Create 2 skeins ~20m long (or 1 full pattern repeat for matching mittens) for the hands, and 2 skeins ~3m long for the thumbs. (If you want matching thumbs, wait to see what part of the yarn you are up to before cutting these skeins.)
Work both mittens the same: It is easy to make identical alterations or work in stripes etc if you knit both at the same time.
Leave at least 20cm tail for sewing up the side seam. Cast on 31 stitches. CUFF Rows 1-8: Knit 8 rows of knit 1, purl 1 ribbing. BEGIN HAND Rows 9-12: Knit 4 rows of stocking stitch (knit odd rows, purl even rows). INCREASES Row 13: K14, KFB (knit into the front and back of the 15th stitch), K1, KFB, K14. Row 14: Purl. Row 15: K14, KFB, K3, KFB, K14. Row 16: Purl. Row 17: K14, KFB, K5, KFB, K14. Row 18: Purl. Row 19: K14, KFB, K7, KFB, K14. Row 20: Purl. Row 21: K14, KFB, K9, KFB, K14. Row 22: Purl. Row 23: K14, KFB, K11, KFB, K14. (Now have 41 sts.) Row 24: Purl. THUMB Row 25a: K26, turn work around. Join thumb yarn as close as possible to the knitting. Do not cut hand yarn off - hook the skein on the end of your needle or similar to keep it out of the way. Row T1: Using thumb yarn, Cast on 1st, then purl 12 sts (counting the cast-on st), turn work around, cast on 1 st. Row T2-T9: Knit 8 rows stocking stitch over these 13 thumb stitches. Row T10: [K2tog] three times, K1. (7 sts left) Cut thumb yarn ~30cm long, thread onto needle. Pass needle through the 7 sts and take them off the knitting needle. Pull tight & oversew to secure. Turn thumb right sides together and stitch thumb side seam to corner of hand. Oversew to secure, but do not cut yarn - leave long to fill any holes you may have at the end. HAND Row 25b: Returning to hand yarn, pick up and knit 3 sts across base of thumb (the 2 cast-on stitches and one at the seam). Knit to end of row. (You should now have 33 sts on the needle.) Row 26: Purl Rows 27 - 32: Work 8 rows stocking stitch. DECREASE **To make matching decreases, the right edges of the mitten will be ssk (Put needle through front of stitch as if to knit, but slip onto other needle without knitting, repeat for 2nd stitch, pass both stitches back (now twisted) and K2tog.), the left edges will be K2tog. It is not essential, and you can replace all ssk with k2tog. ** Row 35: K1, ssk, K11, K2tog, K1, ssk, K11, K2tog, K1 Row 36: Purl Row 37: K1, ssk, K9, K2tog, K1, ssk, K9, K2tog, K1 Row 38: Purl Row 39: K1, ssk, K7, K2tog, K1, ssk, K7, K2tog, K1 Row 40: Purl Row 41: K1, ssk, K5, K2tog, K1, ssk, K5, K2tog, K1 Row 42: Purl Cast off. Leave ~25cm tail. Fold mitten in half, right sides together, Use tails to sew side seam & weave in ends. If there are holes at the base of the thumb, use the tail to darn the holes, then weave in the loose end. Trim off excess yarn tails. Turn mitten right side out.Create 2 skeins ~20m long (or 1 full pattern repeat for matching mittens) for the hands, and 2 skeins ~3m long for the thumbs. (If you want matching thumbs, wait to see what part of the yarn you are up to before cutting these skeins.)
Work both mittens the same: It is easy to make identical alterations or work in stripes etc if you knit both at the same time.
Wendy "Happy" 4 ply (75% bamboo/25% nylon) [Tension: 36 rows & 28 sts to 10cm];
3mm knitting needles;
Darning needle to sew seams
What was your inspiration?
Winter is coming, E. has outgrown the thumbless newborn mitts and the shops only stock gloves for age 5+. I hope, having thumbs, she will be able to play wearing the mittens and won't keep pulling them off. We will see...
What are you most proud of?
Finishing in one day.
What advice would you give someone starting this project?
Knit in 8ply/DK and 4mm needles for a 12-18 month size.
I really like the matching mittens, but it wastes a bit of yarn making matching skeins and finding the right segment for the thumbs. I'm sure these would be cute in plain colours or self-patterning sock yarns, too.
You could crochet or plait or twist a cord to join the mittens and thread through the child's coat if you want. (In the land of no-central-heating, E. is using these indoors, so she won't be in a coat.)
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