Birdie's Mitts - Revised
The name for the mitts comes from Birdie Bowers, the youngest member of Captain Scott's South Pole party in 1912. At 5 feet, 4 inches tall and with his beaky nose (hence his nickname) he did not initially impress. Scott said "Well, we're landed with him now, and must make the best of it." However his role grew from storekeeper to being in charge of the landing, stores, navigation and sledging rations. He was tough, dependable and cheerful - endearing himself to all. He perished on the return journey from the Pole along with Scott and the other 3 men. I like to think these are the kind of mitts his mother would have made for him to wear as he worked. Note: When I first devised this pattern I used DPNs. Later I made the mitts using a circular needle and found I needed to add a few more rows to keep the length - obviously a quirk with me and circulars. So I have revised the pattern to allow for this. I have also changed the Thumb Gusset increases in the [vain] hope of them being tighter and less prone to small holes.
Yarn:
Sock by Vintage Purls - Fingering weight/4Ply (75% Merino/25% Nylon) 420yds/384m per 100g skein - 0ne skein. Note - each mitt requires approximately 15g or 63yds/58m
edles: Use the needle size that gives you the gauge listed below
2.75mm (US2) DPNs or circular 3.25mm (US3) DPNs or circular 3.5mm (Us4) single needle (for cast off) 1 cable needle Size: Fits a hand 19cm (7.5 inches) around at the palm uge: 26sts/36rows = 10cm in stocking stitch on larger needles
Abbreviations:
C6B - slip next 4 sts onto cable needle and leave at back of work, knit next 2 sts from left-hand needle, transfer the last 2 sts on the cable needle back to the lefthand needle and then purl these 2 sts, knit the remaining 2 sts on the cable needle C6F - slip next 4 sts onto cable needle and leave at front of work, knit next 2 sts from left-hand needle, transfer the last 2 sts on the cable needle back to the lefthand needle and then purl these 2 sts, knit the remaining 2 sts on the cable needle DPNs- double pointed needles k - knit k2tog - knit 2 sts together M1L - make 1 left leaning. Using the left-hand needle lift the strand (between the stitch on the left-hand needle and the stitch just worked on the right-hand needle) from front to back; then knit into the back of this new stitch M1PL - make one purlwise (left leaning). Using the left-hand needle lift the strand (between the stitch on the left-hand needle and the stitch just worked on the right-hand needle) from front to back; then purl into the back of this new stitch. M1R - make 1 right leaning. Using the left-hand needle lift the strand (between the stitch on the left-hand needle and the stitch just worked on the right-hand needle) from back to front; then knit into the front of this new stitch p- purl pm - place marker rm - remove marker sm - slip marker st - stitch
Left Mitt:
With smaller needles cast on 44 sts using the alternate cable cast-on (shown here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wQIm1H2hDM) however cast on 2 sts knitwise and 2 sts purlwise and repeat until 44 sts in total. Or use your own stretchy cast-on. Divide stitches among 3 DPN's - or work on circulars. Join and work in k2, p2 rib for 23 rounds. (If necessary place a marker to show where the round begins; or use the tail of the yarn) Round 24: Change to larger needles and work in k2, p2 rib Round 25: [k2,p2] 5 times, [C6F, p2] 3 times Round 26-28: k2, p2 rib to end - for 3 rounds Round 29-32: k18, p2, then k2, p2 rib to end - for 4 rounds Round 33: k18, p2, [C6F, p2] 3 times Round 34-37: k18, p2, then k2, p2 rib to end for 4 rounds - 0r as many rounds as desired to get to the base of the thumb which would give more length at the Wrist Round 38: k16, pm, M1PL, k2, M1PL, pm, p2, [k2,p2] 6 times Round 39: k16, sm, p1, k2, p1, sm, rib to end Round 40: k16, sm M1PL, p1, k2, p1, M1PL, sm, rib to end Round 41: k16, sm, p2, k2, p2, sm, rib to end Round 42: k16, sm, M1l, p2, k2, p2, M1R, sm, rib to end Round 43: k16, sm, k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, sm, rib to end Round 44: k16, sm, M1L, k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, M1R, sm, rib to end Round 54: k16, rm, place the 18sts between the markers on a holder or piece of yarn, rm, and then continue to work the rest of the stitches in the round in p2, k2 rib, pulling tightly at the gap where the thumb sts were (42 sts) Round 55-66: k16 then rib to end for 12 rounds - or as many rounds as necessary to reach the base of the fingers \*\*Round 67: M1L, k16, M1R, rib to end 58-77: Change to smaller needles and work 10 rounds of k2, p2 rib Round 78: Cast off in rib using 3.5mm(Us4) needle in right hand Thumb: Using 3.25mm (Us3) needles pick up 4 sts in the gap and k1,p2,k1 these 4 sts. Then place the other 18 held sts onto the needles and work k2tog, [p2,k2] 3 times, p2, k2tog for a total of 20sts when the round is finished Join round and work k1, [p2,k2] 4 times, p2, k1 for 3 rounds. Change to smaller needles and work 4 more rounds Cast off loosely in ribbing pattern. You may consider using a larger needle in your right hand to effect this. Sew in the ends
Right Mitt:
Work as for left mitt to Round 24 Round 25: [C6B,p2] 3 times, [k2,p2] 5 times Round 26-28: k2, p2 rib to end - for 3 rounds Round 29-32: [k2,p2] 6 times, k18, p2 - for 4 rounds Round 33: [C6B, p2] 3 times, k18, p2 Round 34-37: [k2,p2] 6 times, k18, p2 - for 4 rounds - or as many rounds as desired to get to the base of the thumb which would give more length at the Wrist Round 38: [k2,p2] 6 times, pm, M1PL, k2, M1PL, pm, k16, p2 Round 39: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, p1, k2, p1, sm, k16, p2 Round 40: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, M1PL, p1, k2, p1, M1PL, sm, k16, p2 Round 41: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, p2, k2, p2, sm, k16, p2 Round 42: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, M1l, p2, k2, p2, M1R, sm, k16, F Round 43: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, sm, k16, p2 Round 44: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, M1L, k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, M1R, sm, k16, p2 Round 45: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, sm, k16, p2 Round 46: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, M1Pl, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, M1Pl, sm, k16, p2 und 47: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, p1, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p1, sm, k16, F Round 48: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, M1PL, p1, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p1, M1Pl, sm, k16, p2 Round 49: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, sm, k16, p2 Round 50: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, M1l, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, M1R, sm, k16, p2 k2,p2] 6 times, sm, k1, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k1, sm, k16, p2 Round 52: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, M1l, k1, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k1, M1R, sm, k16, p2 Round 53: [k2,p2] 6 times, sm, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, sm, k16, p2 Round 54: [k2,p2] 6 times, rm, place the 18sts between the markers on a holder or piece of yarn, rm, and then continue to work the rest of the stitches in the round k16, p2, pulling tightly at the gap where the thumb sts were (42 sts) Round 55-66: [k2,p2] 6 times, then k16, p2 - for 12 rounds - or as many rounds as necessary to reach the base of the fingers Round 67: [k2,p2] 6 times, M1L, k16, M1R, p2 58-77: Change to smaller needles and work 10 rounds of k2, p2 rib Round 78: Cast off in rib using 3.5mm(US4) needle in right hand Thumb: Work as for Left Mitt
