Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted yarn makes WONDERFUL mittens and I will use that. (
#4 and #6 double pointed needles work well for me.
I will also need a ring marker and a stitch holder (mini one, or two
large safety pins) and a ruler
and a darning needle. If you are knitting these for someone other than
yourself...get a tracing of
their hand and you can estimate better. For a child.....subtract 6
sts....for a HUGE hand....add
6 sts and work the thumb gusset to 15 or 17 sts.
Cuff
With #4, cast on 32 sts. Join. Work in the round in *k1, p1* ribbing for 3".
Next round...Using #6 needles....*k 8, make 1 st* repeating around: 36 sts.
Next round: k1, place marker, k around.
Thumb Gusset
Round 1: make 1 st, k1, make 1 stitch, slip marker, knit around: 38
sts.
Round 2: k around
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until there are 13 sts on the first needle before
the marker. (the ending
number of every increase round will be 2 sts greater than the previous
round) 48 sts
The second increase round will be:
make 1 st, k3, make 1 stitch, slip marker, knit around: 40sts,
the 3rd increase round will be:
make 1 st, k5, make 1 stitch, slip marker, knit around: 42 sts
and so on, up to the last increase round which will be:
make 1 st, k11, make 1 stitch, slip marker, knit around: 48 sts)
Hand
Knit across 13 sts and then slip them onto holders.....knit around mitten back to where you put the sts on holders....increase 1 st to keep knitting in the round. Put your beginning of the round marker after the st... 36 sts.
Work in the round until the mitten clears your pinky finger .
Top Decrease
Round 1: *k 4, k 2 together* repeat around: 30 sts
Round 2: k
Round 3: *k 3, k2 tog* repeat around: 24 sts
Round 4: k
Round 5 and the rest: proceed as above until you have 6 sts. Cut yarn
leaving a 12" tail...with darning needle, run yarn through 6 remaining
sts twice and pull tight. Weave in end.
Thumb
Pick up all sts on thumb holders
dig into the mitten fabric above thumb opening and pick up 3 sts over
where you cast on the one st before starting the hand, join. 16 sts.
Round 1: knit around and decrease 2 sts by k2tog above two spots where sts seem loose at "sides" of the thumb: 14 sts. Knit around evenly on these sts until work clears thumb nail. *k2 tog* repeating around until 6 sts remain. Close as for top of mitten.