Post #98 - the one with the Mittens

Wow! I have almost posted 100 times to my blog! That is seriously some kind of amazing! And I guess twice a week for 49 weeks so far since I started, yep. . .98 is right about where I should be! By the way, there is a 1-year anniversary coming up verrrry soon, so stay tuned!

As you may have guessed, this post will contain my first pattern! Now, before you get too very impressed, it's a simple pattern for mittens. And it's not that much different than many other mitten patterns. There is a slightly complicated part, if you want a flap on your mittens, but it's really not all that hard, and I am not claiming to have invented the idea, this is just how I do it. . .and anyone can make these.

So, here it is, for those who have been waiting (Annie!):

Mittens with a Flap
Materials:
Double pointed needles or long circular needles (for magic loop), size US 4 (3.5mm)

Worsted Weight yarn, less than 100g (I used Cascade 220 for the red ones, and a superwash I can't remember the name of for the tan ones)

1 stitch marker (for working thumb gusset)

Waste yarn (to hold thumb stitches)

You may at some point want to use a row counter, but it's not necessary. However, my lengths are measured in rows, rather than inches or cm.

Gauge:
5.5sts and 8rows/inch, but shhhh! I never check gauge. If they are looking too small after a few rounds, rip 'em out and start over with a few more stitches. If the row count I give you doesn't look long enough, knit a couple more rows!

Size:
To fit my hand, woman, medium-sized, shall we say?

Notes:
Take them while you knit. Record your adjustments, get comfortable with the procedure, and you should be able to adapt the flap to any other mitten pattern out there!

Cast on 36 sts loosely and divide onto double points or magic loop for knitting in the round.
Join without twisting, and work k2, p2 ribbing for 24 rounds.

Start at Row 1 again (if using a counter), and knit all stitches, increasing 4 evenly around (40 sts total). At this point, I put the stitches on 4 dpns (10 sts on each) unless I am doing magic loop.
Round 2: Knit all stitches
Round 3: (Rt): k1, kf&b, k1, kf&b, place marker, knit around (incs made on "front" of mitten)
-------- (L): k16, place marker, kf&b, k1, kf&b, k1, knit around (incs made on "front" of mitten)
Rounds 4 & 5: Knit around, slipping marker as you come to it.
Round 6: (Rt): k1, kf&b, knit to one stitch before marker, kf&b, slip marker, knit around
-------- (L): k16, slip marker, kf&b, knit to 2 sts before end of "front", kf&b, k1, knit around
Rounds 7 & 8: Knit around, slipping marker as you come to it.
Rounds 9 - 20: Repeat rounds 6-8 four times more. There are now 52 sts total.

Top of Hand:
Start at row 1 again.
Round 1: (Rt): K2, slip 13 sts onto waste yarn for thumb, cast on 1 stitch, and knit around.
-------- (L): K17, slip 13 sts onto waste yarn for thumb, cast on 1 stitch, and knit around.
Round 2-10: Knit around plain. (You are back to working on 40 sts now)
Round 11: k20, p20 (The purl bumps mark the placement for the flap on the back of mitten.)
Round 12: Knit around plain.
Round 13: While decreasing evenly 4 sts around, work k2, p2 ribbing.
Rounds 14-20: (k2, p2) around
Bind off loosely, and cut yarn.


Thumb:
From the waste yarn, place 13 stitches on dpns or circular needles, and pick up and knit an additional 4 sts in the "gap" where the thumb joins the hand. Then knit around the other 13 sts as well, this is round 1.
Round 2: knit around, with one k2tog where the thumb joins the hand. (16 sts total)
Rounds 3-15: Knit around.
Round 16: k2tog around, cut yarn leaving a long tail. Using a tapestry needle, draw tail through lives stitches once or twice, then bring to inside of thumb to knot and weave in the end.

Flap:
Cast on 18 sts to an empty dpn or the cable needle (if magic-looping).
With same needle, and the mitten back facing you, wrist ribbing at the bottom, pick up and knit a stitch in 20 purl bumps on the back of the hand.
Join and arrange these 38 sts to work in the round, 18 free sts, 20 sts on the mitten back.
Rounds 1-8: (k2, p2) across the 18 free stitches cast on, k across the other 20 sts.
Round 9: k1, m1, k16, m1, k21 (40 stitches total)
Rounds 10-22: knit around
We are now finished counting rounds.

(k4, k2tog) around until 16 sts remain.
(k3, k2tog) around until 10 sts remain.

Place stitches on parallel needles and graft closed, taking care to make the top of the mitten "flat" in the same direction the mitten will lie flat OR

Cut yarn and draw through all live stitches, as for thumb, bringing tail to inside of flap to knot and weave in.

Make another mitten, preferably for the other hand. lol!

And that's all there is to it! Simple, huh? And quick, I tell ya! Now, winter's not quite over, so go whip up a pair, and make a bunch for next winter, too! They make great Christmas gifts!

Knit in Good Health!