Size:
The pattern is written to make a standard women's size mitten. For
extra width, you could start with 36 or 39 sts; for extra length, start
decreasing for fingertips after the mitten covers the tip of the little
finger of the recipient
Abbreviations:
M1: a twisted bar increase. Lift the strand between the 2 sts, twist
once, and knit.
M1P: a twisted bar increase, purled: Lift the strand between the sts,
twist once, and purl.
Pattern:
Cast on 33 sts, with 11 sts per needle on 3 DPNs. Start rib stitch
pattern: *K2, P1*.
Work even for another 3 rounds.
Start Thumb Gusset:
Start between the last (P) st on your #3 needle and the first (K) on
the #1 needle: M1P. K2, M1P, P1, *K2, P1* repeat *to* to end of round.
Knit sts as they appear for one full round.
At end of round 7, M1 at end of needle #3: M1, P1, K2, P1, M1, P1, *K2, P1* repeat *to* to end of round. [At this point, you may pull the gusset sts (all those up to the first P st on needle #1) onto a separate needle, so you can better see what's going on w/ the gusset.]
Knit sts as they appear for one full round.
[What you are doing is M2sts every other round, keeping the integrity
of the patt within the thumb gusset. The 2 P sts are the boundary
between the hand and the thumb gusset, and the gusset grows out from there.]
Repeat these two rounds, increasing in patt, until you have 15 sts
for the thumb gusset.
Then knit 9 more rounds in patt, ending w/ needle #3, just before the
gusset sts.
At this point, if you haven't already, put all the thumb sts onto a
separate needle or a stitch holder. (There should be 15 between the last
P on needle #3 and the first P on needle #1.)
Continue Mitten Body:
Holding thumb sts down and away from other sts, CO 2 sts between needles
#3 and #1, over thumb opening. (EZ's invisible cast-on works very well).
[These replace the 2 K sts you separated out for the thumb gusset,
remember?] These 2 new sts belong on needle #1 (they will both be K), and
knit the rest of the round in patt. (You should have 33 sts again, each
round starting w/ those K2.)
Knit 22 rounds in K2, P1 rib patt. (Or more, if the recipient has long fingers! Just knit up to the height of their little finger.)
Perform your favorite toe decrease as for socks, or use mine:
Redistribute those 33 sts onto 4 DPNs (needle #1 takes the extra st).
At beginning of needle #1, K1, P2tog, *K2, P1* repeat *to* up to 3
sts from end of needle #2, P2tog, K1. At beginning of needle #3, P1, K2tog,
P1, *K2, P1* *repeat *to* up to 3 sts from end of needle #4, K2tog, P1.
Knit stitches of next round as they appear.
[This establishes your decrease pattern: the first stitches of needles #1 and #3, and the last sts of needles #2 and #4, are knit as they appear. The sts to the 'inside' of each of those sts are decreased in patt, i.e. as the 3rd stitch over appears. This is how you maintain the rib while decreasing at the same time. Harder to describe than it is to do.]
Decrease every other round until half the sts are gone (8 rounds), then
start decreasing every row until you have only 8 sts left (this means you
take care of that pesky 33rd st by decreasing one extra time on needle
#1; I do this at the very end, at the top where it won't be as visible
- so I stop not at the beginning of the round but at the end of needle
#1.)
Cut yarn w/ an 8" tail, thread through a tapestry needle, and thread
needle around through all sts twice, then sew in end.
Finish Thumb:
With a new end of yarn, pick up the 2 sts you cast on over the thumb
hole and knit rest of round in patt, dividing the 17 sts onto 3 DPNs. Stop
before last stitch on last needle. [Now you need to decrease back down
to 15 sts to keep in patt, so we'll get rid of those 2 picked-up sts by
decreasing them into the thumb sts on either side.]
Take the last st of the original 15 thumb sts and K2tog w/ the first
of the picked-up sts. Immediately knit the second picked-up st tog w/ the
first of the original 15 thumb sts on other
side of thumb. You should now have 15 sts again and can knit merrily
away in patt up the thumb for 12 rounds or so (more if recipient has long
thumbs!)
Close top of thumb by K2tog all around (in patt if you can, or not if it drives you crazy!) until you have 3 sts left.
Cut yarn, thread through sts w/ tapestry needle as above, and sew in
all ends.
Phew!
I-Cord Edging:
Before you begin with the variegated yarn, cut yourself a healthy 16"-20"
length of it (for sewing later). With a noddy or your favorite I-cord technique,
make a 4-stitch I-cord 12"-15" long.
DO NOT CUT YARN AT END OF I-CORD!
Secure the I-cord sts with a safety pin and remove from noddy or needles.
Sew the I-cord around the bottom of the mitten, beginning at the thumb
side. (I usually use the beginning tail end of the I-cord to start sewing,
then thread in the extra length as I need it.) If you turn the mitten inside
out first, and sew the I-cord only onto the inside loop of the edge st,
you get a nice border along the bottom of the mitten. Make your way around
the edge of the mitten, then continue for a second round, sewing the second
round of I-cord onto the edge of the first. At
the end of the second round, If you have too much I-cord, just take
out the safety pin and unravel it down to where you need it; then sew through
each of the four stitches, anchor them down, and sew in the end.
Finish sewing in ends.
Repeat for the other hand!
*I seem to remember that "doing a bunk" means 'running off' in either British or American slang... anyway, I couldn't resist the play on the original name! E-mail: akabini@olympus.net