STASH's Smitten Mittens

Mittens are awesome and so are you! Learn how to knit a pair for your cute little hands with this fun, extra squishy pattern.

Knit in lovely wooly worsted weight yarn and showcasing the highly underrated garter stitch, this pattern will have you smitten with mittens in no time.

Glossary:

K - Knit | P - Purl | CO - Cast On | PM - Place Marker

SM - Slip Marker | Rnd - Round | st(s) - Stitches

DPN - Double pointed needle | K2Tog - Knit two stitches together 

SSK - Slip, Slip Knit Decrease: slip one stitch knitwise, slip one stitch purlwise, then knit the two sts together through the back loop

M1L - Make One Left Increase: Pick up the bar between your needles from the front, then knit into the back of the stitch

M1R - Make One Right Increase: Pick up the bar between your needles from the back, then knit into the front of the stitch

Helpful Video: M1 by Very Pink Knits

 

Size & Gauge: 

S/M,(M/L) - This pattern is written for the smallest size, with the larger sizes written in brackets. 

Gauge: On larger needles 18 sts x 32 rows = 10cm x 10cm (4” x 4”) in elongated garter stitch in the round. (Knit 2 rows, Purl 1 row)

Yarns:

• Brooklyn Tweed Shelter* or Briggs & Little Heritage, or Peace Fleece Worsted or your favourite heavy worsted weight yarn. 

  Our sample used approximately 105 metres/115 yards (115 metres/125 yards) of Peace Fleece Worsted. 

  *Check yo’ gauge for Brooklyn Tweed - it’s a bit lighter than the original yarn we used for the sample.

Needles n’ Notions:

• One set of 3.5mm (US 4) DPNs 
• One set of 4.5mm (US 7) DPNs 
• Scrap yarn or stitch holder
• Stitch marker
• A darning needle for weaving in ends

 

Start Knitting That Cuff! 

Using 3.5mm (US 4) needles, CO 32(36) sts, and divide over three needles in groupings divisible by 4. Make note of your beginning of round, and join to work in the round. 

Rounds 1-15 or until piece measures approx 7cm (2.5”): Work in *K2, P2* ribbing (repeating from * to *) around

Round 16: Work in K2, P2 ribbing but sneakily decrease by 1 (2) stitches during this round. 

You should now have 31(34) sts on your needles.

Time To Knit The Hand! 

Switch to 4.5mm (US 7) DPNs - put those 3.5mm (US 4) needles away when you’re finished so that you don’t accidentally use them again, which has totally never happened to us.

The mitten is knit in an extended garter stitch pattern, which involves knitting two rounds, then purling one round. 

Round 1: K all sts

Round 2: K all sts

Round 3: P all sts

Repeat rounds 1-3 an additional 2(3) times. Repeat round 1 once more. 

Set Up The Gusset: K1, M1L, K1, M1R, K1, PM, K to end of rnd.

You should now have 33(36) sts.

 

What the heck did we just do? We just set up the thumb gusset for increases. The first set of stitches on your needle before the stitch marker we placed above are part of your thumb, and must always be knit - no purling! If it were a chart, it would look like this right here:

Knit The Gusset!

Now that we’ve set up the gusset, it’s time to ROCK the gusset. If you pay attention you will notice that the gusset will increase in width by two stitches every third round. 

Round 1: K to marker, SM, Purl to end of rnd 

Round 2: K all sts, SM as you come to it

Round 3: K1, M1L, K3, M1R, K1, SM, K to end of rnd - 35(38) sts

Round 4: repeat round 1

Round 5: repeat round 2

Round 6: K1, M1L, K5, M1R, K1, SM, K to end of rnd - 37(40) sts

Round 7: repeat round 1

Round 8: repeat round 2

Round 9: K1, M1L, K7, M1R, K1, SM, K to end of rnd - 39(42) sts

Round 10: repeat round 1

Round 11: repeat round 2

Round 12: K1, M1L, K9, M1R, K1, SM, K to end of rnd - 41(44) sts

Finishing the gusset: P1, slip the next 11 sts onto stitch holder/scrap yarn, P1, remove marker, purl to end of rnd.

You should now have 30(33) sts. 

Let’s Cover Those Fingers, Shall We? 

Now we get to revisit the extended garter stitch pattern again to finish the hand. (Be sure to join in the round again where we held those 11 stitches). To refresh your memory, the pattern is:

Round 1: K all sts

Round 2: K all sts

Round 3: P all sts 

Repeat rounds 1 to 3 until your piece measures 14cm/5.5” (15cm/6”) from where you finished the cuff. 

Size M/L Only: On the last round you do, knit the last two stitches together (K2Tog) so that you have an even number of sts. 

You should now have 30(32) sts. 

Decrease Time!

Round 1: [K1, K2Tog, K9(10), SSK, K1] two times - 26(28) sts 

Round 2: K all sts

Round 3: [K1, K2Tog, K7(8), SSK, K1] two times - 22(24) sts

Round 4: [K1, K2Tog, K5(6), SSK, K1] two times - 18(20) sts

Round 5: [K1, K2Tog, K3(4), SSK, K1] two times - 14(16) sts

Round 6: [K1, K2Tog, K1(2), SSK, K1] two times - 10(12) sts

Divide the remaining sts over two needles, and graft together.

Helpful Video: Kitchener Stitch by VeryPink Knits

Finish The Thumb! 

The thumb is just a tiny tube that knits up super quick. The lengths of the thumbs here are suggestions, and if you’re knitting this mitten for yourself then try on the mitten to be sure it’s the right length for you. 

Slip the 11 sts being held on onto two DPNs. With a third needle, pick up and knit an additional 4 stitches across the gap (15 sts on the needles.) 

K all sts for 9(11) rounds OR until the thumb is almost completely covered. 

Decrease round: *K1, K2Tog* repeat from * to * until end of rnd

Knit one additional round. Break yarn leaving a long tail. With a darning needle, thread the tail through the remaining stitches and cinch the top of the thumb tight. Turn your mitten inside out and weave in the ends.

Repeat the whole thing one more time so you have two mittens. Or don’t. We think you should, but we can’t make you. 

Give yourself a high five because you’ve just finished STASH's Smitten Mittens!