I usually knit in a very planned-out, methodical way. Occasionally, though, I like to just start knitting and change colors as the spirit moves me. These warm, festive children's mittens knitted in Lamb's Pride Bulky are the result. They're easy to make and a great stash-busting project. While I have written this as a formal pattern, specifying the yarns I used and where I changed colors, you will have much more fun creating your own stripe pattern. Also, since I did not originally intend to draft a pattern for these mittens, I did not take the time to knit them perfectly to size. The pattern varies slightly from the mittens pictured so that they will fit a size 8 child's hand. Basic instructions were drawn from the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, by Ann Budd. SKILLS NEEDED - knitting in the round; increasing and decreasing SIZE - children's US size 8
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 6.5 inches (inner diameter); 7.25 inches (outer diameter) Length: 5.25 inches (to cuff) These are the pattern measurements, which are longer than the model.
MATERIALS
Lamb's Pride Bulky $[85\%$ wool, $15\%$ mohair; 125yd/114m per 113g skein] [V] (violet) color: Blue Magic (M77) [P] (pink) color: Antique Mauve (M85) [B] (brown) color: Sable (M07) [G] (green) color: Old Sage (M69) [T] (teal) color: Pine Tree (M68) Small quantities of each color are used. The total for the pair is about 70g. Use the needle sizes you need to get gauge. I used: (1) 32-47-inch US #7 $/\,4.5\;\mathrm{mm}$ circular needle (1) 32-47-inch US #9 $/\,5.5\;\mathrm{mm}$ circular needle (1) 32-47-inch US # $\hbar10\,/\,6.0\,\mathrm{mm}$ circular needle The pattern is written for knitting in the round using the magic loop technique, although it could easily be adapted to DPNs or two circulars. scrap yarn yarn needle Copyright $\circled{\mathbb{C}}\ 2009$ sharonf Free pattern on ravelry.com Personal use only. Allother rights reserved. Do not distribute pattrn in print or elctronic form, or produce itms for sale without the express written permission of the author. sharon $@$ sharonmattnadia.com GAUGE $14\ \mathrm{sts}/20\ \mathrm{rows}=4$ inches in stockinette stitch in the round on largest needle
TECHNIQUES and ABBREVIATIONS
This pattern assumes that you are familiar with standard knitting abbreviations. For a complete list, visit Knitty at knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/patterns.html#ksbbb. 3-in-1 Tech Join I used TechKnitter's 3-in-1 Tech Join to cast on. My summary is below. Visit TechKnitter's site for complete details and pictures (techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/01/circular-knitting-3-in-1- techjoin_26.html). 1. Using the long-tail cast on, and starting with a simple loop, rather than a slip knot, CO 3 stitches over one needle. 2. Hold the two ends of your needle together and CO the rest of your stitches over both ends of the needle until you get to the final 2 stitches, which are CO over one needle. 3. CO one last stitch over one needle. You now have one extra stitch. 4. Pull out one end of the needle. 5. Join to work in the round and slip the first stitch. Work the rest of the stitches around. 6. Knit the last stitch together with the first sipped stitch. You are now back to the correct number of stitches.) 7. Slip the next stitch. Continue working as usual. Twisted Rib $\ast\,_{\mathrm{kl}}$ through the back loop, p1 \* over an even number of stitches Traveling Jogless Join Iused TechKnitter's traveling jogless join throughout. My summary is below. Visit TechKnitter's site for complete details and pictures (techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/01/jogless-stripes.html). 1. Start your new color and knit one round. Slip the first stitch of the new color when you reach it again, and continue knitting as usual. 2. Each time you change colors, knit one stitch further to the left before starting your new color. (This keeps the slipped stitches from stacking up on top of each other and distorting the fabric.) As the jogless join moves around the mitten, you change colors later and later in the round. The pattern identifies each round by the color you change to, rather than the color you start with. If you want to carry a color up more than one round, catch the float as you go so you don't have a long loose strand on the WS.
Increasing and Decreasing
Use the increases and decreases of your choice. Increases that don't interrupt the stripe pattern are preferable. These would include backward loop cast on, or lifing the bar between the two stitchesbelow.
PATTERN
Cuff Using the smallet needle, CO 24 stitches in [V], using TechKnitters 3-in-1 Tech Join. Change to medium needle and work 2 rounds in Twisted Rib. On the model, I actually did 2 rounds of stockinette, but I don't think it turned out well in the bulky yarn, so I advise ribbing for the whole cuff. Break [V] and join [P]. Knit one round. Work 6 rounds in Twisted Rib. On next round, $\ast\,_{\mathrm{kl}}$ through the back loop, $\mathrm{sl}1^{*}$ around.
Lower Palm and Thumb Gusset
Rnd 1: using largest needle and [B], inc 2 sts in stockinette st evenly over the round Rnd 2: k13, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k to end of round Rnd 3: switch to [P] where required for traveling jogless join; work even in stockinette st Rnd 3: switch to [B] where req'd; k13, inc $1,\mathbf{k}3$ , inc 1, k to end of round Rnd 4: switch to [P] where req'd; knit even Rnd 5: switch to [G] where req'd and break [P]; knit even Rnd 6: k13, inc 1, k5, inc 1, k to end of round Rnd 7: switch to [B] where req'd; knit even Rnd 8: knit even Rnd 9: k13, inc 1, k7, inc 1, k to end of round Rnd 10: switch to [G] where req'd and break [B]; knit even Rnd 11: knit even Rnd 12: k13, inc $1,\mathrm{k}9$ , inc 1, k to end of round (36 sts) Rnd 13: switch to [V] where req'd and break [B]; k13 from first needle, k1 from second needle and place on first needle; place next 9 sts on scrap yarn to be used later for thumb; use backward loop cast on to CO 1 st over gap and $\mathbf{k}$ to end of round (28 sts)
Upper Palm
Knit 8 rounds even in color sequence specified (rows 3 and 4 are not pictured in the model) Rnd 1: switch to [G] where required for traveling jogless join Rnd 2: join [V] where req'd Rnd 3: switch to [G] where req'd Rnd 4: switch to [V] where req'd Rnd 5: join [T] where req'd Rnd 6: switch to [V] where req'd Rnd 7: switch to [G] where req'd and break [V] Rnd 8: continue in [G]
Fingertips
Exact placement of decreases in a round is not important, so long as they are evenly distributed. Rnd 1: continuing in [G], k1, $^{*}\mathrm{k}7$ ， $\mathrm{k}2\mathrm{tog^{*}}$ to end of round (25 sts) Rnd 2: switch to [T] where required for traveling jogless join; k5, k2tog, \* k4, k2tog \* (21 sts) Rnd 3: knit even in [T] Rnd 4: join [B] where req'd and break [T]; k4, k2tog, $^{*}\,\mathrm{k}3$ , k2tog \* (17 sts) Rnd 5: switch to [G] where req'd and continue in [G] to end of work; knit even Rnd 6: k3, k2tog, $^{*}\,\mathtt{k}2$ , k2tog \* (13 sts) Rnd 7: k2, k2tog, \* k1, k2tog \* (9 sts) Rnd 8: k1, k2tog, \* k2tog \* (5 sts) Break [G] and use yarn needle to thread end loosely through remaining sts. Using the needle, carefully pull the remaining stitches to tighten before pulling the end tight. Thread end through the first stitch again and dive down between the first and second stitches to bring yarn to ws.
Thumb
Using largest needle, pick up thumb stitches. Pickupthe additional stitch you cast on eale. (10 sts) Rnd 1: using [V], knit even Rnd 2: using [G], knit even Rnd 3-6: as for Rnds 1 and 2, with alternate stripes of [V] and [G] Rnd 7: continuing in [G] to end of work, k1, \* k2tog, k1 \* (7 sts) Rnd 8: knit even Rnd 9: k1, \* k2tog \* (4 sts) Secure tip of thumb as for fingertips.
FINISHING
Weave in loose ends, closing any holes at base of thumb. Block if desired.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Sharon (sharonf on Ravelry) has resumed knitting after a hiatus of twenty years and is attempting to make up for lost time. She keeps a sporadic knitting and miscellany blog (blog.sharonmattnadia.com), but thinks her cake design blog (cake.sharonmattnadia.com) is more interesting.
