AUNTIE SHEILA'S PAGE - Warm Mittens

W A R M M I T T E N S

Materials:
1 skein Lamb's Pride Superwash (Romantic Ruby - 100 yd skein)
2 skeins Brown Sheep Handpaint Originals (Strawberry Patch - 88 yd skeins)
Double point needles sizes 6 and 10
Stitch markers (2)
The result fits a big 4 year old hand --- a little over 6 inches from end of cuff to tip of mitten.
CUFF:
With #6 needles and superwash yarn (and at least twice the length of yarn you would normally need) cast on 36 stitches. Join.

FIRST RIBBING ROUND:
With both the working yarn and the tail from the cast on, work one round of k2, p2.
Drop the tail and continue with the working yarn, work in k2, p2 rib for 2 1/2 inches.
Knit one round, increasing 4 stitches evenly.

BODY OF THE MITTEN:
Switch to #10 needles and handpainted yarn and knit 6 rounds. (Knot the tails of the handpainted and superwash yarn together on the inside of the mitten and weave them into the back of the cuff to keep them out of your way as you knit.)

INCREASE FOR THUMB:
Increase round #1: K 3 , place a marker, inc 1 stitch in each of the next two stitches (I did a knit in front and back of the stitch), place another marker, knit to the end of the round.
Increase round #2: k3, slip the marker, increase one stitch in the next stitch, knit to one stitch before the second marker, increase one stitch in that stitch, slip marker, knit to the end of the round.
Increase round #3: Knit around.
Repeat rounds #2 and #3 until you have 18 stitches between the markers.(end with increase round #3).
Next round:
K 3, slip 18 thumb stitches to a strand of waste yarn (I always use embroidery floss), cast on 2 stitches, knit to end of round.
Continue to work in even rounds until the mitten body is 7 inches above the cuff.

DECREASE FOR MITTEN BODY:
First decrease round: K2, k2 tog around.
Knit 4 rounds even.
Second decrease round: k1, k2 tog
Knit 3 rounds even.
Last decrease round: k2 tog around.

SWITCH TO #6 NEEDLES and knit 1 round even.
Cut yarn, insert in yarn needle and thread needle thru stitches, drawing up to close the ring.

THUMB:
Slip the stitches from the holder on to # 6needles, pick up 2 stitches on the body of the mitten (where you cast on 2).

CHANGE TO #10 NEEDLES and knit around until the thumb measures 2" above the picked up stitches.

THUMB DECREASES:
First decrease round: k2, k2 tog around
Knit 2 round even
Second decrease round: K1, k2 tog around

CHANGE TO #6 NEEDLES and knit 1 round even.
Cut yarn and finish as you did for the top.

FINISHING:
There will probably be a hole in the picked up area near the base of the thumb. Using the tail from where you joined the yarn, weave the hole closed. (The felting will disguise even very sloppy weaving.)

FELTING:
I ran mine thru 3 cycles in my automatic washer using hot water. Then I dried them in the dryer and then blocked them a bit with steam to create right and left mittens. Because of the mohair content of the handpainted yarn, they came out very furry and I created lots of fluff in the washer and dryer.
I added a mitten "string" typing the two mittens together for running through the arms of the child's coat using an "I" crochet hook and two strands of the superwash yarn. I caught the edge of the cuff with my first stitch (the cuff edge is sturdy because it's knit with two strands), chained the approximate length, and then caught the edge of the other mitten cuff to attach.
The resulting mittens are machine washable. They are also so dense that it will take awhile for melting snow to reach the hands inside. If I do another pair, I'd add a few short rows on the back of each hand to make them bend a bit more naturally.

Enjoy!