2 together • MI: make I stitch • MIL: make I stitch left • MIR: make I stitch right • MC: main color • p: purl • rep: repeat • rnd(s): round(s) • SSK2tog: slip, slip, knit 2 sts together • st(s): stitch (es) • twisted MI: twisted make I cast-on
Measurements—inches and centimeters
| Woman’s | Man’s | |||
| M/L | M/L | |||
| Around hand including tip of thumb | (inches) | 9 | 9¾ | |
| (cm) | 22.75 | 24.75 | ||
