Color-Tipped Mitts
by Jenny Lynch, 2015 A quickie gift knit inspired by mitts I saw in the Sundance catalog (thumb construction is based on Deborah Newton's Garter-Cuff Gloves).
DK yarn, 4 colors (less than 1 skein each) US 4 needles: one 8" circular & one set doublepointed
CUFF: CO 34 sts on circular needle. Join and place marker for beginning of round. K 6 rows in contrast color; then K 2 rows each in alternate colors, forming 7 stripes (7 stripes should measure about 1.5 inches). Tip: Search YouTube for how to knit "jogless stripes inthe round." LEFT HAND GLOVE: Begin next stripe, increasing 8 stitches evenly on 2nd row of this stripe (till total of 42 sts on needles). Finish this 2-row stripe, and continue knitting for 7 more stripes (another 1.5 inches). LEFT GLOVE THUMB OPENING: (For the left glove the beginning of the round is at the pinky finger edge.) K13, then K7 with waste yarn, then return last 7 to left-hand needle, then k to end. Knit another row to finish this stripe. Knit another 7 stripes. Then switch to contrast color and knit 1 row, then do 2 rows of 1 x 1 ribbing, and then bind off in pattern. THUMB: slip a dpn into the 7 sts below the sts knitted with scrap yarn. Slip a dpn into 8 sts above the thumb sts. Should have 15 sts total. Remove waste yarn and divide sts on 3 dpns. Begin round in the middle of the upper stitches (so beginning will be hidden in thumb crotch). With contrast color, knit 1 rnd, and at the same time, pick up 1 st in each corner (between upper and lower sts); knit the 2 corner sts through back of their loops to keep from forming hole = 17 sts. Knit 11 more rows and B0. RIGHT GLOVE: Work same as for left glove, placing thumb opening as follows: K21 to halfway point, then k2, then k7 with waste yarn . continue as with left glove.
Knitting stripes in the round using the jogless technique helps soften the color transitions. Striped thumb variation (at far right): Knit five 2-row stripes, then knit 2 rows in contrast color and then bind off.
