By Becky Stern
This unisex pattern will keep your wrists warm while you bike, type, or play bass. It's great as a quick and satisfying knit for yourself, or make and give them to a friend! Fingerless mitts keep you warm on chilly spring nights while keeping your fingers free for more projects!
Download and read the pattern after the jump!
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Materials
2 skeins Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere or similar sport weight yarn, which we'll call A and B. Shown here in colors 15001 (black) and 15022 (taupe).
Set of 4 double pointed needles in US size 3 (3.00mm)
Circular needle US size 3 or smaller used as a stitch holder
Yarn needle
Scissors
Abbreviations
CO - cast on
K - knit
m - make
BO - bind off
DPN - double-pointed needle
Finished Size & Gauge
The pattern is shown in two sizes. Size small/medium fits a wrist with up to a 6.5" diameter at its smallest point, and size medium/large fits wrists measuring 6.5" and up. For size medium/large, follow stitch numbers in parentheses. Gauge: 5.25 sts per inch.
Directions
Arm:
With A, CO 33(42) sts using the long tail method and distribute sts across three DPNs, 11(14) on each needle.
Row 2: Join round and K 1 more row in color A.
Row 3: Switch to color B and knit two rows in the round.
Rows 5 to 57: Alternate colors A and B, carrying up the alternating color's strand on the WS.
Thumb:
Row 58: K 11(14) sts in color A (the sts from the first DPN). K 4, m 1, K 3(6), m 1, K 4. K 11(14).
Row 59: Switch colors and K plain.
Row 60: K 11(14) sts from first DPN. K 4, m 1, K 5(8), m 1, K 4. K 11 (14) sts from last DPN.
Row 61: Switch colors and K plain.
Row 62: K 11(14) sts from first DPN. K 4, m 1, K 7(10), m 1, K 4. K 11 (14) sts from last DPN.
Row 63: Switch colors and K plain.
Row 64: K 11(14) sts from first DPN. K 4, m 1, K 9(12), m 1, K 4. K 11 (14) sts from last DPN.
Row 65: Switch colors and K plain.
Row 66: K 11(14) sts from first DPN. K 4, m 1, K 11(14), m 1, K 4. K 11 (14) sts from last DPN.
(from here on out, switch colors every two rows on your own)
Row 67: K 11(14) sts from first DPN. K 4, m 1, K 13(16), m 1, K 1, CO 2(3). Transfer remaining 14(17) stitches from last DPN to circular needle or long piece of wire to form a long stitch holder.
Row 68: Transfer first 14(17) sts to the stitch holder. Distribute thumb stitches evenly over 3 DPNs. Join round and K.
When it's time to switch colors and your color A is still attached to the main hand part of the mitt, you can either cut the yarn to move it to the thumb, or knit from a new skein.
K 5(7) more rows in stripe pattern, then loosely BO all thumb stitches.
Hand:
(Color B) Pick up 4(5) sts across thumb base, then K 14(17) sts from stitch holder, distributing sts over 2 DPNs.
With a third DPN, K 14(17) sts from stitch holder, join and K remainder of row.
K 13(15) rows in striped pattern, then loosely BO all hand stitches.
Weave in all ends, block, repeat pattern for the other hand, and enjoy!
Photos by Nathan Rosenquist
Men's mitts modeled by Joe Kruse and his handmade bass
Download the Pattern PDF | Subscribe in iTunes
(Right click to save the PDF to your desktop. Directions on downloading PDFs.)
but if you do want it separated, it should not be impossible to just make some sort of smaller gusset for that, or just a seam?
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Yeah, you could do that if you wanted fingerless mitts with a separate pinky.
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This is driving me crazy, and I just want to be sure I'm not overlooking something...
The pictures accompanying the pattern seem to show a fingerless mitt with the thumb and the pinky finger separate from the rest. The pattern seems to describe a fingerless mitt that has a separate thumb only. Is this correct?
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Hey... I think I'm seeing what you mean, but I'm pretty sure that's just an illusion created by the side seam.
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Laura's right, it's an illusion. You're seeing the place in the round where the color changes, which looks similar to the break in the stripe pattern where the thumb increases are.
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