Kaleidoscope Mittens

Here are the mittens I made for the state fair. I've also typed up the pattern and provide it here for free. Feel free to make them for personal use or gifts, but not to sell. A mention of where you found the pattern or link back to this blog if you make them would be appreciated!



Kaleidoscope Mittens
by Kim Helmick ©2010, All Rights Reserved

Materials
Fingering weight yarns: Color A: Berroco Sox-Metallic in color 1369 Papaya (bright multi)
Color B: Nature Spun from Brown Sheep in color 601F Pepper (black)

U.S. #1 (2.25mm) double point needles (set of 5)

Cast On 64 stitches using 2-color long-tail method over two needles to ensure stretchy cuff opening. (Black on thumb and multi on pointer finger.)
Distribute 16 stitches on each of four needles. Making sure cast on edge is not twisted, join in the round. Place marker for beginning of round.

Cuff will be corrugated ribbing for a total of 15 rounds as follows:
*K2 with color A; bring color B forward and P2 (color A remains in back), color B to back;* repeat. (I carry color A in my left hand since I find it easier to purl color B with my right hand in the English method I am more familiar with. Do what feels best to you.)

Hand Pattern:
Row 1-3: Knit around with color B.
Rows 4 & 5: *K2 color B; K2 color A* repeat around.
Rows 6 & 7: Knit around with color B.

Repeat rows 4-7 six times. (There should be a total of 7 completed colored block sections above your cuff.)

Thumb Gusset, right mitten (thumb gusset and thumb will be solid black, color B)
Round 1– Needles 1-3: *K2 color B, K2 color A across. Needle 4: K2 color B; K2 color
A; place marker for beginning of gusset increases and K1 (color B throughout), M1R, K1,
M1L, K1, place marker to indicate end of gusset section; K1 color A, K2 color B, K2 color A, K2 color B, K2 color A.

Round 2 – Knit around in established pattern. When you reach the gusset stitches knit them in color B begin mindful to tack down your carried color as you go. (This is especially important as the gusset gets wider!)

Continue to knit in the pattern of 2 rows of 2x@ color blocks and 2 rows of plain black.
On Round 3 you will increase the thumb gusset again by slipping the 1st marker, K1, M1R and then knitting the gusset stitches in black (tacking down your colored yarn which is being carried behind!) until you reach the last stitch before 2nd marker. M1L and knit the last stitch, slip the marker and continue on in pattern. Increase the gusset every-other row until there are 17 stitches between the markers.

When there are 17 sts between the gusset markers: knit around in pattern to the first marker. Place the 17
gusset sts onto stitch holder. Using backwards loop method, cast on 3 stitches to right needle and finish knitting stitches to end of 4th needle. You will be picking up the gusset stitches from the holder later to knit the thumb.

Left mitten gusset: Will be done in same fashion as the right, except it will be worked on needle 1 rather than needle 4 as follows:
Round 1: Knit first 8 sts on needle 1 in pattern; place marker, K1, M1R, K1, M1L, K1, place marker. Continue row in pattern.

Round 2: following established pattern, knit around evenly. (Don’t forget to tack down the colored yarn you are carrying behind the extra gusset sts! Make sure it’s not tight or you won’t have room for your thumb.)

Continue to knit in the pattern of 2 rows of 2x@ color blocks and 2 rows of plain black.
On Round 3 you will increase the thumb gusset again by slipping the 1st marker, K1, M1R and then knitting the gusset stitches in black (tacking down your colored yarn which is being carried behind!) until you reach the last stitch before 2nd marker. M1L and knit the last stitch, slip the marker and continue on in pattern. Increase the gusset every-other row until there are 17 stitches between the markers.

When you have put the gusset stitches onto a holder and have 16 stitches on each needle once more, continue knitting the hand of your mitten until it measures 1" short of your tallest finger tip, ending with a 2x2 color block section if possible. Cut color A (multi) leaving 3"-6" tail to weave in at end.

Finger tip decreases (worked in color B [black] only)
Round 1 – Needle 1: knit to last 3 sts; K2tog, K1
Needle 2: K1, ssk, knit to end of needle
Needle 3: knit to last 3 sts; K2tog, K1
Needle 4: K1, ssk, knit to end

Rounds 2 & 3 – knit around
Round 4 – repeat as for round 1
Round 5 – knit around
Repeat rounds 4 and 5 until 10 sts remain on each needle. Then do the decrease rounds only until 3 sts remain on each needle. Knit to end of needle 1 and graft the mitten tip together using Kitchener stitch.

Thumbs (worked in color B [black] only)
Place the 17 sts from the holder onto 2 needles. Pick up 7 sts from sides/back of opening. Redistribute these 24 stitches so that there are 8 sts on each of three needles.
Knit around until thumb is ½" short of the tip of your thumb. Decrease as follows:
Round 1: K4, K2tog around all sts.
Round 2: K3, K2tog around
Round 3: K2, K2tog around
Round 4: K1, K2tog around
Round 5: K2tog around

Cut yarn leaving 6" tail. Thread tail onto tapestry needle and run through the remaining sts twice. Remove needles, pull tight and move to inside of thumb (through center of tip) to secure.

Sew in your ends.

Abbreviations: CO = cast on; K = knit; P = purl; sts = stitches; M1R = make 1 right (pick up bar between sts from behind and knit into front of st); M1L = make 1 left (pick up bar between sts from front and knit into back of st); K2tog = knit 2 together; ssk = slip, slip, knit (slip one as if to knit, slip one as if to purl, insert left needle and knit the two slipped sts together)

KC & The Sunshine

I went to Kansas City last Friday-Saturday. This is the full extent of my photos from said trip:



Yeah, I took the camera with me and didn't shoot a single frame. Lame, I know.

I did get quite a lot of knitting done on the state fair mittens. As I have only the second thumb left to do, I plan on finishing that off tonight and then photographing them...so stay tuned for pictures.

Just before I left for KC, however, I got an email from Quayside publishers in regards to Annie Modesitt's newest book, 1000 Fabulous Knitted Hats. I am one of the contributors to the book! Here's a peek at the cover:



They are using a photo of the knotty-cable rimmed beanie I did in the maroon yarn a couple years ago. You can find the pattern here. (If you stop by to get the pattern because you saw it in the book, please leave a comment!!)

Needless to say, that put some sunshine in my day(s)!!

Happy knitting!

Busy Bee

I've been thinking about that phrase "water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink" lately. Probably because it's been raining off and on (mostly on) for a week or so with more in the forecast for the days ahead. Also, for some reason the saying leaves me with a feeling of frantic exasperation and exhaustion which is what I've been feeling this week.

I'm going to be doing the super-mom thing and escort my DD to Kansas City this Friday/Saturday so she can spend time with a friend from college. But it means that everything I need to have done for work must be done by 5 pm today. That has left me in a mild to moderate panic much of the week since this is my big (& FINAL) deadline week at the magazine. (It goes to print on Monday.)

All of which is to say, there hasn't been much by way of knitting or photography (that's not magazine related) this week.

I have eeked out a few moments here and there to pick up the needles (or let's face it, I would have been checked into the mental ward by now!)

I finished the anklets I was knitting.





Because they're just little anklets, I had half the skein left over. It's such pretty, sparkly yarn I felt the sirens' call to turn the rest into a mitten project for the state fair. So I cast on for those a couple evenings ago.



I think the black really makes the colors in the variegated yarn pop. What do you think?

Anyone else out there find that just a few minutes to knit (or sew, or read, or write, etc.) is the perfect antidote to the stresses of everyday life?

Knitting & The Road

Well, school finally finished up this past Monday (thanks again Mother Nature for all those delightful snow days this past winter!) and life has not settled into a summer routine yet. (Unless chaos counts. In which case, we have it covered.)

I have been knitting the past couple of weeks. Here's a FO (finished object) to prove it! (& two more projects in the works!)





I knit this little shrug for my 6 yr. old niece from the Canadian Worsted hand-dyed yarn I received from Caffeine Girl's blog. It turned out really well....I just hope it fits!

I started some socks (no big surprise there! socks are my "go to" project year-round.) I like the colorway which I picked up at Knitted Together in West Des Moines. The little touch of sparkle is fun and the colors remind me of tropical fish for some reason I am unable to explain. I'm just doing anklets as these feel like summer socks to me.



Also OTN (on the needles) is the Diana entrelac shawl I cast on late last week. I had a difficult time getting started. I had to frog the second tier 7 times before I finally got in the groove. I have now completed 4 tiers.



If you find it difficult to see, there is a lace leaf in the center of each little entrelac block. Every other tier, the leaves go in opposite directions. I thought this yarn from Knit Picks would be nice because the colors remind me of fall foliage. But in truth I'm not sure I'm happy with it. Something with longer color changes so that each block was a solid color would be better I think. I may pull out my JoJoland Melody and see what it looks like.

I've also been out and about shooting photos with my DD who is really a wonderful photographer in her own right. We went up to Humboldt and Dakota City and I came back with these last week: