Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Toddler Mittens

Here's another pair of mittens, this time sized for a toddler. I was using Elizabeth Durand's pattern for making children's mittens, but needed a slightly smaller size than her instructions covered. So I changed the pattern a little. I used a yarn with a gauge of 22 stitches=4"/10cm, which makes a mitten to fit a 2-year-old, worsted yarn at 20 stitches=4"/10cm will make a mitten to fit a 3 year old.

Here's what I did:

First, I printed Elizabeth's pattern and made some notes in the margin about the changes I wanted to make. You will want to do this too.

I cast on 24 stitches and made knit 1 purl 1 ribbing for 20 rounds. On the first round of stockinette stitch I increased 4 stitches evenly spaced-28 stitches. Knit 3 rounds. Made the thumb gusset as directed, worked until there were 8 stitches between the stitch markers. After removing thumb stitches to a holder, I worked 12 rounds even. I changed the shaping of the mitten tip a bit:
K 1, K2tog, ssk, K 10, K2tog, ssk, K9.
K 1 round.
K2tog, ssk, K8, K2tog, ssk, K8.
K 1 round, stopping at the last stitch. K this stitch together with first stitch of next round to make -->
K2tog, ssk, K6, K2tog, ssk, K6.
K 1 round, stopping at the last stitch. K this stitch together with first stitch of next round to make -->
K2tog, ssk, K4, K2tog, ssk, K 4.
K1 round.
I wove this together with kitchener stitch the same as for a sock toe.
On the thumb I picked up 8 stitches from the holder and followed her directions, knitting 10 thumb stitches for 8 rounds, k2tog around, breaking off and pulling the yarn through the 5 remaining stitches and pulling up tightly.
Weave in the ends and you're done!

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