Toddler Rainbow Mittens (knit)

Double pointed needles (dpns). Man. I'm not sure how I feel about them yet but they're growing on me. They're like knitting with crazy spider knitting legs or something like that. My first mitten I did completely with dpns and got completed confused and increased and decreased stitches on accident here and there (not photographed). Pretty sure it looked like a hot pink saguaro in the end. Little Miss E seemed to like it though. As soon as she saw it lying on my work table, she took it and went to her kitchen to put it on and use it as an oven mitt.

This time I'm doing the magic loop method and saving the dpns only for the thumb.

Rainbow mittens to go with her Rainbow Cat Hat

Materials

• Loops & Threads Charisma in Passion
• 100% acrylic
• 4"x4" = 11S x 16R with US 13 (9mm) knitting needles
• US 10.5 (6.5mm) 16 inch circular knitting needles
• 4 US 10 (6mm) dpns
• yarn needle
• stitch marker
• stitch holder

Instructions

Mitten Cuff

1. CO 20 onto circular needles. Use magic loop method (most tutorials seem to recommend at least 30" circulars but I've found it fine using 16" circulars to work well so far). Join in a round. Place stitch marker.
2. K1, P1 in a rnd for 1x1 ribbing for 6 rows (about an inch and a half).
3. Knit 4 rounds (for it to extend farther up the wrist next time, I'll probably knit 6 rounds to extend 1/2 inch).

Shape Thumb Gusset

1. Inc 1 (using "bar increase" or "KFB" method) st in first st of rnd, inc 1 st in next st of rnd, knit to end of rnd (22 sts).
2. Knit 1 rnd. 
3. Next rnd: Inc 1 st in first st of rnd, k2, inc 1 st in next st of rnd, knit to end of rnd (24 sts). 
4. Knit 1 rnd.
5. Next rnd: Inc 1 st in first st of rnd, k4, inc 1 st in next st, knit to end of rnd (26 sts). 
6. Knit 1 rnd. 
7. Next rnd: sl first 6 sts onto holder for thumb. 

Mitten Body

1. Join rnd with rem 20 sts for hand.
2. Knit 8 rounds (to extend size, will knit 10 rounds next time for an extra 1/2 inch).

Shape Mitten Tip

1. Rnd 1: *K2, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. 
2. Rnds 2 & 4, knit.
3. Rnd 3: *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. 
4. Rnd 5: *K2tog; rep from * to end of rnd.
5. Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Pull tail through rem 5 sts, tighten, and fasten. 

Mitten Thumb

1. Divide the 6 thumb sts from the holder evenly over three dpns. Pick up 2 sts from inside thumb on mitten hand (8 sts). 
2. Knit 5 rnds.
3. K2tog across all sts (4 sts)
4. Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail, and pull tail through last sts to secure.

Finishing

Weave in loose ends,using tail at cuff to secure the join of the first rnd if necessary.

Finished Measurements (probably best fits ages 1-3 years old)

• Total length: 6 inches
• Mitten body: 4.5 inches
• Cuff: 1.5 inches
• Thumb length: 2 inches
• Body below thumb: 1 inch
• Thumb circumference: 2 inches

Adapted from a couple patterns out of Teach Yourself Visually: Knitting. Second Ed. Sharon Turner. Wiley Publishing, Inc. 2010.

Teach Yourself Visually: Knitting. Second Ed. Sharon Turner. Wiley Publishing, Inc. 2010.