Mittens...My Way

I finished my mittens, but they are not the pattern that I initially started out with. I'm not sure if there was something wrong with the pattern that I first selected or if I just don't have enough knitting knowledge to figure it out, but either way it didn't take me long to realize that it wasn't going to work for me. Instead, I found several patterns, took the easiest parts from each and put them together to make my own super simple mitten pattern. The result was a pair of warm roomy mittens that I was able to knit in just a few hours.

Mittens...My Way

Size: Adult Woman

Materials: I skein Lion Brand Jiffy yarn or approximately 115 yards of other bulky weight yarn.
Size 10 ½ US (6.5mm) Double Pointed Needles

Gauge: 4 stitches per inch

Cast on 28 stitches, join in circle and work 5 rounds of knit 1, purl 1 ribbing.

Knit each round until the piece measures 3".

Increase 2 stitches evenly spaced on next round. (30 stitches)

Knit 10 rounds.

Thumb Opening:

Knit 2, using waste yarn knit 6. Slip those 6 stitches back onto the left needle and knit around.
Continue knitting until piece measures 9" from the beginning.

Decrease for Top of Mitten:

Knit 2, knit 2 together, end with knit 2.

Knit 4 Rounds

Knit 2, knit 2 together, end with knit 3

Knit 1 round.

Knit 2 together over all stitches.

Draw thread through these remaining stitches and pull tight. Cut yarn and pull through stitches to secure.

Thumb:

Remove the waste yarn used to hold the thumb stitches. Place the 6 top stitch loops on one needle, and the 6 bottom stitch loops on another.

Starting with the bottom loops (nearer the ribbing), knit the stitches on the first needle. Still using that same needle, pick up 2 stitches in the “corner”. Knit the stitches on the second needle. Pick up 2 more in the opposite “corner”. (16 stitches) Rearrange the stitches so that there are 5, 5, 6 on each needle.

Knit 10 rounds.

Decrease on next round: *knit 2 together, knit 2, repeat from * across round.

Final round: *knit 2 together, repeat from * across round. Cut yarn and pull through stitches to secure.