Christmas mittens 2019: Part 2

Happy third Advent!

I'm really enjoying this Christmas-KAL together with you! Today's challenge is the thumb gusset and the hand! The thumb gusset follows the Line of Life on the hand -which makes for an extra  good fit. On the back of the hand there is a knot pattern. (Does it sound difficult? No worries, I've made a video for you, showing this technique!)

Important information about the thumb gusset: The Line of Life-thumb has a different construction than the more regular thumb gussets have. Instead of increasing on both sides of the gusset, every other row, you will now increase on every row, at the same place. The stitches added will become the hand -while the existing stitches are the ones that form the thumb. That's the difference between a "regular" thumb gusset and the Line of Life-thumb. Please note that the increase is made before you slip the marker on the left mitten and after you slip the marker on the right mitten! That's important to remember.

 

LEGEND

Make 1 left - M1L - From the front and with your left needle, pick up the tread between two stitches and knit it through the back loop.

Make 1 right - M1R - From the back and with your left needle, pick up the thread between two stitches and knit it.

Slip marker - SM - slip the marker from left to right needle when you pass it.

Stockinette stitch - st st - knit all stitches when knitting in the round.

Snowflake - texture pattern

(The pattern is worked over a multiple of 4sts + 3sts.)

Knot stitch - ks - Pull up a loop in the stitch below the next stitch on the left needle and place the loop on the needle. Knit the the new stitch and then the following stitch on the needle and to finish the snowflake, pull the first of these two stitches over the last one.

Round 1: Knit.

Round 2: Knit

Round 3: k3, *ks, k3*, repeat *-* to end.

Round 4: Knit.

Round 5: k1, *ks, k3*, repeat *-* to the last 2 stitches, ks, k1.

 

Repeat round 2-5 for the snowflake texture pattern.

LEFT MITTEN

With MC and needles 2,5mm: knit 1 round.

Decrease round: *k2tog, k8*, repeat *-* to end of round. 54 stitches left.

Start knitting the Snowflake pattern on the back of the hand (stitches 1-27) and stockinette stitch (= knit all stitches when knitting in the round) in the palm of the hand (stitches 28-54).

Knit 4 rounds with the texture pattern on the back of the hand and stockinette stitch in the palm, as described above.

After that, at the same time as you continue the texture pattern, you will start knitting the thumb gusset below, according to the following description: 

THUMB GUSSET - THE LINE OF LIFE

Round 1: Knit until there is 23 sts left on the round (texture pattern on the back of hand - then stockinette), place marker (NOTE! The marker is placed on the needle), knit to end of the round.

Rounds 2-24 (increase rounds) Knit texture pattern sts 1-27, knit st st to m, M1R (see Legend), SM, st st to end of round. Repeat this increase round a total of 23 times.

Round 25: Place the previous 22 sts (= for the thumb) on a holder or a piece of scrap yarn, knit to marker and remove it.

Round 26: k2tog (= the stitches before and after the gusset), knit in pattern to the end of round. 54sts.

 

HAND

Knit texture pattern on the back of the hand and stockinette stitch in the palm of the hand until the work measures 9cm. (or until the mitten is 3cm shorter than desired length).

Decrease for the front of the mitten: k1, slip 1, k1 and pass the slipped stitch over the last stitch. Knit texture pattern until you have 3sts left on the mitten's front, k2tog, k1. Decrease for the underside of the mitten: k1, slip 1, k1 and pass the slipped stitch over the last stitch. Knit until you have 3sts left on the mitten's front, k2tog, k1. 4 sts decreased.

Repeat decrease round every other round 2 times and then on every round until you have 10 stitches left. Cut yarn and pull it through the remaining stitches. Pull tight and fasten loose ends.

RIGHT MITTEN

Decrease round: *k2tog, k8*, repeat *-* to end of round. 54 stitches left.

For the right mitten you will knit stockinette stitch (= knit all stitches when knitting in the round) on stitches 1-27 and the snowflake pattern on stitches 28-54.

Knit 4 rounds with stockinette stitch on the first 27 stitches and texture pattern on the next 27 stitches, as described above. Keep knitting the texture pattern at the same time that you knit the thumb gusset, described below:

THUMB GUSSET - LINE OF LIFE

Round 1: k23, place marker, k4, k texture pattern to end of row.

Rounds 2-24 (increase rounds): k23, SM, M1L, k all sts on the front of your work and knit texture pattern on the back of your work. Repeat increase round a total of 23 times.

Round 25: k23, place the previous 22 sts on a holder or a piece of scrap yarn, remove marker.

Round 26: Slip the gusset's first stitck, knit the next stitch after the gusset and pass the slipped stitch over the knitted one. Knit in pattern to the end of round. 54 sts.

HAND

Knit texture pattern on the back of the hand and stockinette stitch in the palm of the hand until the work from thumb to top measures 9cm. (or until the mitten is 3cm shorter than desired length).

Decrease for the front of the mitten: k1, slip 1, k1 and pass the slipped stitch over the last stitch. Knit until you have 3sts left on the mitten's front, k2tog, k1. Decrease for the underside of the mitten: k1, slip 1, k1 and pass the slipped stitch over the last stitch. Knit texture pattern until you have 3sts left on the mitten's front, k2tog, k1. 4 sts decreased.

Repeat decrease round every other round 2 times and then on every round until you have 10 stitches left. Cut yarn and pull it through the remaining stitches. Pull tight and fasten loose ends.

Psst! Join our Facebook group Julvanten - we share pictures, tips and tricks and inspiration! Please, do share your progress on Facebook and Instagram (@jarbogarn) Don't forget the hashtag #julvanten2019 !