Lepidoptera Mitt Pattern

Thanks for all your encouragement in getting this pattern up.  I'm really happy that so many of you e-mailed and commented that you were looking forward to the pattern. And THANK YOU for making it your favorite on Ravelry!  So here it is!

*Please let me know if you find errors in this pattern by e-mailing me at [email protected] .  I'll post corrections, if there are any, in red text.

I designed these gloves out of necessity- to keep my hands and lower arms warm as I type, which I spend much of the day doing.  I left off fingers to that I could type effectively, and chose a pattern with no cables or thick ribbing so that the surface was smooth and wouldn't impede my typing.  But after wearing them outdoors as well, I realize that having the fingers free makes them good for driving, manipulating a toddler's car seat buckle, sipping a cup of coffee, and even knitting.

The name of this pattern is an homage to my college days at IU, when my favorite prof was an avid entomologist who somehow made the world of bugs interesting to a girl who previously dismissed them as icky.  The stitch pattern of these mitts reminds me of the veins of a butterfly's wings, and the butterfly is part of the order Lepidoptera.  It just so happens that the color of yarn I used in this pattern is named Butterfly too.  The stitch pattern is a variation of one from Nicky Epstein's, Knitting on the Edge: Ribs, Ruffles, Lace, Fringes, Floral, Points & Picots: The Essential Collection of 350 Decorative Borders .  A beautiful book that was gifted to me by Joe several years ago, and that I have looked to countless times for inspiration.

Materials: Yarn pictured is Dream in Color's Knitosophy sock yarn in the Butterfly color,  The skein is 100 grams and 450 yards, but I used less than 1/2 that for both mitts.  You can use any fingering weight yarn- I think Simply Sock Yarn would be good for solids (just one skein) and Casbah would be nice for a luxuriously soft mitt.  The solid red mitt shown is Tilli Tomas Milan in American Beauty- and you would just need one skein for shorter mitts.  You'll need 5 double point needles in your choice of size(US 1 or 2); you'll knit with 4 and use the 5th for holding the thumb stitches.  You'll also need a needle for weaving in ends, and two stitch markers. 

Size:  I knit these for myself, and I have somewhat large hands and thick wrists.  I used size US 2 needles.  You might consider going down to a US 1.5 or US 1 if you have smaller hands/wrists.

Instructions

Cast on 48 stitches.  Distribute as follows: 24 sts on needle 1, 12 sts on needle 2, 12 sts on needle 3.  Join into a round.

Cuff:K1 tbl, p1* repeat around.  Repeat this rib for another 5 rounds.

 

Arm:Complete the above stitch pattern 4 times for the mid-length mitt pictured.  For a shorter mitt, decrease to three or even two pattern repeats.  I chose a longer arm b/c I want to keep my lower arm warm when my coat sleeve edges up as I carry a toddler.

Thumb gusset:  After completing your desired number of pattern repeats for the arm, you'll start increasing to allow for a thumb.

Row 1: Knit pattern through first 12 stitches, PM, M1, PM.  Knit the rest of the round, keeping in the stitch pattern.  You have added one stitch between the markers.

Row 2: Knit in pattern first 12 stitches (to 1st marker), SM, M1, K1, M1, SM, continue rest of round in pattern.  You have 3 stitches between the markers

Row 3: Knit in pattern to first marker.  SM, K1, M1, K1 tbl, M1, K1, SM, continue rest of round in pattern.  You have 5 sts b/t the markers.

Row 4: Knit in pattern to first marker.  SM, K1, M1, P1, K1 tbl, P1, M1, K1, SM, continue rest of round in pattern.  You have 7 sts. b/t the markers.

Row 5: KNit in pattern to first marker.  SM, K1, M1, K1 tbl, P1, K1 tbl, P1, K1 tbl, M1, K1, SM, continue rest of round in pattern.  You have 9 sts b/t the markers.

Continue increasing by making two stitches per row between the markers until you have made 15 stitches, set up like this: k1, *k1tbl, p1* 6 times, k1tbl, k1.  

Knit each round 7 more times, and keep the k1tbl, p1 pattern in the thumb gusset stitches.

Slip the 15 thumb gusset stitches to the 5th spare needle to be held there while you knit the hand.  You will come back and complete the thumb after you finish the hand.

Setup stitches as follows for the hand:  24 sts on needle 1, 12 sts on needle 2, 12 sts on needle 3.

Now you'll knit the hand, keeping with the stitch pattern, for 12-14 rounds.

Finally, finish the hand by knitting 6 rounds of a* k1 tbl, p1* rib.  Cast off. You'll want the finished mitt to come below your middle knuckles, as pictured.

Now you'll knit the thumb.  Join yarn, then knit the 15 held stitches as p1, k1 tbl rib.  Pick up 7 stitches along the thumb gusset and continue p1, k1 tbl.  KNit this rib for 7 rounds, then cast off.

Weave in all ends.

*     *      *     *     *

PM = place marker

SM = slip marker

SSK = slip first stitch as if you knit, slip second stitch as if you purl, knit those stitches together

K2tog = knit two together

K1 tbl = knit through back loop

Comments

[Allise]

Allison,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful pattern. I've been coveting those mitts since you posted them.

[mwknitter]

The more I see that colorway the more I like it. It is similar to (but nicer than) some Regia that I used for one of the first pairs of socks I knit about 10-12 years ago. I love blue & brown together. The soles of those socks are wearing rather thin now (probably because I mostly wear clogs) & they really are not anywhere near a warm as they used to be. I will definitely be ordering some of that when I get back from California next week. (I would order now but it always takes me a long time to narrow my choices down to a reasonable number & I have laundry to do & a costume to finish before I pack.)

[Lynne]

One more use for mitts: going for walks with your iPod; iPods require contact with your actual skin for you to operate them. Wearing mitts, you can adjust the sound or skip songs without holding a glove between your teeth. This makes them a great gift for people who are always using iPods outdoors...

[Allison]

Lynne, you're so right! I use an iPhone and didn't even realize that was a great perk!

[Janet]

Thank you, Allison, for the great pattern. I just ordered two skeins of Milan in Sapphire for mine. Can' wait! These would make great Xmas gifts, but these are just for me.

[Amanda Cathleen]

thank you so much for sharing your pattern with us!! This might be *the* perfect pattern for my lone skein of Claudia's handpainted that I've had for a very long time.

[Colleen]

I may be reading the pattern wrong, so forgive me if I’m missing something, but the pattern states:

“Now you'll knit the hand, keeping with the stitch pattern, for 12-14 rounds, then cast off. You'll want the finished mitt to come below your middle knuckles, as pictured.”

In the picture, it looks like you did some more ribbing at the top of the hand … am I seeing that right?

[Allison]

Yes, Colleen, you are right and I'll make the changes in red to the pattern now! Thanks!

[Kris with a K]

When you place the gusset stitches on the holder for the thumb, do you not cast on stitches in the hand?

[Deb]

What does M1 mean?...a yarn over to make a stitch is what I think. correct?

[Erika]

I can't wait to make these! My teenager will love them, and want them as gifts for all her friends! Thank you for sharing.

[cathy goldman]

I love this pattern. But is there a printer friendly version so I don't have to print out the entire page????? thanks cg

[Allison]

It is automatically printer friendly. At the bottom of the post, next to the date is a "permalink" button. You click that and if you do a print preview you'll see that the pages are already printer friendly and within proper margins.
Hope this helps!

[Allison]

Kris- no, you don't cast on stitches at the thumb gusset. You'll instead pick up stitches opposite later.
Deb- M1 means that you make a stitch by picking up the horizontal yarn between two stitches, the knit a stitch into it. Unlike a yarn-over, it doesn't create a hole.

[Wanda]

...love these I'm planning to knit for each of my girls..thanks so much

[Holda]

Beautiful pattern, thank you for sharing it.

[Amethyst Fields]

What a unique and beautiful stitch pattern...so much texture and without using cable needles. How beautiful! (I will be making these my next project.)

[Jay Smith]

Allison, I love the pattern and have just finished increasing for the thumb gusset. The pattern says "Knit each round 7 more times, and keep the k1tbl, p1 pattern in the thumb gusset stitches." Which rounds are you talking about? It took me 7 rows to increase the gusset to 15 stitches.

[Sunshinemom]

Love the pattern! Fingerless mitts are wonderful innovation - they are really more useful than complete gloves.

[LiseGlas]

Not only did I find a fabulous hand warmer pattern here, but I learned about your 'permalink' way of printing text-shortcut, as well! Thanks so much, you are such a talented knitter and designer, Lise

[Margaret Hans]

Hi!
What a beautiful pattern! Thank you for sharing it! I have just one question...This is the first time I've worked with a chart while working in the round. I am reading the chart, beginning with row 1 - left to right. Then I'm reading row 2 - left to right. Continuing with rows 3 through 12, also left to right. Is this correct? I am getting pattern, with large spaces of stockinette in between the pattern.

Am I doing the chart incorrectly?

[Margaret Hans]

Oh! I've got it now! The chart reads right to left!

Thanks!
M. Hans

[DaniGirl]

I love this pattern. Thanks for sharing it. The pair I have made I wear them all the time in my cold office. They work great for keeping your hands warm while I am typing.