Mittens

Last year for Christmas I made each of my siblings a pair of mittens for their stockings.  This year my mitten making is limited to actually making myself a pair.  I read a bunch of patterns and ended up finding this typewritten in my grandmother's* knitting stuff.  If you know where it's from let me know and I'll avoid the copyright infringement and take it down.  I figured it might be written by my gran so I'll post it for you since it avoids any weird setting of the thumb.  Happy knitting.

Grandma Mittens**

I used size 4 double sided needles and a ball of worsted weight yarn.

Cuff - Cast on 44 stitches and divide on 3 needles. 

Join, work in round k2 p2 ribbing for 3 inches. 

Decrease 2 stiches in the last round.  There should be 42 stitches.

Hand - K even for 2 rounds.

First increase round: Increase one stitch in the first stitch, k1, inc 1 in the next stitch, k to end of row.

K 2 rounds even.

Second increase round: Inc 1 stitch in the first stitch, k3, inc 1 in the next stitch, k to end of row.

K 2 rounds even.

Continue to increase with two more stitches in between the increases every 3^rd row, increase until you have 54 stitches on.

K 2 rounds even.  Slip the 15 thumb stiches to a stitch holder.

Cast on 3 stitches, there should be 42 stitches on now.

Continue to work even until the measurement above cuff is 6 inches.  Decrease 3 stitches in the last row.

First decrease round: k2tog every 3^rd and 4^th stitch, 10 times

K even 3 rows

Second decrease round: k2tog every 2^nd and 3^rd stitch, 10 times

K even 3 rows

Third decrease round: k2tog in succession all the way round.  Break off yarn, leaving a tail.  Draw end tightly through all stitches and fasten off.

Thumb – Slip to two needles the 15 stitches from the stitch holder.

With 3^rd needle pick up and knit on the 3 cast on stitches.

There should be 18 stitches on  the needles for the thumb.

K around until the thumb  measures 2 inches above the cast on stitches.

First decrease round: *k1, k2tog* repeat 5 times

K even 2 rounds

K2tog in succession.

Finish as for top of mitten.

Make another mitten exactly the same way! 


* Does't she look like Olivia de Havilland? Isn't she gorgeous?
** And yes that blanket is that bright in real life. One of two family tartan blankets we got from the UK contingent as wedding presents.