My Favorite Things by Star Athena
In the Sound of Music, Julie Andrews waxed poetic about bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens to children afraid of a passing storm. By singing about her favorite things, she was able to transform fear into laughter. These mittens are inspired by her joyful alchemy. The design is simple enough with angular cables motif on each mitt, but the placement makes for a new picture when hands are pressed together, palm-up. The image is then transformed into somethingnew. Skill Level: Advanced beginner. Finished Sizes: Woman's medium (Man's medium) - 7.5 (8.5") [19 (21.5) cm] circumference. Yarn: 150-175 yards worsted weight yarn. Sample shown: Madeline Tosh Vintage (100% superwash wool; 200 yd [182 m]/100 g): Color: Earl Grey, 1 skein. Needles: Size 5 (3.75 mm): double pointed needles or 32" cir (magic loop) or 2 sets of 24" cir (2 cir method). Adjust needle sizes if necessary to obtain the correct gauge. Notions: Cable needle, waste yarn, stitch markers, tapestry needle. Gauge: 20 sts and 28 rows = 4" (10 cm) in St st. Stitch Guide: Twisted Ribbing: Round 1: \*K1tbl,pl; rep from \* to end. Rep round 1 for pattern. ABBREVIATIONS: BO: Bind off CN: Cable Needle CQ: Cast on Cont: Continue DD: Double Decrease. Slip 2 sts as if knitting them together, k1, pass slipped sts over knit st. Est: Established K: Knit K2tog: Knit two stitches together as one stitch M: Marker M1L: Make one,left leaning. Bring the tip of the left-hand needle under the strand between stitches, from front to back. Knit through the back of the loop. One stitch increased. M1R: Make one, right leaning: Bring the tip of the left-hand needle under the strand between stitches, from back to front. Knit this loop. One stitch increased. N1 (N2): Needle 1 (2) P: Purl PM:Place Marker P2tog: Purl two stitches together as one stitch Rep: Repeat RM: Remove Marker Rnd: Round RS: Right (or public) side of work Sl: Slip. As in, slip the next stitch from left to right purl-wise. St: stitch Tbl: Through back loop WS: Wrong (or non-public) side of work SSK: Slip one stitch as if to knit, slip the next stitch as if to knit, insert left needle into front of these two stitches and knit them together. YQ: Yarn over
Start Mitts:
Cuff: CO 38 (42) sts. Join to work in the round. Work Twisted Ribbing for 3" (3.5") or to desired length. Hand: Rnd 1: M1l, work twisted rib to end of row. [39 (43) sts] Begin Gusset Shaping as follows for both sizes: Rnd 1: K0 (2), pm, work cable chart, k0 (2), pm, m1l, k1, m1r, pm. [2 gusset sts increased] Rnd 2: Knit to marker, work cable chart, knit to end. Size WM only: Rnds 3-4: Work cable chart, knit to end of round. Rnd 5: (Increase rnd) Work cable chart, slm, m1l, knit to last marker, m1r, slm. Rep rnds 3-5 three more times. [11 gusset sts] Rnds 15-17: Work cable chart, knit to end of rnd. Rnd 18: Rep rnd 5. [13 gusset sts] Rnds 19-21: Rep rnds 15-17. Size MM only: Rnd 3: (Increase rnd) Knit to marker, work cable chart, knit to marker, slm, m1l, knit to last marker, mlr, slm. Rnd 4: Knit to marker, work cable chart, knit to end of rnd. Rep rnds 3-4 once more. [7 gusset sts] Rnd 7:Rep rnd 3. [9 gusset sts] Rnds 8-9: Rep rnd 4. Rep rnds 7-9 four more times. [17 gusset sts] Rnds 22-24: Rep rnd 4. Both Sizes: Divide sts: Place gusset sts on waste yarn, removing markers on each side of gusset. CO 1 st over gap left by gusset and PM. [39 (43) sts] Next rnd: Work cable chart, knit to end of rnd. Rep this rnd until cable chart is completed, RM at beginning of chart sts. tten hits top of little finger or approx 1.5" (1.75") less than desired total length. ShapeTop: Rnd 1: K0 (1),\*k11 (12),k2tog; rep from \* to end of rnd. [36 (40) sts] Rnd 2: \*K7 (8), k2tog; rep from \* to end of rnd. Rnd 3 (and all odd rounds): Knit. Rnd 4: \*K6 (7), k2tog; rep from \* to end of rnd. Cont in this manner, working one less knit st in between decreases until 20 sts remain,ending with an even rnd. Then work decrease round every round until 4 (8) sts remain. Break yarn, Thread tail onto tapestry needle and sew through remaining sts. Pull tight and fasten inside mitten.
Thumb:
Return held sts to needles. Leaving a long tail to sew up holes later,pick up and knit 1 st over gap, PM, and prepare to begin working in the round. [14 (18) sts] Knit all sts in the rnd until thumb sts hit the middle of the thumb nail or approx 1.5" (2") from pick up round. ShapeThumb: Round 1: [K2tog, k3 (4)] twice, k2tog, k2 (4). [3 sts decreased =11 (15) sts] Round 2 (and all even rounds): Knit. Round 3: [K2tog, k2 (3)] twice, k2tog, k1 (3). SizeWM: Round 5: [K2tog, k1] twice, k2tog. 5 sts remain SizeMM: Round 5: [K2tog, k2] twice, k2tog, k2. 9 sts remain. Round 7: [K2tog, k1] three times. 6 sts remain. Both sizes: Break yarn and finish as for mitten top. Finishing Block piece. Weave in all loose ends,sewing up any holes in the gusset as needed.
| knit knit stitch | |
| XK cn. | Left Twist Slip 1 st to cn and hold to the front, k1, k1 from |
| XN cn. | Left Twist with Purl Slip 1 st to cn and hold to the front, p1, k1 from |
| B | knit tbl Knit stitch through back loop |
| YA cn. | Right Twist with Purl Slip 1 st to cn and hold to the back, k1, p1 from |
| cn. | Right Twist Slip 1 st to cn and hold to the back, k1, k1 from |
| purl purl stitch | |
| cross 1 over 1 left s12 to CN, hold in front. k1, sl center st from CN back to left hand needle and knit it. k1 from CN |
Modeled by Vivian Aubrey and Adam Heller. Photography by Marcia Sanders-Guard. Tech Knit by Alice Burnham. Many thanks!
