It’s been ages since I had picked up any knitting, and I had a big bag of lovely yarn staring at me from my knitting basket on top of the piano. I just wasn’t inspired. It was just too hot in December to think about knitting.
When the cold weather hit at last, I remembered that I had really wanted to knit myself a pair of fingerless mitts. My hands get so cold when I am out doing the chores, but mittens – and even gloves – are clumsy or get splashed with water and then make my hands even colder. Sometimes I remember to wear something with pockets, but unfortunately my warmest clothes don’t have pockets (it’s hard to actually find good, practical warm clothes in Florida!).
When I had first started to knit about five years ago, I had tried out a cabled fingerless glove pattern – I only had enough yarn for one, because I had used some left-over yarn from another project, and I wasn’t good at eye-balling it yet. The one glove was heavenly – I would transfer it from hand to hand to share the warmth – and like all wool, it was warm even if it was wet. I kept thinking I would buy more yarn and knit the next one, but then that one got lost, and I never got around to another pair.
Until now….
I thought this would be a nice February knit. Knitting on it made me think of strawberries, raspberries and chocolate! I love the way the color rounds make little hearts. I hope you enjoy it also –
Size: I made these to fit my wrists. These are my measurements that I made the pattern around: 10.5 inches/27 cm near the elbow, 6.5 inches/ 16.5 cm at the wrist, 8 inches/20.5cm from bottom of cuff to wristbone. My palm is 8 inches/20cm around. The cuff is close-fitting (I made several early, floppier versions, and I think this version is just right). The garter stitch borders keep the cuff from curling annoyingly.
R52: YO row
R53: K all sts
R54: Colorwork Round #8 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #2* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R55: YO row
R56-57: K all sts
R58: YO row
R59: Decrease Round # 6 (last decrease) –
R60: Colorwork Round #9 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #3* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R61: YO row
R62-63: K all sts
R64: YO row
R65: K all sts
R66: Colorwork Round #10 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #1* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R67: YO row
R68-69: K all sts
R70: YO row
R71: K all sts
R72: Colorwork Round # 11 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #2* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R73: YO row
R74-75: K all sts
R76: YO row
R77: K all sts
R78: Colorwork Round #12 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #3* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R79: YO row
R80-81: K all sts
R82: YO row
R83: K all sts
R84: Colorwork Round # 13 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #1* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R85: YO row
R86-87: K all sts
R88: YO row
R89: K all sts
R90: Colorwork Round #14 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #2* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R91: YO row
R92-93: K all sts
R94: YO row
R95: K all sts
R96: Colorwork Round #15 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #3* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R97: YO row
R98: Cast-off for thumb –
N1: Cast off all sts, removing both markers as you go. Set N1 aside for now. You’ll need it again in a minute.
N2, N3 and N4: K all sts
R99: Shape thumb hole: Cast on 4 sts onto the needle that had been N1, place marker, cast on 2, place second marker, cast on 4 more sts. Now move on to N2, N3 and N4 – knitting all sts, of course.
R100: YO row – skip the YO on N1 for this round (I found it too tricky with the newly cast-on sts, however, if you are adept enough, YO here if you’d like. It does not stand out at all to skip this one, I should add.)
R101: K all sts
R102: Colorwork Round #16 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #1* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R103: YO row
R104-105: K all sts
R106: YO row
R107: K all sts
R108: Colorwork Round #17 – *K1 in MC, K1 in CC #2* until end of round. Switch back to MC again for the next round.
R109: YO row
R110-111: K all sts
R112: YO row
R113: K – remove all except the end-of-round marker.
R114: Decorative YO border: *YO, K2tog* until end.
R15: P all sts
R16: K all sts
R17: P all sts
R18: K all sts
R19: P all sts
R120: Cast off with stretchy cast off: *K2 together through the back of the loop, slip st back on to left needle* and repeat from * to *, until all sts are cast off.
Thumb: Begining on inside of palm, pick up 18 sts along thumb-hole on 3 needles, 6 sts per needle.
K 3 rounds
1st decrease on R4: K1, K2tg, K until 3 sts remain on N3, K2tog through the back of the loops (a left-leaning decrease that I prefer to SSK, though you could SSK here, if you prefer), K1.
K 2 rounds
2nd decrease on R7: K1, K2tg, K until 3 sts remain on N3, K2tog through the back of the loops (a left-leaning decrease that I prefer to SSK, though you could SSK here, if you prefer), K1.
Begin 5 rounds of garter sts, starting with Purling.
R8: P
R9: K
R10: P
R11: K
R12: P
R13: Cast off all sts with the stretchy cast-off above. Weave in ends (there are a lot of them!)
Please write to me with any questions!
Toadstools And Fairy Rings 
Aren't those adorable? Thank you so much for sharing the pattern!
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Love those mitts! than you for sharing your pattern
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Love the mitts and especially those amazing pictures with your gorgeous chicken too!
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Beautiful mitts. Thank you for the pattern!!!
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Thanks for the kind comments, everyone! If anyone does knit these up, let me know how they turn out!
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Pretty mitts. ♥ We had a beautiful barred rock like her who passed away last year.
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Since I have such cold hands, I wear mitts all winter long and love how they give me the ability to go about doing things, inside or out. I absolutely love the length of your mitts, and I hope to make a pair in the future. How kind you are to give the pattern. Your photo is wonderful.
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Sorry to hear! I love the barred rocks – they are such intelligent, hardy chickens. We tried the Americaunas for their pretty eggs last time we ordered chicks, but they were such a pain! Their eggs were gorgeous, but they were so silly and were mean to the other chickens. Thanks for writing!
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Thank you! Let me know how they turn out!
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