Difficulty rating: moderate
Materials:
Yarn: 4 oz in each of 2 colours, DK weight (8 oz total) and a few yards
of waste yarn
Needles: set of 4 or 5 double pointed needles size US 2 (3.00mm)
Gauge:
7.5 sts and 9 rows to 1", fabric should be dense to keep the wind out
With waste yarn, cast on 54 sts and join in ring (18 sts on each of 3 needles). With main colour #1, work even for 4". <The first 27 sts are the back of the hand so work your favourite stitch pattern here.> *** hint: count your rounds ***
Next round: Work 49 sts, slip next 4 onto a thread, cast on 16 sts using
a piece of waste yarn, K the last st
Next round: Work 48 sts, P1, K16, P1
Next round: Work 48 sts, P1, K16, P1 (yes, a second time)
Next round: Work 48 sts, P1, K2tog, K12, K2tog, P1
Continue in this fashion, working 2 rounds even then a decrease round until 52 sts remain and work 2 rounds even.
Switch to K2, P2 ribbing and rib for 2.5 to 3" ribbing. *** hint:
count your rounds ***
Break yarn and leave a 5" tail for later weaving in.
With main colour #2 begin ribbing, this time start with P2, K2 so that
the ribbing will "nest" together when the mittens are folded together.
Work 2.5-3" ribbing to match.
Next round: work 48 sts, P1, K2, P1
Repeat this round
Next round: work 48 sts, P1, inc 1 in next, inc 1 in next, P1
Continue in this fashion, working 2 rounds even then an increase round where the increases are made into the st next to the P1 on either side of the thumb gusset.
Work to 16 sts between the P1s then work 2 rounds even.
Next round: Work 49 sts, slip 16 onto a thread, cast on 4 with a piece
of waste yarn, K1
Now work in even rounds until hand measures 4" from the "cast on 4"
row --> same row count as when working down from top on other end.
Top Decreases: *K1, K2tog, K21, slip1, K1, psso, K1 and repeat once
K 1 round
Continue decreasing on every other round until 26 sts remain.
K across 13 sts and then graft (Kitchener) the top together. Weave
end in.
1st thumb: Carefully unpick the waste yarn for the 16 cast on sts then arrange the 16 and the 4 from the thread on 3 needles.
Knit 6 rounds even. -->Leave a long tail of yarn when you begin
Round 7: K2tog on the inside of the thumb (over the 4 sts that came
from the thread).
K 4 rounds even then decrease another st on the inside of the thumb.
(18 remain)
Continue even to 2.75" in all *** hint: count your rounds ***
K2tog all around, break yarn leaving a long thread. Run the thread through the remaining 9 sts and pull up tight. Weave the end in leaving a 4" tail near the tip of the thumb on the inside. Leave thumb inside out.
2nd thumb: Carefully unpick the waste yarn for the 4 sts then arrange the 4 and the 16 from the thread on 3 needles. Make to correspond.
Finishing:
Fold the mittens together and turn so that the unfinished mitten tip
is on the outside. Peel this back enough that you can knot together the
yarn tails at the thumb tips. At the base of the thumb, use the beginning
tails to close up the little holes between the 16 and the 4. If you wish,
you can then use the tails to lash the mittens together along the P1 ridges
on the thumb gusset edges.
Unfold the unfinished mitten back up and carefully unpick the waste
yarn, arranging the stitches on 3 needles. Because you're now working in
the other direction, you'll have either 53 sts or 55. If it's 53, work
only 1 decrease on the first decrease round, if 55 then work an additional
decrease.
Work mitten tip decreases as given above.
When grafting this tip closed, make sure the inside mitten is correctly
aligned and as you're grafting, grab a stitch off the tip of the inner
mitten every 3 or 4 stitches which fastens the mitten tips together. To
fasten off this thread, since it's on the outside, work 1 row of duplicate
stitch across the mitten tip and then carefully poke the needle into the
space between the 2 mittens and bring it out farther down so you are leaving
a long tail in that inner space.
Push the 2 thumbs together and you're done.
For the second mitten, work your thumb at the beginning of the first needle instead of the end of the last and It's the 2nd 27 sts that will be the back of the hand.