Grandma Knitty Home
Knitty: little purls of wisdom
what's the editor up to lately?feature articlesKnitty's generous selection of patternsKnittyspin³archive of previous issuesMeet other Knitty readers and chat in our coffeeshop!sign up for the free Knitty newsletterLooking for an ad fromone of our advertisers? Click here!Our tiny, perfect online shopping mallGet yourself a little Knitty treat!read the behind-the-scenes news at Knitty
 


Find exactly what you're looking for

The answer to your question about Knitty is probably here!

Take home something Knitty today

Advertise with Knitty

Get your cool stuff reviewed in Knitty

Full information about how  to get published in Knitty

Read exactly what FREE PATTERNS really means...respect our designers and authors rights [and thank you]

Knitty is produced in a pro-rabbit environment

© Knitty 2002-2006. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. This means you.

 


<click for more!
 

I tend to spin a lot of bulky singles. Our family is already clad in enough hats, so I needed some new knit items to pawn off on them. Mittens came to mind. Quick and easy! But bulky singles aren't the ideal yarn to make a pair of mittens out of, especially a pair that will last a Vermont winter! They will pill, and possibly not be the sturdiest things.

Logic told me to felt. Ideal. Sturdy, pretty water resistant, and they won't pill! For a nice finishing touch (and for function, since I perpetually lose things), on the wrists I added beautiful handmade glass buttons from Moving Mud, and loops on the cuffs. (These knit up very fast; it might have taken these longer to felt & sew the buttons on than to knit the mittens.) One could even skip the whole spinning process and knit with some pre-drafted roving. Talk about quick!

photo: Symeon North & Matt Belizi

SIZE
S[L] Shown in size S; fits a small adult or large child
 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Before Felting
Length: approx. 13[15] inches
Circumference: approx. 12[14] inches

After Felting
Length: 8[9.25] inches
Circumference: 8[9.5] inches

 
MATERIALS

Pippikneesocks Handspun [100% wool, 70yd/64m per 2.8oz/73.7g skein, 9 WPI, Bulky+ weight]; color: Lost Sailor; 2[3] skeins

1 set US #15/10mm double-point needles
1 set US #10/6mm double-point needles
Stitch markers
Split ring marker or safety pin
Waste yarn
Tapestry needle
Sewing needle
Sewing thread
2 buttons

GAUGE

10 sts / 13 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st before felting

PATTERN NOTES

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

DIRECTIONS

Using larger needles, CO 28[34] sts.
Divide evenly between needles and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist. After a few rounds have been worked, place split ring marker or safety pin in work to indicate beginning of round.
K 10 rounds.

Thumb Gusset
Round 1: M1, k1, m1, place marker, k to end.

Round 2
: K all sts.
Round 3: M1, k to marker, m1, slip marker, k to end.
Repeat these 2 rounds 3[4] times more. 38[46] sts.  

K 1 round.
Next Round: Place first 11[13] sts of round on hold on waste yarn; remove marker and k to end of round. 27[33] sts.
K 10[12] rounds.

Shape Top of Mitten:
Round 1: [K7[9], k2tog, place marker] 3 times. 24[30] sts.

Round 2: K all sts.
Round 3: [K to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 3 times.
Repeat these 2 rounds 5[7] times more. Break yarn, draw through last 6 sts and pull tight.

Thumb
Place held sts of thumb on larger double-point needles and rejoin yarn.
Round 1: K all sts, pick up and k 2 sts in space between thumb sts and hand, pick up and k 1 st in hand of mitten, pick up and k 2 sts in space between hand and thumb sts. 16[18] sts.
K 7[9] rounds.

Shape Top of Thumb:
Round 1: [K2, k2tog] 4 times, k0[2]. 12[14] sts.
Rounds 2 & 4: K all sts.
Round 3: [K1, k2tog] 4 times, k0[2]. 8[10] sts.
Round 5: [K2tog] 4[5] times.
Break yarn, draw through remaining sts and pull tight.

Loop
At desired point, using smaller circular needle, pick up and k 1 st in edge of mitten.
Work this st in stockinette st until work measures 6 inches.
Break yarn, draw through st and pull tight.
Sew yarn tail into cuff of mitten next to picked-up st, forming a loop.

 

FINISHING

Weave in ends.  

Felt Mittens:
Set washing machine to hot setting and fill for small load.  
Place mittens in machine with a small amount of detergent, and an old pair of jeans (or some other heavy article of clothing), to help provide agitation for felting process.
Run through cycle, checking intermittently until bag reaches desired size.
Remove from machine and rinse.
Shape mittens as desired, then lay flat and allow to dry completely.
Sew on buttons.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Symeon Noth lives with her family in the wilds of Vermont. By day she runs her online yarn shop, whist performing jobs such as short order cook, story teller, nurse, judge and jury, teacher, juggler and all round corraller of children. By night she has been known to drink beverages of fermented grapes and lift elephants over her head.

You can visit her blog where she documents it all.