Margaret’s Mimosa Mitts

Some time ago, it occurred to me that my friend Margaret needed a pair of black, lacy fingerless mitts. Not just any mitts would do; they had to be specially designed for her. So I got out my stitch dictionaries and went to work, producing a pair of gorgeous fingerless mitts with my friend in mind. I tried publishing the pattern on Ravelry, but didn’t do it right. Now that I have this blog, I shall publish it here.

Mitts for Margaret

less than 50 gm of fingering weight yarn (I used KnitPicks Capretta)

2.5 mm needles

Bobble instructions:

Knit into front, back and front of next st, turn and p3, turn and k3, turn and p3, turn and slip 1, k2tog, psso.

Wrist for both hands:

CO Heidi Bear’s twisted picot for 16 picots on circular needle, CO 1 st.

Row 1: K, *K1, Kfb* to last stitch, K1 (50 stitches on needle) (these 2 extra will make a seam later)

Row 2: purl

Row 3: knit

Row 4: slip last stitch onto end of second needle, in front of the first stitch and knit both together, joining in the round. K to last 2 st, K2tog (48 st)

Row 5: purl 

Row 6: *P2tog yo* to end of round

Row 7: purl

Row 8 & 9: knit

Row 10: *K3, yo, ssk, K3* 6 times, K3

Row 11, 13, 15, 17: knit

Row 12: *k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k2* 6 times

Row 14: *k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1* 6 times

Row 16: *k2, yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, k3* 6 times

Row 18: same as 10

Row 19 & 20: knit

Rows 21 to 23: same as 5 to 7

Left Hand:

Row 24: knit

Row 25: k1, m1, k1, Mimosa shoot chart for LH, k to one before end of round, m1, k1.

Even rows: knit

Row 27: k2, m1, k1, chart, knit to last 2 st., m1, k2

Row 29: k3, m1, k1, chart, knit to last 3 st., m1, k3

Row 31: k4, m1, k1, chart, knit to last 4 st., m1, k4

Row 33: k5, m1, k1, chart, knit to last 5 st., m1, k5

Row 35: continue increasing until there are 62 stitches total. Continue knitting chart without increasing.

When 33 rows of Mimosa shoot chart are completed, put 16 thumb gusset stitches on waste yarn like so: k8, put those 8 sts on waste yarn, k46, put last 8 sts on waste yarn.

CO 2 and join round. Continue in pattern (48 sts) until palm is covered, ~1.5"

Next round: knit

Repeat rounds 5 to 7

BO with 2-stitch picot: *cast on 2 stitches using cable cast-on. Bind off 4 stitches. Put right stitch on left needle.* Repeat until 2 st remaining, K2tog, BO.

Right Hand:

Row 24: knit

Row 25: k2, Mimosa shoot chart for RH, k1, m1, k2, m1, k to end.

Even rows: knit

Row 27: k2, chart, k1, m1, k4, m1, k to end. 

Row 29: k2, chart, k1, m1, k6, m1, k to end.

Row 31: k2, chart, k1, m1, k8, m1, k to end.

Row 33: k2, chart, k1, m1, k10, m1, k to end.

Row 35: continue increasing until there are 62 stitches total. Continue knitting chart without increasing.

When 33 rows of Mimosa shoot chart are completed, k23, put 16 sts on waste yarn, CO 2, join, k23.

Continue in pattern (48 sts) until palm is covered, ~1.5"

Next round: knit

Repeat rounds 5 to 7

BO with 2-stitch picot: *cast on 2 stitches using cable cast-on. Bind off 4 stitches. Put right stitch on left needle.* Repeat until 2 st remaining, K2tog, BO.

Thumb (both hands):

Put reserved 16 stitches on dpns (or circular needle). Pick up and knit 2 sts from hand, knit four rounds. Work rounds 5 to 7 once, picot bind off.

Pink Sundae Camisole: What happened next.

We left off last post with the bottom edge of my camisole looking huge. In every single book on knitting I have ever read (and I’ve read several), the knitter is instructed to start by making up a swatch to check for gauge. I didn’t do that. I should have. It turns out that with the needles specified by the designer, my camisole was heading into XL territory.  What did I do? The only sensible thing I could do: I frogged it, very carefully rewinding my yarn onto the empty toilet paper roll. The stuff at the beginning was getting really ratty by this time. To make it even rattier, I then pulled out my 2.25 mm needles, and knit myself a swatch. Specified gauge was 31 st = 4 in on 2.75 mm needles. I made my swatch 31 stitches wide with 4-stitch borders of garter. When I measured, I was still 2 stitches too loose. What to do?

I stroked my chin and thought about this. I could always try again with even smaller needles OR I could take advantage of my loose tension and knit the smaller size. Less knitting overall, right? So I did that, frogging my swatch (carefully rewinding it onto the roll) and then casting on for the small size with the 2.25 mm circular needle. Luckily the rattiest of the yarn ended up in the first five rows before the picot edge and is hidden in behind. In one place, the yarn actually came apart in my hands, but it was very easy to splice in without any tails to darn in later. I even caught the cast-on tail in the turned edging. Rather clever of me, no?

Unlike the other attempts, this one has been going problem-free. I hesitate to say that out loud, lest the knitting kobolds come out of the skeins and play havoc with my project. I am now into the decreases and have enough fabric made to warrant a photo or two. I have two, in fact. Here they are.

I had to pin it for the photo as the knitting is extremely curly. I have great faith that blocking will solve that issue. I think I am sufficiently satisfied with my progress that I can stop talking about this and just post photos when it’s done. Although, since the pattern calls for a separately-knitted upper edge attached via picked-up stitches and a three-needle bind-off, and I plan to do things differently, you might be seeing more of this camisole here before then.

Keep those kobolds at bay!