I love home, everything about it. I always have. Maybe it's
the Cancerian in me, but I love to be
home, and I have to nest wherever I am.
In hotels, I unpack into every drawer,
even if I'm just staying a night. Even in tents, I lay out piles
of clothing in orderly rows.
Home is truly where my heart is,
and maybe it's why I loved writing How
to Knit a Heart Back Home so much. I adored writing about two
people learning what the words mean to them.
So
forgive me if it's a little sappy, but I designed
some mitts to show off those two beautiful
words that Lucy and Owen study in the book.
Heart. Home. ( =Love. ) They're an easy knit, finished off with
duplicate stitch that is just as easy to do.
MATERIALS
Yarn [MC]
Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted [100% superwash merino; 225yds
per 40z skein]; color: Bold Red; 1
skein makes 2 pairs of size Medium
[CC]
Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted[100% superwash merino;
225yds per 40z skein]; color Natural; 1
skein – less than
10yds used.
Note: Scraps of a yarn
in a similar weight to your MC will be
fine, you don’t necessarily need to buy a
whole new skein of yarn for this. If you
do use a different yarn, make
sure it’s also a Superwash.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] 1
set US #7/4.5mm double-point needles OR 1 US #7/4.5mm long circular needle
for magic loop method OR 2 US #7/4.5mm circular needles for two-circulars method
Notions A
12-inch length of smooth scrap yarn in a contrasting
color Yarn
needle Stitch
marker (optional)
GAUGE
18 sts and 24 rounds = 4 inches
in stockinette stitch in the round
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
The house and heart motifs are applied after knitting using
the duplicate stitch method.
For information see
this article.
Important note: All red yarn is prone to dye
leakage, so it's wise to rinse the finished mittens
until there is no red dye running down
the sink, and block them dry. Then
begin the duplicate stitch work.
DIRECTIONS
Using MC, cast on 28[32,36] stitches using long-tail method.
Distribute across your needles as you prefer, and join for working
in the round, being careful not to twist. Note or mark beginning
of round.
Lower Edging Ribbing round: [K1, p1] to
end.
Repeat Ribbing round five times more.
Body round: Knit.
Repeat Body round until mitt measures 4.75[5, 5.25]
inches from cast-on edge.
Setup for thumb: K5[6, 7]. Using scrap yarn, k4, then
slip these 4 sts back to left-hand needle. Using the working
yarn, reknit these 4 sts and continue to end of round.
Repeat Body round until mitt measures 6.5[7,7.5] inches
from cast-on edge.
Upper Edging
Work Ribbing round 6 times.
Bind off loosely in ribbing.
Thumb
Carefully unpick the scrap yarn holding
the thumb stitches, placing the 4 lower stitches on one needle,
and the four upper stitches on another.
With RS facing, rejoin yarn to start
of lower stitches. Round 1: K4, pick up and knit 2 sts in the gap between the lower
and upper stitches, k4 across upper stitches, pick up and knit 2 sts
in the gap between the upper and lower stitches. 12 sts.
Round 2: Knit.
Repeat Round 2 5 more times. Ribbing round: [K1, p1] to end.
Repeat Ribbing round once more.
Bind off loosely in ribbing.
Duplicate Stitch Patterns
Motifs are duplicate stitched on the
back of the hand: To determine precise
placement, use Rachael’s
Not-So Scientific Method: put on the
mitts. Consider where you want the
bottom center of each motif to lie,
and mark that stitch (I use a split
ring marker). Make sure you count up from
that stitch to make sure the ten rows
will fit nicely. Compare marks on each glove, making sure they’re
approximately in the same place.
Thread needle with CC. Using duplicate stitch, work the Heart
motif on one mitten, and the Home motif on the other.
FINISHING
Weave in all ends, using tail at base of thumb to close up any
holes around the thumb.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Rachael Herron received her MFA
in writing from Mills College, and has been knitting
since she was five years old. It’s more than a hobby; it’s
a way of life.
Rachael lives with her better half in Oakland,
California, where they have four cats, three dogs, three
spinning wheels, and more instruments than they
can count. She is a proud member of the San
Francisco Area Romance Writers of America and she is struggling
to get better at playing the ukulele.
The house and heart motifs are applied after knitting using
the duplicate stitch method. 
