by An de Vries

I won a prize in a bingo! At this years Knit in Public day picnic I won one of Loret Karman’s Mini Palettes, consisting of nine little balls of yarn.

Now what to do with these beauties? I thought they would make a nice pair of fingerless mittens and I set myself the challenge to use all nine colors.

First I picked a color for each cuff, and a third color that went well with both of them.

When the ribbing was done I did a section of colorwork with these three colors (only two at the time, don’t worry!) For more texture I added a few purl stitches here and there.

The six remaining colors I divided into three pairs: two I used for the next colorwork section. The last pair I used for little accents in that section, and the rest for the top of the hand.

Now, my next pair. Another palette, or shall I have a look in my box with leftover sock yarn?

SIZE
Women's S[M, L]
shown in M

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Hand circumference: 7[7.5, 8] inches to be worn with zero ease
Cuff edge to top of mitt: 6.25 inches/16 cm

MATERIALS
Yarn
Loret Karman Mini Palette Fingering [100% Merino; 448 yd/410m per 100g skein]; nine 20 m/22yd skeins (shown in first and last picture)
Note: You can substitute small amounts of any sock yarn, as long as you have 9 colors. Other photos show alternate options with a variety of yarns.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below — every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #1.5/2.5mm needles for small circumference in the round: DPNs, 1 long circular for magic loop, or 2 short circulars

Notions
stitch markers
waste yarn for holding thumb stitches
yarn needle

GAUGE
34 sts/40 rounds = 4" in stranded stockinette stitch in the round
30 sts/42 rounds = 4" in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter which color you use where. In the samples shown, I used the following arrangement
A: red
B: yellow-brown
C: light blue
D: beige
E: yellow
F: green
G: grey
H: white
K: dark blue

The color for the first mitten is listed first, for the second mitten in brackets after. The first mitten starts with A, red. The second with B, yellow-brown.

DIRECTIONS
Cuff
With A[B], CO 48[56, 62] sts. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.

Ribbing round: [K1, p1] around.
Work ribbing as set for 9[10, 9] rounds.
Sizes S and L only, final cuff round: [K1, p1] to last 2 sts, k1, pfb. 49[-, 63] sts.

Next round, establish colorwork: Work Cuff chart 7[8, 9] times around.
Work as set until chart is complete.

Thumb Gusset and Hand
Setup for thumb gusset: Attach D[E] and k to 3 sts before end of round, place marker, k2.
This position denotes the end of the gusset, and the new end of the round. Rearrange stitches as you prefer.

Next round, increase: K3[4, 6], (m1, k6[8, 10]) 7[6, 5] times, m1, k to end. 57[63, 69] sts.

Next round, start working Thumb Gusset and Hand chart: Work Gusset and Hand chart around, working 6-stitch repeat 8[9, 10] times.

Work as set until Chart is complete, slipping 22 thumb sts to waste yarn and casting on 2 sts over the gap in Round 25, as indicated on chart. 57[63, 69] sts.

Upper Hand
Next round, sizes S & M only, decrease: Using F[K], (k5[7, -], k2tog) 8[7, -] times, k0[1, -] to end of round, then k1. This is the new start of round. Rearrange stitches as you prefer.
Next round, size L only, decrease: Using F[K], (k9, k2tog, k10, k2tog) 3 times to end of round, then k1. This is the new start of round. Rearrange stitches as you prefer.
49[56, 63] sts.

Work rounds 2-5 of Upper Hand chart.

Final round, size M only: Using F[K], k around.
Final round, sizes S & L only: Using F[K], k to last 2 sts, k2tog. 48[-, 62] sts.

Continuing with F[K], work 6 rounds [K1, p1] ribbing as per cuff. Bind off loosely in pattern.

Thumb
Return 22 thumb sts to needles. Join H, and pick up and knit 2 sts in crook of thumb, over cast-on sts; k to end of round. 24 sts.

Knit 1 round.
Next round: Attach C. [P2 C, k2 H] to end of round.
Break C.
Knit 1 round H.
Break H.
Attach F[K] and knit 1 round.

Work 6 rounds [K1, p1] ribbing as per cuff.
Bind off loosely in pattern.

FINISHING
Weave in ends. Block.

An de Vries lives in Amsterdam. When she is not knitting, she likes to do origami.

You can find her on Ravelry.