Super bulky felted mittens

A customer came into the store the other day wearing Malabrigo Aquarella mittens that she had designed with a stripe (to utilize excess Aquarella that she had in her stash). I loved the mittens, and the yarn.. and since there were a few skeins available at the store, I created my version of the pattern. I've been knitting so many Christmas mittens that I can do them in my sleep.

Just in case you have cold hands, or you need a movie length project... following is my attempt at instructions (sans stripe, because I don't have any extra super bulky yarn to use up).




Needles: US 13 DPNS
Gauge: Not that important
Yarn: Approximately 145 yards of a super bulky yarn, suitable for needles you'll work with - approx 2.5 stitches per inch would be fine. Shown is Malabrigo Aquarella.

Right Mitten:
Cast on 16 stitches and join in the round on 4 needles, being careful not to twist.
Knit 8 rows
M1 at the 1st stitch on needles 1, 2, 3 and 4 (20 stitches).
Knit 6 rounds
N1: K1, PM, K2, PM, Knit to end of round.
N1: K1, SM, (K1,M1) (twice), SM, knit to end of round
Knit 3 rounds
Knit to marker, SM, M1, K4, M1, SM, knit to end of round
N1: K1, RM, place 6 stitches on waste yarn, RM, cast on 2 stitches using the backwards loop method, and knit to end of round.
Knit rounds until mitten extends past the tip of your pinky finger.
*K1, SSK, knit to end of N1. K to 3 stitches before end of N2; K2tog, K1**
Repeat from * to ** on N3 and N4
Knit 2 rounds
Repeat from * to ** on N1, N2 & N3, N4
Knit 2 rounds
Cast off, using 3 needle bind off.


Left Mitten
Cast on 16 stitches and join in the round on 4 needles, being careful not to twist.
Knit 8 rows
M1 at the 1st stitch on needles 1, 2, 3 and 4 (20 stitches).
Knit 6 rounds
Knit until 3 stitches before the end of N2. PM, K2, PM, K1. Knit until end of round.
Knit to marker, SM, (K1,M1) (twice), SM, knit to end of round
Knit 3 rounds
Knit to marker, SM, M1, K4, M1, SM, knit to end of round.
Knit to marker, RM, Place 6 stitches on waste yarn, RM, cast on 2 stitches using the backwards loop method, and knit to end of round.
Knit rounds until mitten extends just past the tip of your pinky finger.
*K1, SSK, knit to end of N1. K to 3 stitches before end of N2; K2tog, K1**
Repeat from * to ** on N3 and N4
Knit 2 rounds
Repeat from * to ** on N1, N2 & N3, N4
Knit 2 rounds
Cast off, using 3 needle bind off.

Thumbs
Remove 6 stitches from waste yarn and put stitches on 2 DPNS.
Join yarn, and knit N1 & N2.
Pick up and knit 2 stitches on N3. (This will leave a gap which can be sewn tight when you are weaving in ends)
Knit in the round until thumb is the long enough to cover your thumb.
K2tog, 4 times
Weave yarn through last 4 stitches and pull tight.

Weave in ends on both mittens.

Try on mittens and determine how much felting they will need. If they are very large, put the mittens and some laundry detergent in the washing machine, and run a short load. Hot wash, cold rinse. Remove mittens, and adjust them to fit. Lie flat to dry.

If the mittens seem to need a small amount of felting, then immerse them in a sink full of hot water with a little dish soap, and (wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands from hot water), agitate, wring and generally thrash mittens until they seem to be about the right size. Remove excess water, lie flat to dry.


DPNS: Double pointed needles
K: Knit
K2tog: Knit 2 together
M1: Make one stitch
N1 through N4: Needles 1 through 4
PM: Place marker
RM: Remove marker
SM: Slip marker
SSK: Slip one stitch as if to knit, slip a second stitch as if to
knit. Replace both stitches on the left needle. K2tog.


Note: Because I'm a brain surgeon in my spare time, I just thought to check Make One's free patterns. You will find a very similar pattern, nicely written, here: Link