Atomic fingerless mitts : Knitty.com

by Robin Allen

Ah, the 1950s...they gave us Velcro, Hula Hoops, Saran Wrap, Scotchgard, Liquid Paper, Mr. Potato Head, McDonald's, and credit cards. Did all of that make the Atomic Era the best in recent history? Who knows. But its art and architecture are the bomb!

I constructed these mitts around a Scandinavian snowflake motif that looks both futuristic and modern. I chose the popular Atomic combination of blue and green for an outdoor cocktail party, but you might pair aqua with orange and enjoy a dinner of fried clams at Howard Johnson. Or switch out the green for red and hang out at the Tastee-Freez. Or Google the word Googie and let the results inspire your colors and venue.

Wherever you wear these, you'll be coolest cat around.

photos: Angelyn Curran


SIZE One size fits adult hands with circumference up to 8.5 inches.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Hand circumference, excluding thumb: 8 inches/20.25cm, stretches to 8.5 inches/21.5cm
Cuff edge to top of mitt: 10 inches/25.5 cm

MATERIALS
Yarn
Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Sport [100% Peruvian Highland wool; 137yd/125m per 50g skein]
[MC] Avocado; 1 skein
[CC] Winter Night; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #4/3.5mm needles for small circumference: DPNs, 1 long circular or 2 short circulars
A single needle 2-3 sizes larger for BO

Notions
stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

24 sts/31 rnds = 4 inches in stranded stockinette stitch in the round, blocked
22 sts/30 rnds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch in the round, blocked

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

It's helpful to put a stitch marker at both the beginning of the round and at the halfway point (at 24 sts).

There are some longer floats in the snowflake section, so mind your tension in that area or go up a needle size when working rnds 29-43.

Charts
The charts for this pattern are very large and fit on a letter-sized page.
Click here and print the resulting page.

Chart notes: Thumb gusset increases start on Round 3 of the Thumb Gusset and Upper Hand chart. On Round 14, thumb sts are bound off, and on Round 15, the start of the round is shifted over by one, the hand is shaped with decreases, and the thumb is closed off with one of those decreases. 42 sts rem after Round 14.

DIRECTIONS
With MC, CO 48 sts. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.

Ribbing round: [K2, p2] around.

Work ribbing as set for four rounds.

Join CC.

Next round, establish chart: Work Cuff chart twice around.

When Cuff chart is complete, start Thumb Gusset and Upper Hand chart.

Work as set until all chart rounds are complete.

Using MC and with larger needle to work the stitches (or using Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off), BO.

FINISHING
Weave in ends; block.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Robin Allen lives and knits (which are the same thing) in a little red cabin in the Texas Hill Country. See what she's up to at A Texas Girl Knits.

See more of her designs on Ravelry.