Ailbe mittens - Knitty: Winter 2009

by Kristi Geraci

Some of us (and I won't name any names) have quite a bit of sock yarn around. In my opinion, with all of this great sock yarn out there, it is really hard to always knit socks and put them on one's feet! After all that hard work, it's not so much that I mind putting my hand-knit socks in my shoes, but sometimes I'd like to show off the yarn and the knitting a bit more. This is where mittens come in.

With mittens, you can do lots of fun textures, they knit up fairly quickly -- none of this 7 inches of leg business -- and when you are done and wearing them, everyone can see them!

The cables on these mittens made me want to give them a very Celtic-sounding name. My new little niece is named Ailbe, and I think that is the perfect little Irish name. Like little Ailbe, these mittens are a bit complicated to make, but beautiful and well worth it in the end.

model: Kristi Geraci

photos: Andy Geraci

SIZE
Women’s small[medium, large]. Shown in size medium.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference of hand: 6[7, 8] inches in pattern stitch, unstretched; 7.5[8.5, 9.5] inches in pattern stitch, slightly stretched.
Hand length (as shown): 8.5 inches. Adjustable to fit.
Cuff length: 3.5 inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
Malabrigo Sock [100% merino; 440 yds per 3.5 oz skein]; color: Chocolate Amargo; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #0/2mm needles

Notions
Yarn needle
Cable needle
Stitch holder or waste yarn
Stitch markers

GAUGE

40 sts/52 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch in the round

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

C1Rtbl: Put one st on cable needle, hold to back of work, k1tbl, k st from cable needle tbl.

C1Rp: Put one st on cable needle, hold to back of work, k1tbl, p st from cable needle.

C1Lp: Put one st on cable needle, hold to front of work, p1, k st from cable needle tbl.

M1P [Make 1 purl]: Insert left needle, from front to back, under strand of yarn which runs between last stitch on right needle and first stitch on left needle; purl this stitch through back loop. 1 stitch increased.

M1L [Make 1 left]: Insert left needle, from front to back, under strand of yarn which runsbetween last stitch on right needle and first stitch on left needle; knit this stitch through back loop. 1 stitch increased.

M1R [Make 1 right]: Insert left needle, from back to front, under strand of yarn which runs between last stitch on right needle and first stitch on left needle; knit this stitch.
1 stitch increased.

Grafting:
Instructions for grafting can be found here.

DIRECTIONS

CUFF (Both hands)
CO on 64[72, 80] sts. Distribute on needles as you prefer, and join, being careful not to twist. Place marker for beginning of round.

Work Ribbing Chart row 1 8[9, 10] times around, placing marker after 32nd[36th, 40th] st to mark beginning of palm sts. The sts from beginning of round marker to palm marker are for the back of hand.

Continue working in established pattern, working next row in Ribbing Chart 8[9, 10] times on each round, until 41 rounds have been worked (Rows 1-22 once, then rows 1-19).

LEFT HAND
Round 1: Work row 1 of Texture Chart Left Mitten (8[12,16] sts), then Setup row of Cable Chart (24 increasing to 26 sts), slip marker, k11[12, 13], m1, k11[12, 13], m1, k10[12, 14]. (68[76, 84] sts total).

Round 2: Work next row of Texture Chart Left Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), slip marker, knit to end of round.

Continue to repeat Round 2 until you have completed row 6 of Cable Chart.

Gusset round 1: Work next row of Texture Chart Left Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), slip marker, knit to end of round, place gusset marker, m1, slip marker.

Gusset round 2: Work next row of Texture Chart Left Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), slip marker, knit to gusset marker, slip gusset marker, k1, slip marker.

Gusset round 3: Work next row of Texture Chart Left Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), slip marker, knit to gusset marker, slip gusset marker, M1L, knit to next marker, M1R, slip marker.

Gusset round 4: Work next row of Texture Chart Left Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), slip marker, knit to gusset marker, slip gusset marker, knit to end of round, slip marker.

Repeat Gusset rounds 3 and 4 until there are 25[29, 33] sts between gusset marker and end of round. Note that when you finish the Cable Chart, on subsequent times through the chart you will skip the Setup row and begin on row 1.

When you have 25[29, 33] sts between gusset marker and end of round, slip these 25[29, 33] sts to stitch holder or waste yarn, leaving beginning of the round marker in place and continue knitting the rest of the mitten in the round. (68[76, 84] sts)

REST OF LEFT HAND
Continue as before, working next row of Texture Chart Left Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), then knit to end of round. When hand is 1.5 inches less than desired length to tips of fingers, begin decreasing as follows:

Decrease round: SSK, work in pattern to 2 sts before palm marker, k2tog. Ssk, knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog.

Note for Decrease round: If the 2 sts before the final st should be cabled, cable the sts first, then knit the final st together with the st off the cable needle.

Knit round: Work in pattern for back of hand, starting and ending with ktbl, slip marker, knit all sts on palm.

Work Decrease round followed by Knit round 6 times (12 rounds total, 24 sts decreased – 44[52, 60] sts rem).

Work Decrease round only for 7 rounds (28 sts decreased – 16[24,32] sts rem).

Graft back of hand sts to palm sts and weave in end.

RIGHT HAND
Round 1: Work Setup row of Cable Chart (24 increasing to 26 sts), then Texture Chart Right Mitten, row 1 (8[12, 16] sts), slip marker, slip marker, k11[12, 13], m1, k11[12, 13], m1, k10[12, 14]. (68[76, 84] sts total).

Round 2: Work next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), next row of Texture Chart Right Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), slip marker, knit to end of round.

Continue to repeat Round 2 until you have completed row 6 of Cable Chart. On row 7 of Cable Chart, you will begin gusset increases.

Gusset round 1: Work next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), next row of Texture Chart Right Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), slip marker, m1, place gusset marker, knit to end of round.

Gusset round 2: Work next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), next row of Texture Chart Right Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), slip marker, k1, slip gusset marker, knit to end of round.

Gusset round 3: Work next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), next row of Texture Chart Right Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), slip marker, M1L, knit to gusset marker, M1R, slip gusset marker, knit to end of round.

Gusset round 4: Work next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), next row of Texture Chart Right Mitten (8[12, 16] sts), slip marker, knit to gusset marker, slip gusset marker, knit to end of round.

Repeat Gusset rounds 3 and 4 until there are 25[29, 33] sts between the palm marker and the gusset marker. Note that when you finish the Cable Chart, on subsequent times through the chart you will skip the Setup row and begin on row 1.

When you have 25[29, 33] sts between center of the round marker and gusset marker, move these 25[29, 33] sts to stitch holder or waste yarn, leaving palm marker, and continue knitting the rest of the mitten in the round. (68[76, 84] sts)

REST OF RIGHT HAND
Continue as before, working next row of Cable Chart (26 sts), next row of Texture Chart Right Mitten (8[12, 16] sts ), slip marker, knit to end of round. When hand is 1.5 inches less than desired length to tips of fingers, begin decreasing as follows.

Decrease round: SSK, work in pattern to 2 sts before palm marker, k2tog, slip marker, SSK, knit to 2 sts before beginning of round marker, k2tog, slip marker.

Note for Decrease round: If the 2 sts after the first st should be cabled, sl first st knitwise, cable the next sts, then sl the st that would be worked first from the cable knitwise, return this st and first st of round back to left needle, and k these 2 sts tbl, work st on cable needle as for that cable.

Even round: Work in pattern for back of hand, starting and ending with ktbl, slip marker, knit all sts on palm.

Work Decrease round followed by Even round 6 times (12 rounds total, 24 sts decreased – 44[52, 60] sts rem).

Then work Decrease round only for 7 rounds (28 sts decreased – 16[24, 32] sts rem).

Graft back of hand sts to palm sts and weave in end.

THUMBS (Both hands)
Put the 25[29, 33] sts back on needles, pick up 2 sts where the gusset meets the mitten. 27[31, 35] sts)
Round 1: Knit.
Round 2: K25[29, 33], k2tog. 26[30, 34] sts total.
Continue, knitting all rounds even until thumb reaches desired length to top of thumb. Decreases do not add significant length to thumb.

Decrease round 1: [K4, k2tog] 4[5,5] times, k2[0, 4]. (22[25, 29] sts)
Decrease round 2: Knit.
Decrease round 3: [K3, k2tog] 4[5, 5] times, k2[0, 4]. (18[20, 24] sts)
Decrease round 4: Knit.
Decrease round 5: [K2, k2tog] 4[5,6] times, k2[0, 0]. (14[15, 18] sts)
Decrease round 6: Knit.
Decrease round 7: [K1, k2tog] 4[5, 6] times, k2[0, 0]. (10[10, 12] sts)
Decrease round 8: K2tog 5[5, 6] times around. Break yarn, and pull yarn through 5[5, 6] remaining sts.

FINISHING
Weave in ends.
Block if desired.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Kristi knits, spins and designs in Boulder, CO. She continues to blog with the inimitable Cookie A. across the miles.

You can find her on Ravelry as knitanonk.