The pattern
Materials
- Yarn: about 180 m.
- (or a long circular for magic loop) in your gauge size.
- 2 (one in a contrast color for the beginning of the round), waste yarn to hold the thumb, a tapestry needle.
28 stitches × 36 rows = 10 cm in the body stitch, after blocking. Yardage is for a pair.
Cuff
48 sts, divide them over the needles and join in the round without twisting. Place the beginning-of-round marker: it is at the side, where the thumb will be.
Work in (k2, p2) for 18 rounds, i.e. 5 cm.
Next round, adjusting the stitch count: k46, k2tog. You now have 47 sts.
Thumb gusset
Work 4 rounds of stockinette.
Set-up round: M1L right after the beginning-of-round marker, place a marker, knit to the end of the round. The gusset is between the beginning-of-round marker and this marker: 1 st.
Increase round: slip marker, M1L, knit to the next marker, M1R, slip marker, knit to the end of the round. +2 sts.
Work this round once, after 3 rounds, then every 2 rounds 6 times (the first on the 3rd round after the set-up), knitting the other rounds plain: the gusset has 15 sts. You are at the thumb crotch.
Next round: remove the gusset marker, place the 15 gusset sts on waste yarn, 3 sts over the gap, knit to the end of the round: 50 sts.
Hand
Work 14 rounds of (about 3.9 cm), up to the base of the fingers.
Top of the mitten
Work 14 more rounds (try it on: the mitten should reach the tip of the little finger).
Place a second marker after 25 sts: the two markers are the sides.
Decrease round: *k1, ssk, knit to 3 sts before the marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker* twice. −4 sts.
Work this round every other round 5 times (the first on the 2nd round), then every round 5 times: 10 sts remain.
Cut the yarn leaving 20 cm, thread it through the remaining stitches and pull tight.
Thumb
Put the 15 gusset sts back on the needles and 3 sts in the stitches cast on above, plus 1 st in each corner to avoid holes: 20 sts. Next round: knit each corner stitch together with its neighbor (k2tog): 18 sts.
Work 20 rounds (about 5.6 cm; the thumb should measure 6 cm in all: try it on, it should reach almost to the tip of the thumb), then k2tog all around, knit 1 round, then k2tog all around again (on an odd count, knit the last stitch alone); cut the yarn, thread it through the remaining stitches and pull tight.
Finishing
Knit the second one the same way: the thumb is at the side, so they fit both hands. Weave in the ends, closing the small gaps at the base of the thumb. lightly.
The numbers come from your swatch: knit it in the round, like the mitts.