Gloves and Mittens

Twelve Days of Fun

November 24, 2019 / Gloves and Mittens, Home, Patterns / 4 Comments

As an ongoing project throughout the year, I knitted all 12 mini mittens in Kathy Lewinski’s 12 Days of Christmas Mitten Garland as a gift for an unsuspecting friend. The mittens are quite addictive and I found them hard to put down for other obligations. I’m planning to attach the mittens to a long I-cord to form a garland.  However, if I don’t get to it, they’ll be adorable as separate ornaments.

You can purchase the pattern for all 12 designs in the 12 Days of Christmas Mitten Garland on Ravelry for $5.00, which includes the written pattern and 26 charts (a mirrored version and numbered version for each of the twelve days, plus an alternative picture for day seven). You can also download the patterns separately for free, though I think the $5 price is a steal for all the clever charts!

The mittens are worked with fingering weight yarn on size U.S. 1 (2.25 mm) double-pointed needles. Each mitten measures about 4.5” tall and 2.25” wide (not including thumb). I purchased one 400 yd skein each of three colors for the mittens shown here and I’m fairly certain that there’s enough yarn left to knit another set. That one will be for ME!

In-A-Pinch Fingerless Mitts

September 7, 2017 / Accessories, Gloves and Mittens, Patterns / 2 Comments

I’ve just uploaded a pattern on Ravelry. In-A-Pinch Fingerless Mitts are about the simplest pattern possible. They use a single ball of Lion Brand Merino Yak Alpaca yarn (yum!) and are knitted on size U.S. 5 (3.75 mm) needles. You can easily knit a pair in a weekend.

The yarn is superbly soft and squishy, and it feels fabulous in your hands. The simple slip-stitch rib pattern adds a bit of texture and knitting enjoyment to the ottherwise plain mitts. For an even easier knit, omit the slip-stitch pattern and work the mitts in k3, p1 rib instead.

For now through September 15, you can get the pattern at 25% off by entering the code LUXURY MITTS.

In-A-Pinch Fingerless Mitts

Intrigued with Lion Brand’s luxury yarn line, I designed these fingerless mittens for fast knitting with just a single ball of their exquisite Merino Yak Alpaca yarn. The yarn is superbly soft and squishy, and feels fabulous against the hands. The simple slip-stitch rib pattern adds a bit of texture and knitting enjoyment to the otherwise palin mitts. For an even easier knit, omit the slip-stitch pattern and work the mitt sin k3, p1 rib instead.

Both mitts are worked the same and can be worn on either hand.

These mitts take almost all of a ball of yarn; purchase more yarn if you wish to make them longer. To ensure that you have enough yarn for both mitts, use a scale to divide the ball into two equal halves and use one half for each mitt. The thumbs require 4 yards (3.7 meters) of yarn each.

Just In Time For Winter

November 28, 2016 / Accessories, Gloves and Mittens, Patterns / Leave a Comment

While I’ve been busy doing other things (such as immobilize my right thumb due to arthritis and tendonitis), a few new patterns have been uploaded on Ravelry. All three are designed to keep you (or yours) warm and cozy during the upcoming winter months. Might I add that they’d make excellent holiday gifts?

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The first is called Shinny Mitts, which are lined mittens designed for River City Yarns in Edmonton, Canada. The outer mitten is knitted with their signature RCY Hat Trick yarn (a blend of superwash merino and nylon) in the “Colorado” colorway (inspired by the Colorado Avalanche hockey team) and Rowan Kidsilk haze (a blend of mohair and silk) for a muted stripe pattern. The inner mitten (lining) is knitted with Rowan Finest, a luxurious blend of extra-fine merino, cashmere, and royal alpaca. The outer mitten is worked first, then stitches for the inner mitten are picked up along the cast-on edge and worked in the opposite direction.

The knitting couldn’t be simpler–both the mitten and lining are knitted in good old stockinette!

heavenly-mittens-promo-2The second is called Heavenly Mittens, which I also designed for River City Yarns. These mittens are similar to the Shinny Mitts shown above, but on luxury steroids, so to speak. The outer mitten is knitted in a lace pattern with one strand each of RCY Eden (a blend of merino, cashmere, and nylon) and Rowan Kisdilk Haze (a blend of mohair and silk). The inner mitten is knitted with Rowan Finest (a blend of extra-fine merino, cashmere, and royal alpaca).

Bright specks of the inner mitten peep through the eyelets in the lace pattern on the outer mitt.
 

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The third pattern is the Alpine Rings Cowl, which I designed for the most recent Knit For Fun Retreat in Estes Park, Colorado last September. The cowl features alternating stockinette- and reverse stockinette-stitch welts created by knitting every round. To form purl stitches on each side, the work is turned every 12th round so that the “inside” alternates with the “outside” to form an accordion look. The short-row “wrap-and-turn” technique is used to help hide the small holes that form when the knitting changes direction.

I used Vice Yarn Shameless (fingering/sock weight) in a colorway designed exclusively for the retreat, but the simple pattern will look great in any yarn!

 

 

A New Mitten Pattern

March 2, 2016 / Gloves and Mittens, Patterns / 1 Comment

When I taught at River City Yarns in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in October, they showed me an exclusive line of yarns called Hat Trick.  Named for cities and states across North America, this yarn is custom-dyed to reflect the hockey teams in those cities and states. The yarn is 80% superwash merino/20% nylon and comes in generous 150-gram (510 meters [557 yards]) skeins.

Of course, I had to take a ball in their newest colorway “Colorado” in honor of Colorado Avalanche. For something a little different, I decided to mix the Hat Trick with Rowen Kidsilk Haze (70% mohair/30% silk) for a dense and warm mitten. For added warmth and luxury, I decided to line the mitten with Rowan Finest (50% wool/20% cashmere/30% alpaca).

Blocking MittensIn this case, touching is believing and you’ve got to feel how thick, warm, and delightful they are with the lining is folded inside the outer mitten.

Finished MittensI finished these mittens and wrote the instructions (for 5 1/2″, 6 1/2″, 7 1/2″, and 8 1/2″ hand circumferences) during a cold spell when arctic air blasted through Colorado, and I was hard-pressed not to send them River City Yarns for tech editing, photography, pattern layout, and official name.

The pattern will be available exclusively from River City Yarns soon. I’ll let you know when it’s ready for sale!

 

 

Thanksgiving Winner

November 27, 2015 / Gloves and Mittens, Patterns, Raffle / 1 Comment

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The lucky winner of the Gloria mitts raffle is jaycie2013 who wrote:

“I would knit these for both my sister and my daughter… and myself! Happy Thanksgiving! :)”

 

Congratulations jaycie2013 — I’ll email the pattern to you! I hope you like it enough to make all three pairs!

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and found many things to be thankful for. I’m thankful that people read my blog!

Gloria

Lightweight, lofty, and luxurious, just like the Piper yarn they’re knitted from, these fingerless mitts are worked in a tessellated combination of cable and lace patterns. Each segment of the pattern repeats over just 12 stitches and 7 rows, and is quite easily memorized. The mitts are designed for a loose, comfortable fit around the wrist and hand. Use needles a size smaller if you’d prefer a snugger fit; use needles a size larger for a bit more room.

Finished Size: About 7″ (18 cm) hand circumference (unstretched) and 9 3/4″ (25 cm) long.

Yarn: Quince & Co Piper (50% superfine Texas merino; 50% super kid Texas mohair; 305 yd [279 meters]/50 g): 1 skein Guadalupe #603.

Chevron Cable Mittens

Tiny 1/1 cables make these mittens extra warm (and water resistant0, especially when knitted in bulky yarn at a tight gauge. The cable twists alternate between right- and left-leaning to form a subtle chevron pattern throughout the hand; the thumbs are worked in stockinette stitch. Because the thumb gusset is positioned at the side of the hand, both mittens are identical and can be worn on either hand. The mittens shown here are knitted in bulky yarn for a chunky look. Instructions are also given for fingering-, sport, worsted, and Aran-weight yarn.

Finished Size: About 6 1/2 (7 1/2, 8 1/2)” (16.5 [19, 21.5] cm) hand circumference. To fit child/adult small (adult medium, adult large).

Yarn: Quince & Co Puffin (100% American wool; 112 yd [102 meters]/100 g): 1 (2, 2) skeins Bird’s Egg #106.

Instructions also provided for Quince & CO Finch (2 [2, 3] 50-gram skeins), Chickadee (2 [2, 3] 50-gram skeins), Lark (3 [3, 4] 50-gram skeins), and Osprey (2 [2, 3] 100-gram skeins).