Caaaarbs! mittens : Knitty Winter 2012

by Erin Wilk

Inspired by the internet-famous Flying Spaghetti Monster, oodles of noodles cascade down the backs and palms of these stranded mittens. The noodles on the palm arch up the thumb and curl into a heart.

Constructed in an otherwise fairly traditional manner, they feature an afterthought thumb and optional meatball pom poms.

model + photos: Erin Wilk


SIZE One (Adult Medium)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Hand circumference: 8 inches
Length: 9.25 inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Loopy Ewe Solid Series [100% Superwash Merino Wool; 220yd/201m per 2 oz skein]; color:
[MC] Eggplant; 1 skein
[CC1] Oyster; 1 skein
[CC2] Mocha; 1 skein (optional, for meatball pom-poms)

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #1.5/2.5mm needles for working in the round
US #2.5/3.0mm needles for working in the round

Notions
yarn needle
small length of scrap yarn (less than a yard) in a contrasting color for thumb placement
stitch markers
pom pom maker or equivalent (optional)

GAUGE

32 sts/34 rounds = 4 inches in stranded color pattern, after blocking

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

For best results, use a pom pom maker designed for making 1.5 inch pom poms. If one is not available, instructions for making pom poms are located here. For best results, make dense pom poms that are slightly larger than desired and trim to size.

Instructions for grafting can be found here.

Directions and tips for colorwork can be found here.

Charts
The charts for this pattern are very large. Each fits on a letter-sized page.
Click below and print each resulting page.

Body Right • Body Left • Thumb

DIRECTIONS

MITTENS (make 2, with shaping differences for L and R mitts as noted below)

Cuff
Using MC, smaller needles and long-tail cast on or your preferred stretchy cast on method, CO 64 sts. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.

Ribbing round: [K2, p2] around.
Work ribbing as set for 18 rounds.

Switch to larger needles. Knit 1 round.

Mitten Body
Join CC1.

Work Body Chart Right across the first 32 sts, work Body Chart Left across rem 32 sts.

Work as set until Round 25 of chart is complete.

Right Mitten only, Round 26: Work 33 sts in pattern as set, K 11 sts using contrasting waste yarn. Slip these 11 sts back on the left hand needle and then work them in pattern as per chart. Continue in pattern to end of round.

Left Mitten only, Round 26: Work Work 51 sts in pattern as set, K 11 sts using contrasting waste yarn. Slip these 11 sts back on the left hand needle and then work them in pattern as per chart. Continue in pattern to end of round.

Work Rounds 27-64 of chart, decreasing as indicated.

When all rounds have been completed, 40 sts remain.
Break CC1.

Arrange all sts evenly across two needles. Arrange all sts evenly across two needles so that there is an MC st to be worked first, and using MC, graft sts together using Kitchener stitch.

Thumb
Remove waste yarn from thumb sts, placing the resulting live sts onto two needles; one for the sts above the thumb hole and one needle for the sts below the thumb hole. There will be 22 sts: 11 sts each above and below thumb hole.

Pick up a stitch on each end of both needles -- 13 sts on top, 13 on bottom; 26 total.

Distributes sts as you prefer, rejoin both MC and CC1 yarn at the rightmost of the lower stitches (this is the st you picked up from the side of the thumb hole at the rightmost bottom side) and join for working in the round.
Starting at round 1, work the chart to the end, decreasing as indicated.

Note: The thumb chart has different fronts and backs, and the right half of the chart is meant to be facing out when the mittens are worn.

14 sts rem when chart is complete.

Arrange all sts evenly across two needles so that there is an MC st to be worked first, and using MC, graft sts together using Kitchener stitch.

FINISHING
Weave in all ends and block as desired.
Make 4 pom poms with CC2 (finished size 1.5 inches), if desired.
Sew poms poms to backs of mittens where the meatball motif is located.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Although Erin originally taught herself to knit in high school, a repetitive strain injury made her put her needles away for the better part of a decade. Now she's desperately trying to make up for lost time. She's working on learning to walk and knit at the same time, but suspects she's not graceful enough to pull it off. When not knitting, talking about knitting, planning knitting projects, thinking about knitting, or hanging out with knitters, Erin can be found asleep.

You can follow her new knitting blog here.