The Mitten Venture Mitten - Knitting a Basic Mitten on Three Needles

There are literally dozens of mitten patterns around - you can find them in knitting books, pattern leaflets, knitting magazines and on the web. This is a basic mitten pattern for people who have never ever knitted on three needles but do have knitting experience. (I'll give some hints in italics when appropriate.) I developed this pattern using parts of mitten patterns that I like making.

I wrote these directions telling you the number of rounds you need to work first, without measurements. In doing this, you won't have to dig around looking for your ruler or tape measure - just use your favorite method of counting rounds! MAKE SURE YOU KNIT TO GAUGE and you’ll be fine!

A word of warning: While knitting on three needles looks and sounds really hard, once you get the hang of it, you'll never want to knit flat again! That being said, let’s get going and have some fun!

MATERIALS:
Worsted-weight Yarn - quantities will vary depending on size, see below
Size 7 US / 4.5mm 7" double-pointed needles (or whatever size you need to make the correct gauge)
Size 5 US / 3.75mm 7" double-pointed needles (for starting - should be 2 sizes smaller than the ones with which you made gauge)
Row Counter
2 Stitch Holders (or more, see below)
Stitch Markers
Tapestry or Yarn Needle, size 16-18

GAUGE:
5 sts. = 1" (20 sts = 4") in stockinette stitch, worked flat

Gauge is enormously important! Make your gauge by casting on 20 sts and work stockinette stitch with your size 7 needles until it's square. If it measures 4" across the middle of the work (parallel to the needle), you're fine! if it's small, re-do the gauge with larger needles; if it's too small, re-do with smaller needles.

SPECIAL ABBREVIATIONS:
dpns = Double-Pointed Needles
K2tog = Knit 2 together

These are two types of lifted increases that, used together, give you symmetrical increases (in this case, along the thumb gusset).
M1L = Make 1 Left. Insert the left needle from front to back under the horizontal yarn between the last stitch worked (on the RH needle) and the next one to be worked (on the LH needle). Knit through the back of this strand to twist the stitch to the left.
M1R = Make 1 Right. Insert the left needle from back to front under the horizontal yarn between the last stitch worked (on the RH needle) and the next one to be worked (on the LH needle). Knit through the front of this strand to twist the stitch to the right.

THE SIZES:
This pattern will make 6 sizes of mitten to fit: Infant, 1-2 year old, 2-5 year old, 6-9 year old, 10-12 year old/small adult and woman/medium adult. The number of stitches or lengths for each step will appear in this order. I strongly recommend that you print these instructions and circle or highlight the size you are making and all the counts and measurements that correspond to that size.

THE YARN:
I have made dozens of mittens using up my 'stash' of leftover yarn, and wanted to use it all, no matter how small the ball was. I made mittens and weighed them on my small postage scale (you can get one at your local office store for around $20) to see how much yarn, by weight, eash uses. You may find that you need more or less than these weights. If you have two small balls (or one that's not quite big enough to make a size you want) you can combine colors and make striped mittens. (See the note about stripes at the end of the pattern). These are just estimates, your yarn usage might be different! {Infant - 3/4 oz; 1-2 - 1 oz; 2-5 - 1.25 oz; 6-9 - 1.75 oz; 10-12/small adult - 2.5 oz}

NOW FOR THE PATTERN! (Remember, you're going to make 2 mittens)
Your mittens will have a ribbed cuff, symmetrical increases along the thumb gusset, a thumb knit in the round, and a hand. (An infant mitten does not have a thumb.) See the end notes if you want to make your mittens with stripes.

THE CAST ON AND CUFF:

• Using your smaller needles, cast on {22, 24, 26, 30, 34} stitches. Work 2 rows in K1, P1 rib flat. (Working these two rows flat makes joining without twisting easier.) You can work in k2, p2 rib if your cast on stitches are divisible by 4.

• Divide your stitches onto three dpns, with 8 sts on the second needle and the remaining stitches divided evenly on the first and third needles. (NOTE: Why 8 sts on the second needle? You will be creating your thumb gusset on this needle and, for the larger sizes, will need more room.) Know the beginning/end of your rounds.

• Join and continue ribbing in the round for a total of {16, 16, 16, 20, 20} rounds.

• Change to larger needles and knit four rounds.

(NOTE: If you are making mittens for an infant, skip to THE HAND. You will not be creating a thumb.)

THE THUMB GUSSET:

• ROUND 1: Knit {0, 11, 12, 14, 16} stitches and place a marker; this should be on needle 2. (NOTE: You won't be making a thumb for the infant size, so skip down to THE HAND.) M1L, Knit 2, M1R, place marker. Knit to end of row.

• ROUND 2: Knit

• Repeat the last two rounds, making an M1L increase just after the first marker and M1R just before the second marker on the odd-numbered rows, and knitting the even-numbered rows, until there are {0, 10, 12, 12, 14} stitches between the markers, ending with Row 2.

THE THUMB:

• Knit to second marker. Slip the remaining stitches in the round to a holder. Slip the stitches from the beginning of the round (up to the marker) onto the other holder. You will only have the thumb stitches on one needle.

• Divide your stitches as evenly as you can on three needles. Join, noting the beginning of round and knit {0, 6, 8 12, 14} rounds.

• DECREASE ROUND 1: K2tog all around.

• DECREASE ROUND 2: K2tog all around. if there are any stitches left over, just knit.

* Cut yarn approx. 3" away, and thread onto a tapestry needle. Draw through the remaining stitches. Pull tail to inside and secure.

THE HAND: (NOTE: This is the home stretch!)

• Slip the stitches from the beginning of the round onto one needle (needle 1), and the stitches from the end of the round onto another (needle 3).

• Put the last three stitches from needle 1 on a third needle; join yarn and pick up two stitches at the base of the thumb. Knit three stitches from needle 3; you will have 8 stitches on needle 2.

• You will have {22, 24, 26, 30, 34} stitches. Knit even for {12, 10, 12, 16, 22} rounds.

• DECREASE ROUND 1: (K2, K2tog) all around, knit any remaining stitches.

• DECREASE ROUNDS 2 AND 4: Knit

• DECREASE ROUND 3: (K1, K2tog) all around, knit any remaining stitches.

• DECREASE ROUND 5: K2tog all around, knit any remaining stitches.

• DECREASE ROUND 6: K2tog all around, knit any remaining stitches.

• Cut yarn approx. 4" away, and thread onto a tapestry needle. Draw through the remaining stitches. Pull tail to inside and secure.

FINISHING:

• Turn mitten inside out. Weave in and trim all the tails making sure all joins are secure.

• Use the cast-on tail to sew the first two rib rows; weave the excess yarn up the cuff and trim.

• Take a different color yarn and tie the mittens together, along with a tag stating the size and washing instructions (see the picture in the background for mine!).

NOTES:

• You can stripe the cuffs or the hand of your mittens. Just tie on the stripe yarn (CC or Contrasting Color), and work as many rounds as you want. Carry the main color (MC) up, twisting it with the CC yarn every-other round. Let's say you know you have just enough (or are a bit shy) of what's needed for a pair of 6-8 mittens. Start the mitten and work 4 rounds, add the CC and work 4 rounds then 4 rounds in MC 4 rounds in CC then 4 in MC. You can cut the CC and continue with the MC. Use the bit that's left to tie the mittens and the tag together.