Knitting My Fingerless Mitts

My weekend project! Fingerless mitts keep my wrists and hands warm yet provide freedom for my fingers. For extra warmth, I like mine made from two strands of yarn, but this same pattern can be used with just one strand. I love mine, they are great for dog walking!

I selected a skein of multi-color shades of pinks and blues and a skein of bright pink.

Materials -
2 skeins yarn
4 double pointed Size 7 knitting needles
Stitch holder
Round Marker

Here is my pattern - Left Mitt - With two strands of yarn, cast on 30 stitches. Distribute stitches evenly onto three double pointed Size 7 knitting needles, place round marker on first needle and carry with each knitted round. With the fourth double pointed needle, work 20 rows of knit 1, purl 1 ribbing for the cuff.

Work the next series of rounds to increase the width for the thumb.

Round One

• Needle 1 - k to 2 sts from end, m1, k2


• Needle 2 - k1, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - K across

Round Two

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Three

• Needle 1 - k to 2 sts from end, m1, k2


• Needle 2 - k 2, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across

Round Four

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Five

• Needle 1 - k to 2 stitches from end, m1, k2


• Needle 2 - k 3, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across

Round Six

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Seven

• Needle 1 - k to 2 stitches from end, m1, k2


• Needle 2 - k4, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across

Round Eight

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Nine

• Needle 1 - k to 2 stitches from end, m1, k2


• Needle 2 - k5, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - knit across

Round Ten

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Eleven

• Needle 1 - k to 2 stitches from end, m1, k2


• Needle 2 - k6, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - knit across

Round Twelve

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Thirteen

• Needle 1 - k to 5 sts from end, place 5 sts onto holder


• Needle 2 - place 5 sts onto holder, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across
  
  
  

Knit for 5 rounds with the stitches that remain on the needles to form the glove portion for your hand. Change to a k1, p1 ribbing pattern and knit 12 more rounds. Bind off. Work in all yarn ends.





To make the thumb, pick up four stitches from the glove edge with one needle and distribute the stitches that you placed onto the stitch holder onto two needles with 4 stitches on one and 6 stitches on the other.




Knit three rounds. Then work three rounds of the k1, p1 ribbing. Bind off and work in all yarn ends. The left mitt is finished!

Mitt can be worn with the cuff left unrolled and long to provide extra arm and wrist warmth.

Or fold the cuff in half to provide extra warmth at the wrist. Fingers and thumb are exposed to provide free movement but can easily pull into the mitt to get a little extra warmth.

Right Mitt - work the same as the left, except work the increases for the thumb rounds as follows:

Round One

• Needle 1 - k to 1 st from end, m1, k1


• Needle 2 - k2, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across

Round Two

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Three

• Needle 1 - k to 2 sts from end, m1, k2


• Needle 2 - k 2, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across

Round Four

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Five

• Needle 1 - k to 3 sts from end, m1, k 3

Round Six

• Needles 1, 2, 3 k across

Round Seven

• Needle 1 - k to 4 sts from m1, k 4


• Needle 2 - k 2, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across

Round Eight

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Nine

• Needle 1 - k to 5 sts from end, m1, k5


• Needle 2 - k2, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across

Round Ten

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Eleven

• Needle 1 - k to 6 sts from end, m1, k6


• Needle 2 - k2, m1, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across

Round Twelve

• Needles 1, 2, 3 - k across

Round Thirteen

• Needle 1 - k to 5 sts from end, place t sts onto holder


• Needle 2 - place 5 sts onto holder, k to end


• Needle 3 - k across

Continue directions as for left mitt.

Next, I'm making a pair with wool yarn in a dark green. . .

Christmas with Friends - 2007

Christmas dinner shared with friends in my home . . . Joyce, Magel and Kriss.

Torrie greats everyone.

Our menu: Roasted leg of lamb with garlic and fresh rosemary, baked honey ham, roasted potatoes with fresh thyme and garlic, roasted baby carrots, mixed green salad, fresh rolls followed by giant fresh mochas and pumpkin pie with vanilla bean ice cream . . .

Steve stops by on his way to his daughter's and joins us for a plate of Christmas dinner and a piece of pie before joining his children and grandson for another Christmas dinner.

It's coffee time . . .

Later, a Christmas party at Kriss's with an evening of cheeses and more pumpkin pie with more friends and kids . . . and a special Christmas celebration for the dogs.

Kriss fixes a derailment . . .

Torrie and Buddy have a great time playing together before the guests arrive . . .

Christy arrives . . .

And then Keith and his son.

Time again for holiday food and cheer . . . egg nog, assorted cheeses and crackers, juicy clemintines . . . and pumpkin pie . . .

Jesse has special gifts under the tree for Buddy and Torrie . . .

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night . . .

Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas . . .

An afternoon gone to the dogs!

Having accepted a dog-walking gig for the winter, as I walk Torrie-the-wonder-dog and Clifford Beagle, Monday through Friday, rain or shine, we pass through residential neighborhoods, along creeks and ponds and through the forest along a system of trails connecting to the old railroad trail. Our route is two miles through neighborhoods just to reach the trail head, six miles round trip on the trail system, then two miles back through the neighborhood to reach our starting point again.

As we walk through the residential neighborhood to reach our trail head, I'm particularly enjoying the holiday decorations that are springing up in the yards this time of year.

We approach the tunnel and we're going in . . .

Torrie loves running through the tunnel first and waiting for us at the other end.

We have the option to take several other trails and decide to head down the Railroad Trail today.

We keep walking down, and down, and down . . . down the stairs . . .

We cross the street and head down to the next trail and continue to wind our way down all the hills. Just behind the Barkley Haggens, we decide to turn around to make our way back up all those hills and steps that we just came down.

We pass beautiful trees . . .

We pass the duck pond and stop a moment to watch the ducks play . . .

We check out the passage leading to the street . . .

We head toward the bridge and over the creek again . . .

Even on an overcast day, the moss is plush and looks soft in contrast to the crunchy texture of the autumn leaves and the ferns always seem green.

It's just another great afternoon, gone to the dogs!

Christy's Birthday was Two Days Ago

So we had her party last night!

Kriss cooked and cooked and cooked a wonderful dinner for all of us after picking the kids up after school. Keith came after work and helped with the math homework. I showed up with the cake and candles. Christy came after she got off work with an extra set of dishes for Kriss after she got off work. Now no dinner guest at Kriss's impromptu dinner parties will eat out of a pie pan again.


We ate, we laughed, we sang happy birthday, and we ate chocolate cake!

That's an extra bottle of olive oil Kriss had out to give to me.

47 candles in all, the kids had fun removing them after they were all blown out . . .

Then it was time to trim the Christmas tree. Not normally a birthday party activity, but 'tis the season you realize . . .












Well, we only ended up putting the lights on the tree and another dinner was planned for the next night so that the tree could be properly decorated . . .


Kriss called me this morning to confess eating a piece of that chocolate cake for her breakfast . . .

Really Rose Needs Fingerless Mitts for Walking Dogs

Even on rainy days, my double fleece gloves are often too warm. I end up taking them off midway through my daily walk with the dogs and carrying them around. Two leashes and two gloves in my hands as I walk up and down the streets in the hood and meander along the old railroad trail systems is at best a bit awkward. Torrie-the-wonder-dog and Clifford Beagle have a great time regardless, but sometimes I trip over a leash - or even a glove.

I spent some time this evening searching the Internet and found a great pattern to knit fingerless mittens. I'm not sure if I have the right size of double pointed needles in my stash of knitting needles, but I'll check. If not, I'll pick some up Friday after walking the dogs. I'm certain I already have some very colorful yarn in my yarn bin that will work up perfectly in the pattern and make very fun mitts.

These will make a wonderful project for this weekend!

Check back next week for my adapted pattern and pics . . .