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I use a relatively thick wool/mohair yarn (Lamb's Pride worsted) as one
strand, and then angora as a second strand. The cuffs are 3" long
and knit in LP. Then I do an increase round above the cuff, adding enough
> sts to be divisible by 4. I tend to make this a BIG mitten, so there
is plenty of looseness and air-space on the inside, which works best for
keeping your hands wrapped in a cloud :) Once I begin the hand, I carry
> the angora (A) along and work the following pattern:
ROUND 1: *K1 A, K3 LP* repeat around
ROUND 2: * K2 LP, K1 A, K1 LP* repeat around
Repeat those 2 lines for an inch, then make a gusset (increasing 2 sts
EOR) until you have 12 new sts. (Keep your pattern as intact as you can...I
like to add 2 sts right at the beginning of a round...this makes the color
pattern easier to keep in sync). Remove the 12 to a holder and reconnect
the hand, add NO sts, working around in pattern until the mitten clears
your ring finger. Decrease your sts down to something divisible by 6 in
the last round, then decrease the top as follows:
* k (whatever), k2 tog*, repeat around
* k (whatever-1), k2 tog*, repeat around
* k (whatever-2), k2 tog*, repeat around
* k (whatever-3), k2 tog*, repeat around
and so on until you have 6 sts. Close them off.
Thumbs:
Oh, I have an opinion about thumbs. They should be made on TOO MANY stitches
at the base, and then in the first (and second round, if you like) get
rid of them exactly where mittens like to "gape"..at the "corners".
I like to pick up 6 sts for these mittens, and then with the 12 at the
start, reduce them all to 14 in the first round. This may play havoc with
the angora color patterning, or not (sometimes the pattern will accommodate
this off number easily), so be prepared to be critical about where the
angora flecks are being positioned in the first round.
When in doubt...keep the original pattern up the base of the gusset and
"fudge" the ones on the inside of the thumb.
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