Traditionally, thrums were bits of left over yarn. Thrums have evolved and today's mitten makers use wool roving or unspun sheep's wool. The wool is pulled from the roving in wisps, which are then knit into the mitten. Some knitters use straight twisted lengths for thrums. Others use thrums that have been folded to the middle and then twisted. The mittens look the same on the outside regardless of how you make your thrums.
Thrummed mittens have become rather popular in recent years, and so it surprises me that many people have never heard of them. They are so warm and so soft that they are simply irresistible. Once you've tried on a pair, nothing else could ever possibly meet that standard. It was a pair of thrummed mittens that got me back into knitting several years ago. After trying on a pair in a Muskoka gift shop, I decided that I could make myself a pair of thrummed mittens and I have never looked back.
- If you are a knitter and you like making mittens, the step to thrummed mittens is easy. You can work the thrums into any mitten design. You can choose to thrum the thumbs or not. I always thrum thumbs, but not cuffs.
- You can purchase roving at your local yarn shop or from online sources. Be careful that you purchase actual roving and not yarn that is called roving. You want raw wool that has been cleaned and carded, but not spun. In addition to the natural color, roving can be dyed. Colored roving makes for very interesting patterns on your mittens.
- The Yarn Harlot has a good tutorial for making and working with thrums. If you see little heart shapes developing on your mittens, you'll know that you've done it right. I thrum every third stitch and every third or fourth row. If you thrum every fourth stitch, you could stagger the rows of thrums for a different look. The more thrums, the fluffier your mittens. I find that thrums work better with wool, rather than a synthetic yarn.
If you don't knit or you're not ready for thrumming, you can often find thrummed mittens in gift shops, at craft fairs or online. Perhaps you could convince a knitter that you know to make you a pair.
Thrummed mittens are the perfect cold weather companion. They are great for people with Raynaud's disease or other circulation problems. Actually, they are great for everyone! When it's frosty and cold outside, your hands will be warm and cozy inside a pair of thrummed mittens. To thrum or not to thrum? The answer to this question is, of course, a wholehearted "ay"!
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