Little Hands
I finally finished my son's fingerless mitts out of the handspun alpaca from this entry. They were actually a very quick knit -- probably two hours total from start to finish. But I finished one and neglected to finish the other until just recently. I guess there isn't much motivation when it's warm outside, but I know he'll be grateful for these come late fall. I had knit him some mittens last year, and he loved to wear them when his hands got cold but he didn't like not having his fingers free to pick up things or to clamber around on playground equipment. I think he'll like these much better.
I figured I'd include the pattern here in case anyone is interested in making child-sized fingerless mitts for their kiddos. So here goes:
SIZE: These children's fingerless mitts are quite stretchy and should fit most children between the ages of 5 and 9.
YARN:: The example shown uses 75 yards of handspun alpaca at 9 wraps per inch (wpi). Commercial yarn substitutes could be any aran weight yarn, such as Mission Falls 1824 Superwash or Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran.
GAUGE: 4.5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch
NEEDLES: Size 6 DPNs or whatever size is needed to get gauge. (This pattern can be knit using two circular needles, however specific instructions are given only for DPNs.)
ABBREVIATIONS:
PM - Place Marker
SM - Slip Marker
M1R - Increase 1 by slipping needle into the bar between two stitches from back to front.
Knit into the front of the resulting stitch.
M1L - Increase 1 by slipping needle into the bar between two stitches from front to back.
Knit into the back of the resulting stitch.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1: Cast on 28 stitches. Divide stitches onto 4 DPN’s so that Needles 1, 2, and 3 all have 8 stitches, and Needle 4 has 4 stitches. This negates the need for a stitch marker to mark the beginning of a row. Every time the needle with four stitches is knit, a row is completed.
2: Join stitches for knitting in the round, taking care not to twist the stitches. Knit it K2, P2 ribbing for 2.75”.
3: Knit 1 row plain.
4: K7, PM, M1L, K2, M1R, PM, knit to end of row.
5: K 2 rows.
6: K7, SM, M1L, K4, M1R, SM, knit to end of row.
7: K 2 rows.
8: K7, SM, M1L, K6, M1R, SM, knit to end of row.
9: K2 rows
10: K7, SM, M1L, K8, M1R, SM, knit to end of row.
11: K7, remove marker, place 10 stitches between markers on yarn scrap or stitch holder, cast on 2 stitches over the gap, remove second marker, K to end of row.
12: K2 P2 ribbing for four more rows.
13: Loosely bind off in pattern.
THUMB:
Place 10 stitches on holder onto three DPNs as follows: 4 stitches on Needle 1, 4 stitches on Needle 2, and 2 stiches on Needle 3. Pick up two stitches from the top of the hole for the thumb and place these on the end of Needle 3. Join in round and knit K2, P2 rib for two rows. Bind off loosely in pattern. Weave in ends, and make second mitt same as the first. Find some little hands that need warming up.