Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Cabled Fingerless Mitts

Keep your hands toasty, without reducing your dexterity, with these simple fingerless mitts. A basic stockinette stitch background and knit 2, purl 2 ribbing puts all the focus on the cable down the back of the hand. An easy six-stitch cable, twisted every six rounds, makes this an ideal project for first-time cablers. Plus, symmetric cables teach the knitter the difference between holding the cable needle in front or in back of the work.

Now available as a free pdf!
Download through Ravelry!

Materials:
Caron Simply Soft (100% Acrylic, 3oz/85g, 165yds/151m) one skein in 2616 Toasted Almond
US 6 (4mm) double-pointed needles
Two stitch markers
Stitch holder or waste yarn

Gauge:
24 sts =4in (10cm) in stst on US 6 (4mm)

Finished Size:
Women’s Medium - 7in (18cm) hand circumference

Click here for Abbreviations
Pattern:
Right Mitt:
CO 44 and distribute to 3 dpns. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist. Work 10 rnds in k2,p2 ribbing.
Rnds 1-5: k19, p1, k6, p1, k17.
Rnd 6: k19, p1, FC6, p1, k8, pm, m1, k1, m1, pm, k8.
Rnds 7-8: k19, p1, k6, p1, k19.
Rnd 9: k19, p1, k6, p1, k8, m1, k3, m1, k8.
Rnds 10-11: k19, p1, k6, p1, k21.
Rnd 12: k19, p1, FC6, p1, k8, m1, k5, m1, k8.
Continue in this manner, inc'ing just inside markers every 3 rnds and twisting cable every 6 rnds, until there are 13 sts between markers for thumb gusset (Rnd 21). Transfer these 13 sts to a stitch holder or waste yarn. Waste yarn works better because it's flexible.
Rnd 22: k19, p1, k6, p1, k8, CO 1 st, k8.
Rnd 23: k19, p1, k6, p1, k17.
Rnd 24: k19, p1, FC6, p1, k17.
Continue in this manner, working even and twisting the cable every 6 rounds until piece measures 5in (13cm) from beg, about 39 rnds total, ending 5 rnds after a twist. Work 10 rnds in k2,p2 ribbing. BO all sts.
Thumb:
Distribute 13 sts on waste yarn to 3 dpns. Attach new ball of yarn, and pick up 3 sts in valley between thumb and palm. Knit 1 rnd. Work 10 rnds in k2,p2 ribbing. BO all sts. Weave in ends.
You may want to reinforce the valley between thumb and palm or close the hole if you have one. Left Mitt:
Work as for Right Mitt, reversing all shaping and using BC6 instead FC6 so the cables will be symmetric.

Feel free to comment here with questions.

This pattern is intended for personal use only. Please do not try to sell it or any product made from it. Thank you.

49 comments:

  1. I saw your pattern knit up at another person's blog and this looks like a great pattern! Thanks for posting it-I am on a big mitt kick right now, so I hope to get a pair knit soon!

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  2. Thanks! Glad you like it. And thanks to whomever posted it on their blog for sending you here. I'd love to see photos when you finish.

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  3. It was on the RSL Home Blog-here's the entry featuring your mitts (though not a big pic...): http://rlshome.com/blog/?p=81

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  4. I feel a bit silly for asking, but since this is my first cable ever - I am trying to understand how to interpret FC6 - is it leave 3 on the forward hanging cable needle, knit the next 3 then knit the three on the cable needle? I saw something that mentioned purling in the middle of a FC6 which is why I am not confused. Thanks for your help!

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  5. Yes, that's exactly what it means: slip 3 stitches to a cable needle and hold it in front, knit the next 3, then knit the 3 on the cable needle. On the second glove, you will hold the cable needle in back instead for a BC6. If you're ever curious about any of my other abbreviations, you can find them all here.

    And I'm honored you chose my pattern for your first cable project. Good luck!

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  6. I've been looking for small socks to make for holiday gifts or deco.
    A friend send me your web site.
    Lovely. Thank you so much.
    Have saved your spot in my favorites..and will try a mini sock this week. MAry Beth in FL

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  7. I am looking forward to knitting this. My first cable project.

    I had a question about which rows to repeat after round 12. Do I repeat round 12? Or start all over with round one?

    Thanks. I am hoping to start these on vacation next week.
    Denise
    Colorado

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  8. Actually, neither. You're going to continue increasing inside the markers every third round and cabling every sixth round.

    So on rounds 13 and 14, you'll just knit the knits and purl the purls. Then round 15 will be k19, p1, k6, p1, k8, m1, k7, m1, k8. Then two more rounds of knitting the knits and purling the purls. Then round 18 is k19, p1, FC6, p1, k8, m1, k9, m1, k8.

    So on every third round, you will be working two more stitches between the markers, the ones you created previously with the "m1"s. And on every sixth round, you will twist the cable.

    Does that make sense?

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    1. I followed these instructions but I only come up with 19 rows and it mentioned in the pattern that you should be on row 21. Am I missing something?

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    2. I got it....It does make sense. Love the pattern and thank you for your help.. : )

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    3. No problem! Glad you got it figured out!

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  9. Thanks so much I'm going to start them tonight!

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  10. I'm up to the part of the pattern that calls for casting on one stitch (round 22), but I don't know how to cast a stitch on in the middle of a piece. Can you help?

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  11. Casting on in the middle of a row requires the use of the single cast-on, or backwards loop cast-on. Check it out here.

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  12. Thanks so much for sharing this pattern! I've been looking for something just like it when I saw a knitting friend working some up at our LYS's Sit 'n Knit last night.

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  13. I love the pattern, I just finished these, very quick knit and easy pattern once you understand what you're doing. I just wanted to comment for other knitters that on the 2nd mitt, you need to knit 2 before you start counting, working the pattern backwards so your cables line up with your ribbing. Then when you get to the top ribbing you need to start in purl so the top ribbing lines up as well.

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  14. Love these and saw someone did them in lion brand fishermans,(on ravelry) which is what I want to use. Is this a good pattern to learn to knit cables? I looove aran and cables, but afraid to try..got the general idea, just need to give it a go!
    Thanks for the great free pattern!

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  15. Thanks for the pattern. I tried making a mitt while riding in the car and have some questions before I start the second one. 1) Someone posted a comment saying they you started the 2nd mitt you needed to knit 2 before you start counting - could you explain that. I thought you would reverse the shaping by doing the following: Rnds 1-5 - k17, pi, k6, p1,k19. Is that what is meant by reversing? Where does the knit 2 come in?

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  16. Question - I tried the pattern and found that I probably did not do the cable correctly. I was unsure how to twist the stitches - The cable seems to have a "dip" in it. Is there a good place to "see" how to do simple cables such as are used in this pattern?

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  17. Question #1: I'm not sure what that person meant about k2 before starting counting. What I meant by reversing the pattern for the second mitt was to do everything in reverse. So instead of working k2, p2 ribbing, you'd work p2, k2 for 10 rounds. Then Rnds 1-5 would be: k17, p1, k6, p1, k19, as you guessed. Then Rnd 6: k8, pm, m1, k1, m1, pm, k8, p1, BC6, p1, k19. And so on and so forth...

    Question #2: Here is an excellent video for knitting a basic cable. She shows you a 6-st, front-cross cable (FC6). To do a back-cross for the second mitt, you'd just hold the cable needle behind your work, instead of in front, while you knit the other three stitches.

    Hope that helps!

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    1. Thank you for clarifying the left mitt instructions! I noticed on the Ravelry pdf download that it says to use k2, p2 ribbing for the left mitt though. Just wanted to make sure it's supposed to be p2, k2 like you mention above. Thanks!

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  18. I love the mitts. I have some Shibui sock yarn that I would love to use for fingerless mitts. How would I adjust that pattern for sock yarn? Thank you for sharing your beautiful designs.

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  19. Assuming a gauge of about 30 stitches to 4 inches, I'd cast on 56 stitches, instead of 44. I might make the cable an 8-stitch twist too. And I'd continue increasing on the thumb gusset until there are 17 sts, not 13. You may also want to adjust how many rounds of ribbing you do, depending on your row gauge.

    Hope that helps!

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  20. help!!! rounds 1-5 work out perfect but on round 6 i only have 6 stitches to knit instead of 8 did i misunderstand something?

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  21. Which 6 sts do you mean? The 6 knit sts between the two purls are for the cable, the FC6 (front-cross-six) on round 6. The 8 sts later in the round are the even sts on either side of the thumb gusset.

    Hope that makes sense.

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  22. i mean the last 6 stitches on rounds 6, 9, 12 the ones after the cable and gusset. i did finish up one mitt and its beautiful even though i'm shy 2 stitches. thank you so much for the pattern i'm a new knitter (have crocheted since a child) and was looking for something nice without being too difficult, perfect project

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  23. i know where i went wrong (after looking up your stitch abbreviations) i make one by knitting into the front loop and then into back loop of a stitch I DIDN'T do the bar method.ergo two stitches shy, it also accounts for my getting 13 thumb stitches before round 21. Hey all new knitters always check your patterns abbreviations it makes a difference. so sorry to Carissa for messing up a very easy to follow pattern.

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  24. Glad you figured it out. Let me know if you have any more questions.

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  25. I'm assuming that m1 means make one. You have abbreviations for
    m1L and m1R. How is m1 done?

    Thanks.

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  26. Oh, sorry. I wrote this pattern a long time ago, before I differentiated between m1L and m1R. A m1 is the same as a m1L. Or if you're picky about symmetry, you can use m1R for the first increase of each rnd and m1L for the second, though it's a barely noticeable difference.

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  27. I am up to row 25. When you say continue in this manner, do you mean repeat row 23 five times and row 24 once.

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  28. If your row gauge is similar to mine, you will only need to repeat row 23 five more times, stopping before you get to another cable twist. That way your cable will "melt" into the ribbing on the edge.

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  29. i absolutely love you for posting this lovely pattern. thank you so much. i've never done any project with cables before, so i'm not sure if i'm skilled enough a knitter do do it, but i'm definitely going to try this weekend. thanks again! all your patterns are exceptional!

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  30. How could I adjust the pattern if my hand measures 8 inches (across the knuckles) instead of 7 inches?

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  31. For a slightly larger mitt, I would just cast on 4 more sts. Work them in ribbing with the other sts for the cuff. Then just tack them onto the end of each rnd. For example, Rnds 1-5 would now be: k19, p1, k6, p1, k21. Hope that helps!

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  32. Thanks so much for sharing this pattern! I've been looking for something just like it

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  33. I love this pattern. Thank you for making it freely available. I used it to make up a pair as a gift and they look so clean and classic. You can see photos of my finished set in my ravelry notebook (gleangenie) or my flickr photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/taproot_image_craft/

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  34. Looks like a great pattern. I have a similar pattern for bulky yarn, but I like that this is written for worsted or light worsted. I only wish the instructions for the 2nd mitt had been written out. Before knitting this pattern, I'll have to work out what that means and write it all out to keep from getting lost.

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  35. I'm just starting the mitts and finding on row 6 I have 6 to knit instead of 8 at the very end of that row. We make 2 stitches in round 6. but at the end of that row I only have 6 to knit instead of 8. I guess I just repeated myself
    Thanks

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  36. I suspect you may have used a different increase method. For example, a kfb uses a stitch to increase a stitch, so two kfb increases would leave you with two fewer knit stitches at the end. The m1 increase called for in the pattern, however, uses the bar between stitches, essentially making a stitch out of nothing.

    m1 = pick up bar between the st just worked and the next st by inserting left needle under it from front to back, knit into back of this new stitch

    For future reference, all of my frequently-used abbreviations are here.

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  37. Hi Carissa, I love these mitts! I finished the right one and am half way through the left one but I have a question.. I noticed that when you do the increases on the left mitt it creates little holes, I even noticed them in the picture of your mitts so I'm not worried it's a problem I'm just curious as to why it even occurs only on the left mitt, because both our right mitts appear to be hole-less.

    Thanks!
    Ashley

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  38. It's because I just used a m1 on both sides of the thumb on both mitts for simplicity's sake. If you'd prefer, you could use a m1R as the mirror-image to a m1 (aka m1L).

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  39. I am almost done with one mitt and I love the pattern. I wanted to ask if there is any way to make them a little smaller next time--I have smaller hands. I didn't know if I could just reduce the number of stitches I cast on.
    Thanks!

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  40. Sure, you could just cast on fewer stitches, in multiples of 4 for the ribbing to still work out. And in order to keep the cable centered on the back of the hand, make sure you spread out the stitches you remove. For example, if you cast on 4 fewer stitches, that would be two from the palm, and one from either side of the cable on the back of the hand. I would also work fewer rounds so you don't end up with mitts that are too long.

    Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.

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  41. I've made these mitts twice...the first set I made came out way too big. I ended up using them over slim, black gloves to give me a double layer. I just finished a pair using Plymouth Encore worsted weight and a size 4 double point needle and they came out perfectly. One other change I made was to knit 35 rows instead of 39, which still gives me 6" not 5".

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    1. Thanks, Deb! I love to hear how other knitters have customized my patterns for their own needs and their own tension. Glad you got some mitts that fit!

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  42. My first cabled projects! Thanks for sharing. I did a little write up on my blog about this pattern. Looooove it!!
    Thanks again,
    Carolyn
    http://lastinlineshop.blogspot.com/2014/01/knit-some-cozy-mitts-free-pattern.html

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    1. They turned out great, Carolyn, and I love the color! Thanks for the mention!

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  43. I would love to try this pattern if it was done on 2 needles..I just can't get the multi needle thing going...lol...do you have a pattern done on 2 needles...I love cable knitting and your pattern would be perfect.
    Thanks
    Wemdy

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