Marble Lace fingerless mitts

These Marble Lace Fingerless Mitts are made from one of my favourite yarns – James C Brett Marble. I love one skein projects.

(Edited November 2013)

Here’s the pattern – once I’d made the first mitt, figuring out the design as I went along, the second was done in a day.

You will need:

James C Brett Marble, one 100g skein (acrylic, light worsted weight, 230 yards/210 metres per 100g) or suitable substitute
3.75mm double pointed needles
(optional – a set of thinner dpns)
stitch markers
a small piece of waste yarn in a contrasting colour

My gauge was 6 stitches to the inch over stockinette.

The pattern stitch for the back of the hand is called Oblique Openwork Stitch from an old Mon Tricot publication, 1800 Patterns, that I adapted for knitting in the round. Knitted over a multiple of 6 stitches, here is the repeat:
Row 1: *K1, yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, yo, sl 1, k1, psso*
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: *K2, yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k2*
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: *K3, yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k1*
Row 6: Knit

Here we go…..cast on 44 stitches onto one needle then distribute them onto three (works best if the number on each needle is divisible by four). Work k2, p2 ribbing in the round for 3 inches.

Now you’re going to start the pattern for the back of the hand. Redistribute the stitches; it helps to have the first 18 stitches of the round on the first needle [these are the openwork stitches] as it’s easy then to count them at the end of the three repeats and make sure that you still have 18 and haven’t skipped a step. Put 13 stitches on each of the other two needles. On each round, you will follow the pattern instructions above, repeat them three times in all to get to the end of that first needle, then complete the round in knit, creating stockinette stitch for the palm of the mitt.

Complete four pattern repeats (a total of 24 rounds) then get ready for the thumb placement. Place two stitch markers at the side edges of the mitt, in other words 2 stitches away from your openwork pattern on each side, so that there are 22 stitches marked off for the back of the hand and 22 marked for the palm. Here’s where the instructions differ slightly for left and right hands. Work Row 1 of the pattern across the first 18 stitches. Knit 2 more stitches and you will be at the edge of the palm where one of your stitch markers should be.

For the right mitt, you will now take your waste yarn and knit 9 stitches with it, then slip those stitches back onto your left needle and knit them again with the regular yarn. Leave the waste yarn tails hanging behind your work. Complete the round.

For the left mitt, continue to knit the round until you are 9 stitches away from the end of the round (stitch marker), knit those 9 stitches with the waste yarn, slip them back onto the left needle and knit them again with the regular yarn.

Continue to complete two more pattern repeats (remember you just completed Row 1 to place the thumb, so continue from Row 2). If you want a slightly longer mitt, do three pattern repeats.

Switch back to K2 P2 rib for half an inch and bind off ribwise. I made sure that my ribbing at the end lined up with the ribbing on the cuff.

Now we have to return to the waste yarn to make the thumb. You will carefully pull out the waste yarn, picking up the “live” stitches on three dpns as you go. I used 2mm needles as it’s way easier using a skinnier needle to pick up the stitches and then transfer them to the 3.75mm ones.

I had 19 stitches on my needles once I had done this step but I wanted 18, so on my first round of K1 P1 rib I snuck in a P2tog. Rib for 1.5 inches or whatever length suits you (you can try it on at this stage to check the fit). Bind off ribwise.

I have tried to explain everything clearly but if you need clarification on anything leave me a comment and I’ll do my best to help.