My New Fingerless Mitts

I have been working on knitted Christmas gifts for my family for a couple months. I have poor circulation in my hands and they have been getting really cold now that the weather is getting chilly, so I broke out my old fingerless mitts. They are worn, stretched out and baggy and not all that comfortable, but I keep them around anyway. I realized that the only reasons I've kept them this long is because I haven't found a pattern that was quite what I wanted and I haven't taken the time to come up with my own pattern. I decided it was time to make myself some new ones that actually fit and were comfortable to wear. I had some yarn left over from my husband's scarf with the proper size needles stuck right in the skein waiting for me to create something. So, I picked up the needles and cast on. It took me multiple attempts to get the size right and figure out the thumb gusset, but I finally got it right.

These fit like a dream. They are ribbed so they fit snugly but can stretch to fit larger hands. They cover my palms and wrists to keep them warm, leaving my thumb and fingers free to grip my needles while I finish my other knitting projects. And they are thin enough to be tucked under a long shirt sleeve. I absolutely love them and don't know why I didn't make them until now. Everyone needs a pair (or five) of these.



  
Lovely Fingerless Mitts
Beginner level -- Make 2

Materials
6 oz Caron Simply Soft in Dark Country Blue
Size US 8 needles
yarn needle

PM: Place marker
M1: Make one

Cast on 36 sts. Work in K2, P2 rib for 5 inches.
Continue to work in rib pattern as established, gusset stitches will be worked in stockinette stitch.

Thumb gusset:

(Work all non-gusset stitches in rib pattern)

Row 1: Work 17 sts in rib pattern. PM. Pick up bar between stitches 17 and 18. K1, P1, K1 into the picked up stitch. PM. Continue in rib pattern.
Row 2: Purl all gusset stitches
Row 3: Inc one stitch into each gusset stitch - 6 sts
Repeat Row 2 for even rows
Row 5: K1, M1, K1, M1, K2, M1, K1, M1, K1
Row 7: K1, M1, K8, M1, K1 - 12 sts
Row 9: Bind off all gusset stitches and remove markers
Row 10: Work in rib pattern, tightly closing the hole left by the bound off gusset stitches.

Work 4 more rows in rib pattern
Dec 1 st at each end of row on next and following alternate row. - 32 sts.
Bind off all stitches. Sew edges together and weave in ends.

These are great for a fast and easy gift. Or accessorize and make lots of different colors.