Houndstooth Handwarmers

HOUNDSTOOTH HANDWARMERS

This is a warm fingerless mitt that uses a simple houndstooth pattern on the main section. It’s a good introduction to stranded colourwork and should knit up quickly on 4mm needles. Use tweedy, natural colours for a vintage look, or bright colours for something punkier.

Size: To fit an average women’s size hand (7.5” around the knuckles). Also required: 2 stitch markers, stitch holder/ waste yarn. Yarn Requirements: DK weight yarn with good stretch and a bit of Knitting abbreviations: texture, preferably wool mix. K = knit CO = Cast on P = purl BO = Bind off 135yds in MC, 70yds in CC. MC = main colour Suggested Yarns: CC = contrasting colour Sirdar Balmoral DK - 135 yards/125 metres per 50g ball (72% Wool, 25% Alpaca, 3% Silk). sl = slip stitch as if to knit m = make 1 stitch (bar increase) Needles: 1 set of 4mm dpns ktbl = knit through the back loop Gauge: 28st/ 29 rws to 4in (10cm) in Houndstooth sk2p = slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped pattern. stitch over the knit 2 together

A Pile of Sheep © Ellen Gill 2012 http://apileofsheep.wordpress.com RIGHT MITT

Cuff Round 32: K in pattern to marker, remove marker, sl19 onto holder/ waste yarn, remove CO 44 in MC, using either long-tail cast on or 1x1 marker, CO 1 in MC, K in pattern to end of round. ribbed tubular cast on. Divide sts evenly across needles. Carefully join Work 7 more rounds of Houndstooth pattern, or without twisting to start working in the round. until the mitt reaches your finger knuckles.

Round 1: [K1, P1] to end of round. Ribbing

Repeat this round until you have worked 20 rounds In MC only: in total. Round 1: [K1, P1] to end of round Round 2: sl, [P1, K1] to last stitch, P1 Hand Rounds 3-8: [K1, P1] to end of round

Houndstooth pattern BO all stitches loosely in either 1x1 (K1, P1) rib or tubular cast off.

The four following rounds make up one repeat of the Houndstooth pattern. Thumb All pattern stitches are K, unless stated otherwise. When changing between yarns, Move all held stitches back onto needles. Divide always carry the CC yarn under the MC. sts across your needles and mark the beginning of the round. Round A: [3CC, 1MC] to end. Join on MC yarn. Round B: [1CC, 3MC] to end. Round 1: [P1, K1] x9, P1, then pick up and K 3 Round C: 1MC, [1CC, 3MC] x10, 1CC, 2MC sts over the open edge of the hand. Round D: 2CC, [1MC, 3CC] x10, 1MC, 1CC Round 2: [P1, K1] x9, P1, sk2p. Rounds 3-6: [P1, K1] to end of round. Join on CC yarn. BO all stitches loosely in 1x1 (P1, K1) rib or Round 1: As Round A of Houndstooth pattern tubular cast off Round 2: Sl, [3MC, 1CC] x10, 3MC (As Round B of Houndstooth pattern) LEFT MITT Rounds 3 & 4: As Rounds C and D of pattern.

Thumb Gusset Follow instructions for right mitt again, or use optional instructions below.

Round 5: Round 1 (Work pattern as for ) K22, place Optional Mirror Patterning marker, K1, place marker, K to end of round. Round 6: (Continuing to repeat Houndstooth pattern) K to marker, sl marker, work row 1 of If you’re the kind of person who is annoyed by Thumb Gusset chart, sl marker, K to end of round. asymmetrical gloves, work the left mitt as per the right mitt, but substitute in the following mirrored REMEMBER: One stitch of the Houndstooth houndstooth pattern: pattern is now between the markers and should be counted as you work . Round 1: 1CC, [1MC, 3CC] x10, 1MC, 2CC Round 2: 1CC (NB: slip this stitch the first time Rounds 7-31: Continue to work Houndstooth pattern you work this round), [3MC, 1CC] x10, 3MC over the main body of the hand, and the Thumb Round 3: [3MC, 1CC] to end of round. Gusset chart between the markers, until row 25 of Round 4: 2CC, [1MC, 3CC] x10, 1MC, 1CC the chart has been reached. When you reach the thumb gusset, simply read At some points in the chart, there will be more the chart rows from left to right. than 3 stitches of CC yarn in a row. When this occurs, be sure to loop the MC yarn around the CC yarn every 3 CC stitches to prevent long MC floats.

A Pile of Sheep © Ellen Gill 2012 http://apileofsheep.wordpress.com Finishing

Weave in all ends. Block mitts by washing in lukewarm water, squeezing out excess water in a towel, and laying flat to dry.

Thumb Gusset Chart

Read all rows from right to left. Row m m 25 l l 24 l l 23 m m 22 l l 21 l l 20 m m 19 l l 18 l l 17 m m 16 l l 15 l l 14 m m 13 l l 12 l l 11 m m 10 l l 9 l l 8 m m 7 l l 6 l l 5 m m 4 l l 3 l l 2 m m 1

Chart Key

= MC = CC m = m l = ktbl