This page is pattern support for my Slipped Stitch Fingerless Mitts Pattern, which can be purchased on Ravelry. You don’t need a Ravelry account to buy patterns there, but I suggest every knitter have one, its a great website for knitters, crocheters and even weavers!
To purchase this pattern
This easy-to-knit pattern for a pair of fingerless mitts is ideal for that precious skein of luxurious hand-painted yarn. The simplicity of the slipped stitch rib pattern complements the beauty of a gorgeous hand-painted colorway without competing with it. The mitts are knit top down so that a limited amount of yarn can be divided in half and the cuff is knit until the yarn runs out or you have reached your desired cuff length.
One Size to fit Woman’s S/M
This mitt is very stretchy and easily fits a range of hand sizes. Pattern can be easily adjusted for larger/smaller hands and thicker/thinner yarns by changing needle size or adding or subtracting stitches in multiples of 5. The thumb gusset can be made bigger if necessary by adding 2 stitches to the backwards loop cast on for the thumb opening and two more rows to the gusset decreases before decrease rnd 11.
Materials
1 skein of Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend; 150 yds/50g; 70% merino extrafine, 30% silk OR
Malabrigo Silky Merino 150yds/50g; 50% Silk, 50% Baby Merino
US size 5 [3.75 mm] double pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge, stitch marker, tapestry needle
Gauge
6 sts and 7 rnds in Slipped Stitch Rib Pattern, knit in the round and lightly blocked.
Support
As a knitting teacher, I like to support newish knitters. When people write patterns, they are written with the expectation that a knitter will know certain things, and maybe a newer knitter does not. This page is intended to help you through those details that you might never have learned, especially if you are self-taught like I was.
So grab your pattern and I’ll walk you through a couple of points.
Gauge: Yes there is a gauge listed and needles size of 5. Gauge is difficult to measure on ribbing so don’t sweat it too much. Ribbing is very stretchy so this pattern will fit most women’s hands just as written. If you are a loose knitter, try a needle size 4, if you are a really tight knitter, try a needle size 6. This pattern is written from the top down and you can try it on before you get too far. You can use the top of the mitt for a swatch since its really not a big project and is quick to knit. If you don’t like the fabric or its a bit too small, start over and go up a needle size or cast on 5 extra stitches.
Stitch Pattern: Next up are the instructions for how to knit slipped stitch rib. It is a pattern that occurs over multiples of 5 stitches. This information is necessary after you start knitting. Its pretty simple, the only part you might have trouble with is a slipped stitch. In the stitch pattern the stitch is slipped purlwise or as if to purl. That means to insert the needle into the stitch as if you were going to purl it, but don’t purl it, just move it from the left needle to the right needle. This will give you and elongated stitch and it will be knit in round two. This elongated stitch is what adds interest to the pattern. The rule of thumb for slipping stitches is that if the pattern states how to slip it (purlwise or knitwise) follow how the pattern states. If the pattern does not state how to slip, you slip purlwise, unless it is part of a decrease, then you slip it knitwise. We will slip knitwise elsewhere in the pattern in the gusset decreases. This means to slip by inserting the needle as if you were going to knit it, but don’t knit it, just move it from the left to the right needle in this position.
Mitt Instructions: If you want to use up every bit of yarn you have, you can divide the ball into two balls. Since this pattern is knit from the fingers down to the wrist, its easy to do. I was able to get 3 mitts out of one ball of the recommended yarn, so you could divide it into thirds as well. With two skeins of the same color of yarn, you could make 3 pairs. Keep one, sell the other two!
Hand: To cast onto double pointed needles, it is usually easiest to cast all the stitches onto one needle, then move some of them. My pattern specifies how to divide them. They do not need to be divided equally, and my suggestions make sure that the pattern repeat of 5 keeps the repeat stitches together on the needles. If you are casting on 5 more stitches for a larger hand, place those stitches on the first needle, then you will have an equal number on all needles to begin with. (We will add some stitches later for the thumb.)
Thumb Gusset: After you knit for the desired length (I knit 22 rounds, you can knit 2-4 less or more rounds for shorter or longer fingers) end with round 2 before doing the increases for the gusset. This ensures that the plain rounds (knit 3 purl 2) stay plain and all the slipping, increases and decreases stay on the odd number rounds and makes keeping track a little easier. To cast on stitches for the thumb gusset, the backwards loop cast on is easy, and if you watch the video here at knittinghelp.com you will learn it quickly. You don’t begin with the slip knot since you already have stitches on your needle, just make the loop and add the stitches.
Cuff: The cuff is knit as long as you want or until you almost run out of half your total yarn (leave enough for the bind off), which ever comes first. Bind off loosely and in pattern (knit the knits and purl the purls) after knitting a “round 2” of the slip stitch rib pattern. You don’t want a slipped stitch to be part of the bind off. I have been able to get 3 pairs of mitts out of 2 50 gram balls of Malagribo Silky Merino or Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend if I make the cuffs on the short side. If you don’t want all 3 pairs to be the same color, get 2 different colorways and the third pair can be a mismatched pair! If you intend to knit 3 pairs out of 2 balls, then divide each ball into thirds before beginning.
Have fun with this quick to knit and simple pattern!