FAST FLEECY CHILDRENS' MITS WITH HANGING LOOPS

Sizes:  For a preschooler (instructions for a grade-school age child in
parentheses)

Materials:  Reynolds Lopi (approx 3/4 of a ball for the larger size).  Small
amount of wool roving or sliver, or wool batts torn into strips.  This will show, so
pick a color which either matches or contrasts nicely with your yarn color.  Size 6 and
10 dp needles.

Prepare fleece:  Split rovings into wispy lengths about 4-5" long, and about
as thick as your yarn.  Make a pile of these.

Pattern stitch:Pattern stitch:
Stst throughout.  On every 4th row, knit a piece of fleece into every 4th
stitch as follows:  Insert tip of right-hand needle into stitch as if to knit, but do
not throw yarn yet.  Fold a piece of prepared fleece in half and slip it over the
needle tip so the ends point in towards the inside of the mitten.  Now knit the stitch in
the normal way;  the fleece will show as a fuzzy bump on the outside of the
mitten and will be locked into place.  Note:  These do go in every 4th stitch, but
you can fudge a little to get the bumps all to line up, or to be staggered,
whichever you prefer.

Directions:
Using size 6 dp needles, cast on 26 (28) stitches, leaving a 12-14" tail of
yarn (you can put this on a bobbin or simply make it into a small hank to get it
out of the way if it bothers you).  Rib in k1p1 for 2 (2-1/2) inches.  Switch to
size 10 dps and st st.

Row 1:  Knit around.
Row 2:  On first needle, knit in front and back of first two stitches, place
a marker, knit even.  On every third row thereafter, increase in this way in
first and last stitch in this group of stitches until there are 8 stitches in front of
marker. This group of stitches will form the thumb gusset.

Thumb opening:
Once your gusset has 8 stitches in it, you are ready to make the thumb
opening. On the next round, slip these 8 stitches to a holder (a piece of contrasting
colored yarn or a large coil-less safety pin works well), then knit the rest
of the round as established.

On the next round, cast on 2 stitches over the 8 stitches on the holder, and
knit the rest of the round as established.

Continue to knit in this manner, inserting fleece every 4th stitch on every
4th row, until mitten reaches end of child's little finger when tried on.

Decrease for tip as follows:
(For larger size only:  *k5, k2tog*)
First decrease round:  *k4, k2tog*
2nd decrease round:  *k3, k2tog*
Continue decreasing in this manner until 6 stitches are left on the needles.
Break yarn and draw tail through stitches, drawing them up tight.Thumb:  Transfer 8
stitches from holder onto needles and pick up 4 stitches at top of opening.  Arrange
these 12 stitches evenly and knit (inserting fleece as before, but using slightly thinner
pieces) until thumb lacks 1/2" being as long as child's thumb.  Decrease by working
*k2tog* around once, knitting one round even, and working *k2tog* for an additional
row.  Break off yarn and draw stitches up.

Turn inside out, weave in loose yarn ends.  Spread fleece out more evenly on
hand--you won't be able to cover all the spots, but wear will help to even it
out. Turn right side out again.

(Optional) Fireplace loops: Thread cast-on tail onto a large darning needle
and tighten up very beginning of mitten where the "jag" is.  Remove darningneedle.
Using long cast-on tail, cast on 2 stitches onto a size 6 dp needle so that
needle is right up against the mitten.  Work in I-cord* until tail is about 1-1/2
inches long. Draw tail through stitches, thread darning needle on again, and stitch end
of I- cord portion down next to beginning of cord to make a loop for hanging.
 Weave in end.

Repeat for second mitten.

*I-cord (Elizabeth Zimmerman's Idiot cord):  Knit 2 stitches on dp needles.
Without turning work, slide these two stitches to right-hand end of needle,
take yarn behind work and bring it up to right side again, give a little tug to
pull it snugly, and knit these two stitches again.  Work in this way, knitting the
stitches, sliding them down to the end of the new needle, and knitting them again,
repeating until your cord is of the desired length.  Draw remaining yarn through
stitches to  secure.
Nancy in Connecticut
karaho@aol.com

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