by

I wanted to design a light weight fingerless mitt that would be a good transition piece to wear on those days that aren’t too cold but have a bit of a chill in the air. For the traditionalists, this pattern makes a great full mitten as well. Instructions are included for both versions.

The pattern design comes from a Japanese stitch dictionary. I started designing and working on the mitts here in Portland, Oregon, and they were completed just outside of Portland, Maine, this last September when I attended a knitting retreat on an island off the coast of Maine.

SIZE
Women's Medium [Large]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Length, full mitts: 10[10.5] inches
Length, fingerless mitts: 7.5[8] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Madelinetosh Tosh Sport [100% superwash merino wool; 270 yds/246 m per skein]
Fingerless version:
Steam Age; 1 skein

Full version:
Allizarin; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #3/3.25mm needles for working in the round

Notions
yarn needle
waste yarn
stitch markers

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

LLI (left lifted increase): Insert tip of left-hand needle from front to back under left leg of stitch below the last st knitted, now on the right-hand needle. Lift this loop onto left-hand needle and knit into the back of the loop.

RLI: (right lifted increase): Insert tip of left-hand needle from back to front under right leg of stitch below the first st on left-hand needle. Lift this loop onto left-hand needle and knit into the front of the loop.

DIRECTIONS
Both versions
CO 43[46] sts. Distribute stitches as you prefer and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Right mitt ribbing round: [K2, p1] 7[8] times, k4, [p1, k2] 5 times, k2, p1.

Left mitt ribbing round: P1, k4, [p1, k2] 5 times, [k2, p1] 7[8] times, k2.

Work ribbing as set until cuff measures 2 inches.

Right mitt, setup hand: K20[23], place marker for start of hand pattern, work Pattern chart row 1 over 23 sts to end of round.

Left mitt, setup hand: Work Pattern Chart row 1 over first 23 sts of round, place marker for end of hand pattern, k20[23] to end of round.

Work as set until round 18 of Pattern chart is complete.

Gusset
Right mitt gusset round 1: K1, place marker for start of thumb gusset, LLI, RLI, place marker for end of thumb gusset, work to end of round in pattern as set. 2 sts increased.

Left mitt gusset round 1: Work in pattern as set to last st of round, place marker for start of thumb gusset, LLI, RLI, place marker for end of thumb gusset, k1. 2 sts increased.

Both hands continue as follows:
Gusset round 2: Work even in pattern as set, knitting gusset sts.
Gusset round 3: Work to gusset marker in pattern as set, slip marker, LLI, k to next gusset marker, RLI, slip marker, work to end of round in pattern. 2 sts increased.

Repeat Gusset rounds 2 and 3 7[8] more times. 16[18] sts between gusset markers, 59[64] sts total.

Divide thumb: Work to gusset marker in pattern as set, remove marker, slip 16 thumb sts to waste yarn, remove second gusset marker, work to end of round in pattern. 43[46] sts.

Fingerless Mitts
Work as set until mitt hits base of ring finger, approx. 7[7.5] inches from CO edge, ending with an even-numbered pattern row.

Ribbing: Work four rounds of ribbing as per Cuff.

Bind off in pattern.

Thumb:
Return 16[18] held sts from waste yarn to needles. Distribute across needles as you prefer. With RS facing, rejoin yarn and join for working in the round.

Knit 5 rounds or to desired length.

Bind off loosely.

Full Mittens
Work as set until mitt reaches tip of little finger, approx. 9.5[10] inches from CO edge, ending with an even-numbered pattern row.

Round 1: K2, ssk, k14[15], k2tog, k4, ssk, k13[15], k2tog, k2. 4 sts decreased.
Round 2: K2, ssk, k12[13], k2tog, k4, ssk, k11[13], k2tog, k2. 4 sts decreased.
Round 3: K2, ssk, k10[11], k2tog, k4, ssk, k9[11], k2tog, k2. 4 sts decreased.
Round 4: K2, ssk, k8[9], k2tog, k4, ssk, k7[9], k2tog, k2. 4 sts decreased.

Size S/M only:
Round 5: K2, ssk, k5, k3tog, k2, ssk, k5, k2tog. 22 sts.

Size L only:
Round 5: K2, ssk, k7, k2tog, k4, ssk, k7, k2tog, k2. 26 sts.
Round 6: K2, ssk, k5, k2tog, k4, ssk, k5, k2tog, k2. 22 sts.

Close with Kitchener stitch.

Thumb:
Return 16[18] held sts from waste yarn to needles. Distribute across needles as you prefer. With RS facing, rejoin yarn and join for working in the round.
Knit 16 rounds, or until thumb is long enough to cover wearer’s thumb.
Decrease round 1: [K2, k2tog] 4 times, k0[2]. 12[14] sts.
Decrease round 2: [K2tog, k2] 3 times, k2tog 0[1] times. 9[10] sts.

Break yarn and pull through rem sts. Pull tight to close.

FINISHING
Weave in all ends. Block.

Shellie Anderson lives in Hillsboro, OR, with her 14-yea-old Jack Russell Terrier. She is a bookkeeper by day and loves to golf. Shellie has been knitting for over 40 years since her grandmother taught her.

She recently caught the designing bug and is currently working on several new designs. You can find out more about her and her designs on her blog.