Thursday 7 January 2010

Mum's Mittens

I wanted to make everyone close to me a handmade gift this year and I knew that my Mum likes 'flip-top' mittens so I set about making a pair. I got a free pattern from Ravelry and some chunky beige wool (Sirdar Chunky with Wool) that I thought would go with everything.

I was going up to London on the train to see some comedy at Bush Hall so I took my big handbag with yarn, pattern and hooks and blazed ahead. In the outward journey I had made one mitt and started on the top part. By the time I was on the way home I had realised that I didn't like the way that they were going. I think the yarn I chose was too chunky; they didn't sit right. So, I frogged the lot and started to wing it. This was the first time that I had made something without a pattern (except for my momiji couture contest entry) and I was a bit nervous.

But they turned out OK and Mum was happy (or at least she said she was!)

When I started making them I intended to appliqué some turquoise snowflakes onto them, but after leaving them laying around for a while I decided that the addition had to be hot pink because of a pashmina Mum had her eye on (she got that for Christmas, too). I didn't think that snowflakes would look right in pink, so Mr Badschnoodles suggested butterflies!

Here is the pattern by Crocheted Sass that I used for the butterflies

And the pattern for the mittens will follow after a few notes.



Firstly, please don't sell the pattern - it is for personal/gift use only.
Secondly, although I am English, I learned to crochet from an American book before I knew that there was a difference in terminology. I can follow UK terms, but the US ones come more naturally to me, and most of the patterns that I have followed from Ravelry and blogs have been in US terminology. This pattern is in US terms also.
Thirdly, this is a first attempt and hasn't been tested so if you try it and find any errors please let me know. And let me see some pictures, too!

Here's the pattern. If you want to print it you will need to copy and paste into a document programme. Or if you email me I can send it as an attachment.

Mum's Mittens

I used Sirdar Chunky with wool and a 6mm hook.

Stitches used

Ch – Chain
SS – Slip stitch
DC- double crochet
2DC – 2 DC in one stitch
FPDC – Front post double crochet
BLDC – Back loop double crochet
BSS – Backwards slip stitch
DC2T – Double crochet two stitches into one (to decrease yo, insert hook and pull up a loop, insert into next stitch and pull up a loop – 3 loops on hook. YO and pull through first 3 – 2 left on hook. Yo and pull through last stitch.
HDC – half double crochet
HDC2T – half double crochet 2 together



LEFT HAND

R1 Ch 30 and join with SS. DC in each ch.

R2 Ch3 *FPDC in next DC, DC in next DC* repeat until end of round.
Join with SS

R3 Ch3 *FPDC in next DC, DC in next DC* repeat until end of round.
Join with SS

R4 Ch3 *FPDC in next DC, DC in next DC* repeat until end of round.
Join with SS

To make a longer cuff, extend here

R5 Ch3 BLDC around. Join with SS

R6 Ch3 DC around join with SS

R7 Ch3 2DC in 1st stitch. 27 DC. 2DC in next. SS to join.

R8 Ch3 2DC, 2DC, 27 DC, 2DC, 2DC SS to join

R9 Ch3 DC around join with SS

R10 BSSx5 Ch3 DC around. Ch2 and SS to 10th stitch from start of Ch3. The smaller hole will be the thumb hole.

R11 Ch3 DC around. 2 DC in Ch2 space.

R12 Ch3 DC around

R13-15 repeat R12.

R16 Ch3 12 DC. DC2T for next 2. DC to finish and SS to join.

R17 Ch3 10 DC, DC2T, 2 DC, DC2T, DC to end SS to join.

R18 Ch3 DC, DC2T, 5 DC, 4 DC2T, 6 DC, DC2T, DC, SS to join.

R19 Ch3 DC2T around, SS to join.

R20 Ch2 HDC2T around SS to join

R21 SS to close.

THUMB HOLE

Attach yarn to one stitch with a SS

R1 Ch3 DC around with 2DC in the spaces between the CH2 from R11.

R2 Ch3 DC around, SS to join

R3 Ch3 DC around. DC2T at the point where your thumb pad will be (depends on where you started from)

R4 Ch2 HDC2T around. Finish off. (You can ch1 and SS to opposite side if desired)



RIGHT HAND

R1 Ch 30 and join with SS. DC in each ch.

R2 Ch3 *FPDC in next DC, DC in next DC* repeat until end of round.
Join with SS

R3 Ch3 *FPDC in next DC, DC in next DC* repeat until end of round.
Join with SS

R4 Ch3 *FPDC in next DC, DC in next DC* repeat until end of round.
Join with SS

To make a longer cuff, extend here

R5 Ch3 BLDC around. Join with SS

R6 Ch3 DC around join with SS

R7 Ch3 2DC in 1st stitch. 27 DC. 2DC in next. SS to join.

R8 Ch3 2DC, 2DC, 27 DC, 2DC, 2DC SS to join

R9 Ch3 DC around join with SS

R10 5 SS, DC around, SS to 10 stitches back (from last of 5 SS)

R11 Ch3 2DC in Ch2 space from R10 DC around SS to join

R12 Ch3 DC around

R13-15 repeat R12.

R16 Ch3 16 DC DC2T for next 2.DC to finish and SS to join.

R17 Ch3 2 DC2T, 10DC, 2 dc2t, DC, DC2T, DC to finish, SS to join

R18 Ch3 DC2T, DC, 2 DC2T, 5DC, 4DC2T, DC to finish, SS to join.

R19 Ch3 DC2T around, SS to join.

R20 Ch2 HDC2T around SS to join

R21 SS to close.

THUMB HOLE

Attach yarn to one stitch with a SS

R1 Ch3 DC around with 2DC in the spaces between the CH2 from R11.

R2 Ch3 DC around, SS to join

R3 Ch3 DC around. DC2T at the point where your thumb pad will be (depends on where you started from)

R4 Ch2 HDC2T around. Finish off. (You can ch1 and SS to opposite side if desired)



That's it! Any questions or comments welcome - especially about the way that I have written out the pattern - if there is anything unclear please let me know.

Happy Hooking!

6 comments:

  1. Thank you for the pattern, i am going to try it out tonight. I am from Connecticut, USA. I started working in textiles last year with my mom. We spin wool, crochet, and use a floor loom and we are having a blast! My blog is www.connecticutcountrystore.blogspot.com. I'll send you pics if I make anything recognizable - I am still a beginner. - Crissie

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  2. Thanks for having a go! This is my first pattern "out there" so all feedback - good and bad - will be so valuable to me. If anything isn't clear, just let me know and I'll try and explain it better! - Claire

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  3. Very nice. It's so cool that you used my butterfly pattern. I'll have to give your pattern a try. I'll let you know how it goes.

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  4. Thanks. Your butterflies are so pretty, and so simple to make. I will be using them on lots more items I think!

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  5. hello!
    i have a question about the pattern
    i am a little confused about round 10...where am i suppose to do the 5 BSS? and could you explain what you mean by slip stitch to the 10th stitch from the start of ch3?

    id really appreciate it :)

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  6. Hi,

    From the start of round 10, slip stitch backwards through the last five stitches of round 9. Then make 2 chain and then count 10 stitches from that point and make your slip stitch there. (Basically, it's the 5 backwards slip stitches plus the first five of the previous round.)

    It is basically a way of moving your starting point without finishing off and re-attaching the yarn. If you prefer, finish off after round 9 and re-join the yarn five stitches back, chain 2, skip 9 and slip stitch to 10th. This will make the gap for the thumb. You then continue with the palm and work the thumb later.

    Hope this helps. If not please let me know and I'll try to explain it better.

    Thank you for trying the pattern! :D
    Claire

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