Neo-Victorian Mitts: a free knitting pattern

A holiday present for gentle knitters everywhere.

Neo-Victorian Mitts 

My friend Chavvy [not her real name], one of the world’s few academics who’s also a nice person, typifies the perfect fusion of Victorian and contemporary style in everything she does.  With this in mind I designed these mitts for her and used acrylic yarn (SMC Northern Worsted), as she’s allergic to wool.

Materials:  Four #7 dpns, scissors and a yarn needle, two skeins of worsted-weight yarn, a Main Color (MC) and a Contrasting Color (CC).  (Note—only a small amount of yarn is needed for the CC, and the MC is probably about 50 yards or less—in case you want to use up stash yarn.)

Directions:  With CC cast on 36 stitches and purl for an inch, or desired length of contrast ruffle (it will curl under to some extent).  Switch to MC and knit in the following ribbed pattern—K2 P1—for 4 inches or desired length.  At this point you’ll change stitch patterns and start working the thumb.  The thumb will be done in stockinette (unless you want to do it in Moss stitch), the rest in moss stitch (Row 1:  K1 P1; Row 2: P1 K1; alternate rows).

Thumb:  Rows as follows below:

1.     K2, M1R, K, M1L, pattern to end

2.     K all thumb stitches, pattern to end

3.     K2, M1R, K3, M1L, pattern to end

4.     K all thumb stitches, pattern to end

5.     K2, M1R, K5, M1L, pattern to end

6.     K all thumb stitches, pattern to end

7.     K2, M1R, K7, M1L, pattern to end

8.     K all thumb stitches, pattern to end

9.     K2, cast on 5 using backwards loop method, transfer 9 thumb stitches to a holder or waste yarn, pattern to end

10. K10, pattern to end

11. K1, sl1, psso, K2, K2tog, pattern to end

12. K1, sl1, psso, k2tog, pattern to end.

Note:  The last three rows of the thumb only can be done in the CC, or MC, as you desire.

Continue knitting the hand of the mitt until you reach the desired length, approximately 8 inches from the beginning, before starting the top edging.

Top edging:  Purl in CC for four rows, or about a half-inch.

Bows (make two):  Cast 3 stitches onto one of your dpns, and with it and another, knit a 16-inch I-cord.  Tie each cord into a small bow, and tack onto the mitt where the wrist joins the hand.

If you find errors in this pattern, please advise!

 Please note:  Mitts are excellent to wear while reading in bed in a cold room.