FrankenMitts

FrankenMitts(c)Severina 2006

FrankenMitts, for lack of a better name, since they're neither gloves nor mittens but an unholy melange of both!

*pause for complete silence but with crickets*

OK, they're not that unholy and they're just these glove-mitten things. They had a more normal name at one point but I'm in a FrankenMitts mood right now. So shut up and go knit some. Or just one. See if I care.

These were a six-year-old spinning project I had lying around that I thought maybe Knitty would like, but nooooo. So pfffft.

SIZE
S {M, L] (shown in size med)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Palm circumference: 6” [7”, 8”]

MATERIALS
The sample mittens are made with a handspun tweedy green Merino wool/silk slub blend and a wool/angora blend. It takes very little angora to get a good “halo” going and small slubs of pretty much any old reject yarn can make a solid fiber nice and tweedy, if that's what gets your boat floating. 2-3 oz. of both, handcarded and spun into a three-ply worsted weight yarn.
Substitutions:
[MC] Rowan Yorkshire Tweed [wool; 100 yd per 25g skein]; color: #286 Graze; 2 [2, 2] skeins[CC] Shhulana Angora [Angora; 27 yd per 10g skein]; color: ; 2 [2, 2] skeins OR Anny Blatt Angora Super [Angora, wool; 116 yd per 25g skein]; color: 050 White; 1 [1, 1] skeins

NOTIONS
1 set US 3/3mm double-point needles
Darning or tapestry needle
Stitch markers
Stitch holders

GAUGE
24 sts/36 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch
Mitten can also be drastically resized by using heavier yarns and larger needles.

PATTERN NOTES
Please carry yarns across loosely when changing colors to maintain gauge.
Pattern chart translates to: Dark squares are CC and white squares are MC.







PATTERN
Cast on 42 (48, 54) stitches in MC, dividing them evenly around the three needles. Join, being careful not to twist stitches.
K1, P1 rib for 2 (2.25, 2.5) inches. Join on CC and work 6 rows of pattern chart.
7th round: Make 1st needle thumb needle. K2, place marker, inc 1, k1, inc 1, place marker, k to end of round. Work 2 rounds in patt stitch as established.
Repeat the last three rounds until there are 10 (14, 16) stitches between stitch markers.
Work in patt stitch until piece measures 2 (2.25, 2.5) inches above ribbing.
K2, place the stitches between the markers on a stitch holder or onto a piece of scrap yarn, then cast on 4 stitches between thumb and palm, then continue round.
Work around in patt stitch until mitten reaches base of index finger. Break off CC.
Index Finger: Take 12 (13, 15) stitches for index finger. Place remaining stitches on stitch holders. Divide stitches evenly between three needles and cast on 2 sts between index and middle fingers. Work in stockinette until finger is desired length and cast off loosely.
Middle Finger: Take 6 (7, 8) stitches from back of mitten and 5 (6, 7) stitches from palm of mitten, then pick up 2 stitches from cast-on sts between index and middle fingers and cast on 2 sts between middle and ring fingers. Divide these stitches evenly between three needles and work in stockinette for desired length and cast off loosely.
Ring Finger: Take 5 (6, 7) stitches from back of mitten and 4 (5, 6) stitches from palm of mitten, then pick up 2 sts from cast-on stitches between middle and ring fingers and cast on 2 sts between ring and little fingers, Work in stockinette for desired length and cast off loosely.
Little Finger: Take remaining sts and divide between 3 needles and pick up 2 sts from cast-on sts between ring and little fingers. Work in stockinette for desired length and cast off loosely.
Thumb: Attach MC and C yarns. Divide thumb stitches between three needles and pick up 4 sts from cast-on stitches at base of thumb and work in patt for 1.5 (2, 2.25) inches or .25 inches from end of thumb. Break off CC. *K2 tog, repeating from * around. Work 1 round in stockinette without decreasing, then break off MC leaving a tail long enough to thread through darning needle and run through thumb stitches. Pull tightly and darn in end.
Mitten Flap: With CC and MC, and following pattern stitch, pick up 21 (24, 27) stitches on the back of mitten at the base of the fingers, then using MC cast on 21 (24, 27) stitches to go around palm of mitten. Divide stitches between three needles and work around in patt for 1.5 inches or 2 inches from base of fingers. Break off CC.
Place 23 (25, 27) stitches on first needle (back of mitten) and divide the rest between the other two needles.
1st round: K1, sl1, psso, k to last 3 sts on 1st needle, then k2 tog, k1. On 2nd needle K1, sl1, psso, k to end of needle. On 3rd needle k to last 3 sts then k 2 tog, k1.
2nd round: Work in stockinette stitch.
Repeat last two rounds until you have 20 sts left. Move sts from 3rd needle to 2nd and weave sts together.
Ribbed Closure: With MC pick up 21 (24, 27) sts from bottom of cast on stitches from palm side of mitten flap. K1, p1 rib for .50 inch and cast off in rib. Sew edges neatly to palm of mitten.
Repeat with other mitten, reversing shaping.

FINISHING
Darn in all yarn ends and block to shape.