Today at the Sock Sessions, Charlie a very new knitter, finished her first project a large garter stitch square for a cushion. She had some Patons Super Quick left so I suggested she make some simple mitts. With her 10mm needles and Patons Super Quick, Charlie casted on 12 sts and made herself a pair of mitts in less than 2 hours! Not bad for a new knitter. This is my ‘recipe’ for these super quick and easy first project for the new knitter.
I wrote this recipe/pattern up in 2013 and it is available on Ravelry as a PDF download HERE
The basic shape of these mitts is a rectangle. The design could be knit in many weights of yarn by recalculating the cast on stitches and rows knitted and changing the needle size to match.
The simplicity of this design makes the most of hand spun yarn.
The perfect first knitting project, a pair of mitts takes less than 50 gms of 8ply yarn to complete.
An experienced knitter can make many pairs in a day. They are a great fundraising item. I used to sell these, knitted in my hand spun, at the craft shop in Wirrabarra.
Jazz them up by using lots of scraps of yarn or knit them plain and simple.
Materials
50 grams of DK or worsted weight wool yarn.
4mm straight knitting needles
Wool needle for seaming
Gauge
My gauge was 20 stitches X 26 rows to 10cm over stocking stitch.
The mitts are small enough to be their own gauge swatch. A firm fabric will take the wear that mitts get. If fabric is too loose, decrease needle size; too firm, increase needle size.
Size
Knit a mitt, then examine it for fit. The mitt needs some negative ease for a firm fit.
If the fit is too tight add rows to the pattern or too big decrease the number of rows.
If the mitt is too short – add stitches, too long – decrease stitches.
Pattern – make 2
| Size | Cast on sts | Width to knit |
| Extra Small (Toddler) | 20 | 12 cm |
| Small (child) | 25 | 14 cm |
| Medium (women) | 30 | 16 cm |
| Large (men) | 40 | 18 cm |
| Extra Large | 45 | 20 cm |
Cast on the number of stitches for size required. (The length of the mitt)
Knit in garter stitch for the size required.(The width of the mitt)
Bind off.
Construction
Fold fabric matching cast on edge to bind off edge.
Using a whip stitch sew up from the bottom until where the base of the thumb hole will be. Sew from the top to where the top of the thumb hole will be. Sew in ends and trim.