mittens, a pattern

For once, I shall write it down right now just in case come next year I want to make more.



For a two-three year old, but the size of the cuff would fit any age from six months for over four years easily. I used up some odds and ends in my basket, I think the pink is a scrap of Debbie Bliss cashmerino, if feels like it, the blue is super silky and soft and snaps easily, so certainly a pure wool.



~Cast on 26 stitches with size 4.5mm dpns.
~Spread stitches evenly around three needles and then start knitting, knit one purl one for a good many rows, double the length of what you imagine, don't make it skimpy. I wanted a cuff that could not drop off and keep that bit between coat and hand warm so it's very long. On a baby it could just be folded over and doubled up neatly.
~Ok. Cuff done. Now start just knitting plain rounds. No need for any increasing or decreasing, knit up until you think a thumb should start. Again it's always more than you think, at least eight rows.
~I always have a tail dangling from where I cast on and it's this point that I tell myself a row starts (of course it actually does so it's not just something I make up - like this pattern). So when you get to this point knit and then slide on to a safety pin (or stitch holder) five stitches.
~Keep on knitting and when you get back to this point you need to cast on five stitches. Do this anyway you like. Join it so it looks neat. I think I cast on five and then slid them to the left needle and knit them again. Either way if there's a gap (more so than the thumb hole) it's ok, you can do a few deft stitches when it's time to knit up the thumb right at the end.
~So now knit your mit, changing colours or adding stripes etc as you like until you feel you have the length of your child's hand done.
~ For the tip, knit 2 knit 2 together all the way around one row to decrease. Next row just plain knit and then for the third row repeat the first decreasing round again. You should still have a fair few stitches left, this is good. Cut your yarn with a longish tail and thread the end through a darning needle. Thread the needle through every stitch left on your needles and pull them all off tight making a nice neat rounded-off tip.
~Turn the mit inside out and sew in all your ends.
~Now it's the thumb! Pick up and knit the five stitches left on the holder and then pick up five stitches from the mitten behind and directly opposite with another of your dpn's. You now have two dpns, each with five stitches apiece. Knit round and around exactly as you knit the mit until the length of thumb is as you like. No need to decrease just finish off with a darning needle as the end of mitten tip.

~For a one year old and under I'd just miss off the thumb bit all together and just make a plain cosy thumb-less mitten.

~Make two, obviously (unless it's for someone with only one hand) and make a lovely i-cord so these hand knitted mittens are not lost on their first outing and cause you much despair and lamentation (and subsequent multiple buying of cheap polyester mittens that you shan't mind missing). I find the bulk of the hand best knit in a darker wool with lighter stripes. Two reasons - less dirt shows up and also your possible knitting errors don't show up glaringly in dark yarn (this I do know). Terribly important. Oh! And sew up any gaps around the thumb, who wants a holey mitten? See! Not a proper pattern at all, but it worked for me. I am sure there's a proper way to do the thumb all perfectly but if there is I am in ignorant bliss of it. Good luck and please let me know if anyone actually uses this pattern with success :) I shall be pleasantly surprised and vastly pleased.