Is your stash overwhelming you? Bits of leftovers are hiding in every corner. I know - I'm one of you."Oh no,' I think to myself -"l can't throw out that little bit of sock yarn. I might need it for something" You too, huh? But chances are, you have more odds and ends than you need.You might as well put it to good use, right? For all you knitters with extra stash, here's a pattern to help you rid your closets of a bit of worsted weight yarn and some odds and ends of standard sock yarn. Sit yourself down for two evenings and you will have a pair of triple-stranded fingerless mittens to give away or use yourself when you are working in the garden or stacking wood. Teenagers love these (that's my I7 year old niece Celia modeling them) and we all know how hard they are to please! If you get busy, you can have several pairs made for holiday gifting.The pattern has 5 sizes - for allsizes of kids to adults.If you like making this pattern, check out my Winter Wonderland Cap + Mitten Set available on my website (see page 3 for photo). It uses a similar stranding technique and includes a flower trimmed cap and mitten set sized for toddlers to adults. If you are a beginning knitter, these are easy enough for you too! A great way to learn how to make a thumb gusset and stretch your skills Grab your double pointed needles, some leftover yarns and cast on! Happy Knitting and Gifting!
SIZES: Child's small (child's medium, child's large/women's small women's average, men's average). Hand circumference: 53/4 (6′/4, 7'/2, 8, 9) MATERIALS: You will knit with three strands of yarn at the same time - one strand of worsted weight yarn and two strands of selfstripingsock yarn.
Sample Shown used:
For worsted weight: Julia by Nashua Handknits (50% wool, 25% mohair, 25% alpaca) - 50 grams = approx. 93 yards/85 meters.1 used Color Magenta No. 2083 - I ball for all sizes Standard Sock Yarn: 2 balls of assorted colors Best Foot Forward Sock Yarn by Nashua Handknits (75% Wool, 25% Nylon, I00 gram ball) 459 yards/ball - I ball each of 2 colors for all sizes - there will be leftover yarn. YARN AND COLOR NOTE: If you have odds and ends of sock yarn, it is perfectly fine to mix different colors together in one mitten.You will rid your stash and learn a bit about mixing colors at the sametime. NEEDLES + NOTIONS: Double pointed needles in size 7 and 9 (4.5 and 5.5 mm), stitch markers, 2 small stitch holders and 2 stitch markers, tapestry needle for weaving in ends. GAUGE: On larger circular needles in stockinette stitch with 3 strands held together, 3′/2 sts = I'". Take time to save time, check yourgauge. MITTENS: With two smaller dpn, CO 20 (22, 26, 28, 32) sts. Distribute sts onto 3 dpn.Join sts in round, taking care not to twist. Work in St st for 2". Edge will roll to the outside. Change to larger needles. Work until piece meas 3'/2 (4, 4'/2, 5'/2, 6)" from CO edge.
BEGTHUMBGUSSETSHAPING:
Round I:K10 (11, I3, 14, 16) sts, place marker, inc I, place marker, k to end of round - 21 (23,27,29,33) sts. Round 2: K around. Round 3:K to first marker, sl m, ml, kl, ml, sl m, k to end of round - 23 (25, 29, 31, 35) sts. Round 4: K around. Round 5: K to first marker, sl m, ml, k3, ml, sl m, k to end of round - 25 (27, 31, 33, 37) sts. Round 6: K around. Cont inc 2 sts bet markers in this manner every other round I (2, 2 3, 4) more times - 7 (9, 9, II, I3) sts bet markers. SLIP THUMB STS TO HOLDER: Work 10 (II, 13, I4, I6) sts, sl m, work across thumb sts, sl m, slip the thumb sts to a stitch holder or yarn scrap to be finished later, work to end of round - 20 (22, 26,28, 32) sts. Cont working fingerless mitten for 2 (3, 3,4,4) rounds.
MITTEN BORDER:
Decrease Round: \* K3, k2tog;\* around knitting any rem sts. Change to smaller needles. Round 2: Purl all sts. Round 3: Knit all sts. Round 4: BO in purl st. Cut yarns leaving a 6" tail. Pull yarns to inside and weave in ends. Continued on page 3.
THUMB:
With 3 dpn, pick up the sts on the holder, distributing them as evenly as possible. Join yarn leaving a 5" tail and knit around 7 (9, 9, Il, 13) thumb sts, pick up I st at upper mitten to give 8 (10, 10, 12, I4) sts. Round 2: Purl all sts. Round 3: Knit all sts dec I st by k2tog at any point in the round. Round 4: BO in purl st. Cut yarns leaving a 6" tail. Weave in on wrong side using the tail to close any gap where thumb sts were picked up. All photos and text @ 2010, Kristin Nicholas Other knitting patterns featuring my Julia Wool/ Mohair Alpaca available by PDF Download at www.kristinnicholas.com
Left: Quarters Cap Felted Farmer's Market Bag Knit It, Felt It, Zip It Bag Center: Winter Wonderland Cap + Mittens Right: Farmgirl's Stocking Cap A Dog in Sheep's Clothing Olympia's Knit + Crochet Felted Flowers
Abbreviations
beg - begin(ning) bet - between co -cast on cont - continue dpn - double pointed needle inc - increase k - knit k2tog - knit 2 together m - make I by backward loop meas-measures rem - remain(ing) rep - repeat sl m - slip marker Sp - space St(s) - stitch(es) ①2010 Kristin Nicholas - www.kristinnicholas.com - Page 3 Thank you for downloading my handknitting pattern. I hope you enjoy making it. Visit my website to learn more about my knitwear and stitchery design.There you can purchase my books and other knitting and stitching patterns.Visit your local yarn store to purchase my Julia Wool/Mohair/Alpaca Yarn. It's beautiful to knit with and comes in over 35 incredibly beautiful colors that all coordinate with one another.
www.kristinnicholas.com
To read about my life on our sheep farm in western Massachusetts, visit my blog: http://getting-stitched-on-the-farm.blogspot.com
