Scathingly Brilliant: CharlieCard Mitten

The newly freezing weather reminded us all of how awkward it is to dig for your slick plastic CharlieCard with your glove-covered fingers.

But the industrious Subway Knitter has the answer - a mitten with a top pocket just the right size for a CharlieCard. The yarn is thin enough that, when you wave your mittened hand in front of the sensor, the card will communicate with the gate's sensor, and you'll breeze through the gate.

Now, the success of this mitten depends on how the your particular CharlieCard sensor is feeling that day. You might wind up waving your mitten in front of that sensor for a long while, digging the card out anyway, and eventually complaining to a T operator. But the Subway Knitter reports that her experiment with the CharlieCard mitten worked just fine.

That said, the design is a great idea, and the mittens are adorable. Charlie on the MBTA and Universal Hub have already sent their love for the CharlieCard mitten. If you're a knitter, Subway Knitter Colleen shares her pattern. If you're not a knitter ... well, now you have an idea of what the fuss is about.

Image of the cute lil' CharlieCard Mitten from Subway Knitter.