Chunky Mittens

I recently knit my first ever pair of mitts.  I made them with a beautiful Sweet Georgia Yarns  superwash chunky merino wool I bought from Knits by the Sea while on vacation in Tofino last summer.  The colour is summer dusk.  It came in a 100g/ 120 yd hank that was enough yarn for both mittens with a little left over. Here are the before and after pictures.

I looked at a couple of different patterns and then combined and adapted them to make up my own pattern to fit my little hands. The finished size of the mitts from wrist to fingertip is 8 1/2" long and they are 4 1/2" wide.  I made them big enough to wear over top of a little pair of gloves for added warmth against the Saskatchewan cold.  I made both mitts exactly the same but wearing them has seemed to shape them naturally into a left and right.

Laura's Chunky Mitten Pattern

Gauge: 13 stitches/ 21 rows = 4" (10cm)

Needles: I used a US size 10 (6mm) set of 4 double-pointed

Loosely CO 32 stitches and divide onto 3 dpn. Place marker to indicate the beg of rnd.

Rounds 1-12 (Cuff): K2, P2 around

Round 13: K15, pm, m1, k2, m1, pm, K15 (34 sts)

Rounds 14-16: Knit

Round 17: K15, sl marker, m1, k4, m1, sl marker, K15 (36 sts)

Rounds 18-20: Knit

Round 21: K15, sl marker, m1, k6, m1, sl marker, K15 (38 sts, 8 between markers)

Rounds 22-24: Knit

Round 25 (Thumb opening): K15, remove marker, sl next 8 sts onto holder, CO 2, K15 (32 sts)

Round 26-37: Knit

Round 38: K1, K2T, K10, K2T, K2, K2T, K10, K2T, K1 (28 sts)

Round 39: Knit

Round 40: K1, K2T, K8, K2T, K2, K2T, K8, K2T, K1 (24 sts)

Round 41: Knit

Round 42: K1, K2T, K6, K2T, K2, K2T, K6, K2T, K1 (20 sts)

Round 43: Knit

Round 44: K2T around (10 sts)

Round 45: Knit

Round 46: K2T around (5 sts)

Cut the yarn leaving a 6" tail.  Thread the tail on a tapestry needle and draw through remaining stitches.  Pull to close up the top of the mitten.  Weave in the remaining thread.

Thumb: Slip the 8 sts from the holder onto 2 dpn needles. With a third needle, join your working yarn to the inner part of the thumb opening by picking up 4 stitches (12 sts).

Next 8 rounds: Knit

Next round: K2T around (6 sts)

Cut the yarn leaving a 6" tail.  Thread the tail on a tapestry needle and draw through remaining stitches.  Pull to close up the top of the thumb.  Weave in all the remaining threads.  Make a second mitten to match.

If you need to make the body of the mitt or thumb longer for a larger hand, knit more rows before shaping the top of the mitt or thumb.