Quick & Easy Holiday Mittens

Back in my yarn shop days (wow, it has been 9 years already!), knitters would pop in and ask about projects that they could do quickly for gifts.  One of the most popular by far were the Quick & Easy Holiday Mittens.  You can make a pair of these in an evening!  This was a free pattern that someone had shared that used super bulky yarn and size 13 double points.  It had originally had a cuff that kind of rolled at the bottom.  As I made pair after pair for gifts, I decided that I liked a slightly different version.  I’ll include it here as a basic “recipe” for you.  Feel free to do whatever you like to make it to your liking.  It is a guide.

Sometimes I use a size 11 double point and use 2 strands of bulky yarn rather than what the pattern calls for.  Once I made a pair that was made with super bulky and size 13’s that I lined with fleece!  These mittens below, which went back to school with my youngest a couple of days ago, were made with a kind of heart pattern using two colors.  Have fun painting your blank canvas!

 

Quick & Easy Holiday Mittens

70 yards super bulky yarn       Size 13 double point needles       Gauge:  2.25 sts per inch

Cast on 18 stitches onto double points.  Distribute the stitches around 3 needles and mark the beginning of the round.

Purl 2 rounds for a rolling cuff or if you prefer ribbing, do *Knit 1/Purl 1* ribbing around for an inch or two.)

Knit 11 rounds.

(You can try these mittens on as you go and alter any of these directions to fit.)

Begin thumb increases:

Round 1:  k1, m1 and then knit around to the last stitch, m1, k1    (m1 is Make 1 which is done by either a backward loop cast on to the right needle or by inserting the tip of the right needle under the horizontal bar formed between the stitch on the left hand needle and the one on the right hand needle.  Place on the left needle and knit the stitch through the back loop.  Feel free to use any increase that you favor.)

Round 2:  Knit around

Round 3:  K2, m1, knit to the last 2 sts, m1, k2

Round 4:  Knit around

Round 5:  Knit to the last 3 stitches, put those 3 stitches plus the next 3 from the next round’s needle and put onto a holder or scrap yarn.  Then cast on 2 stitches to the right needle.  (Some have eliminated Round 4 and gone straight to placing the 6 stitches onto a holder–you will have to put one of the increase stitches onto the holder which can be a little unstable.)

Knit 14 rounds or until the mitten is just about to cover your fingertips while trying it on.

Shape Top:

Round 1:  *K2tog, K1* around (K2tog:  Knit 2 stitches together as if they were one)

Round 2:  Knit around

Round 3:  K2tog around (6 stitches remain)

Cut yarn.  Using yarn needle, pull yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight.

Thumb:

Pick up 6 stitches from the holder and place 3 each on 2 needles.  Pick up 2 stitches (Confession:  I usually pick up 4 and then decrease on my next round to avoid gaps in this area) above where you cast on 2 stitches earlier.  (a total of 8 stitches on all 3 needles is what you aim for.)

Knit 7 rounds.

*K2tog* around.

Cut yarn and pull yarn through remaining 4 stitches with a yarn needle.

Weave in all ends.  Celebrate!

 

Keep trying these on as you go!  It helps a ton!  Do not use it as a set in stone pattern.  Experiment!  Go wild!  Use colors you normally never use.  It’s such a quick project, it will be done before you know it so go crazy!  Plus at the end of the day, you have a lovely gift for someone and can start on your next project.  Hooray!

Share with your friends!  Mitten the world!

See you next time!

Shana