My Hands Are Cold.....

..... because I have no mittens. Well, I *have* mittens. Lots of them. Very nice ones! But they are in the house in Appleton, and I am not. So since I need mittens, and since the Clue #2 of the mystery socks doesn't come out til Friday, I figured I'd start a pair of mittens.

I'm using some luscious yarn from Good Karma Farm that I received for Christmas, in my favorite color, Caribbean Twilight. It's so pretty! I love it. I'm using size four needles. The cuff looks funny, but don't worry, be happy. It all evens out. 

A few years ago I made a bunch of these mittens out of Maine wool, and they were a hit. I started out using a pattern, but here and there I tweaked it enough that I thought I should write it down, so I did. Enjoy and keep your fingers warm!

 

Beth's Awesome Mitten Pattern

Materials: 4  oz. Good Karma Farm 60% wool, 40% alpaca yarn

Size 4 double pointed needles

Gauge: 6 stitches = 1 inch

Right Mitten:

Cast on 40 sts. Work 6 rounds stockinette stitch. Work K2, P2 for 3 1/2". Increase 4 sts in last round to 44 sts. Knit 4 rounds even. 

Increase for thumb:

Rnd. 1:  Inc. in first stitch, K1, inc in next stitch, place marker, (thumb gore sts marked off), knit to end of round.

Knit 2 rounds even.

Continue, increasing one st in first and last st in thumb gore every 3rd round until there are 13 sts. in the thumb gore. 

Knit 2 rnds even. Slip thumb gore sts to a piece of yarn to hold them. 

Cast on 3 sts at beginning of next round and continue working in stockinette st until 6 inches above ribbing, or 1" less than total desired length of mitten.

Decrease for top:

First dec rnd:  (K2, k2tog) around. 

Knit 3 rnds even.

Second dec rnd: (K1, k2tog) around.

Knit 3 rnds even.

Third dec rnd: K2tog around. 

Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Draw tail through all sts and pull the sts together. Weave in tail on inside. 

Thumb:

Slip thumb gore sts onto two dpns. With a 3rd needle pick up and k 3 sts over the sts cast on over the thumb gore opening. (16 sts for thumb). 

On first round of knitting, redistribute sts evenly on three needles (5, 5, and 6).

Knit around until thumb measures 2" above cast on sts. Dec 1 st in last round (15 sts).

Dec for top of thumb: 

Next rnd: (K1, k2tog) around. 

Knit one round even.

Next rnd: K2tog around. Finish as for top of mitten.

Left Mitten:

Work the same as for Right Mitten except when you increase  for the thumb gusset, do as follows:

Rnd. 1:  Work to last three sts, place marker, inc in first stitch, K1, inc in next stitch (thumb gore sts marked off).

Finishing:

Weave in ends. Block, if desired. 

 

Comments

[Kate/Massachusetts]

Thank you, Beth, for sharing this mitten pattern. I really like the shape of your mitten. I recently bought silk hankies and want to try knitting mittens from them so I am happy to find your pattern. Now all I need is to figure out how to draft the silk into yarn!