I had a nice and reasonably relaxing weekend. I got halfway through the second mitten and that’s about all I did - no wait - I did some more little squares for the tablecloth too :) Mostly I read.
I got into Fannie Flagg’s Standing in the Rainbow and that was pretty much it. It follows a wide and diverse group of people from the 40s through the present. It’s the characters that make this novel; Ms. Flagg’s ear for dialogue is quite good. So while the plot is slim and the history sometimes a bit iffy, it’s a very pleasant read.
Following is the pattern for the mitten. This could be put together any number of ways, including with a more standard type of ribbing - but this is the way I did it. Please feel free to adapt to your particular desires and please feel free to drop me a line (see sidebar) if you run into any difficulties or peculiarities in the pattern!
Cable Cuff Mittens
Thought Process
I get a gauge of 5 sts/in (stockinette) using the Waterspun yarn and size 7 (US) needles. So I cast on enough stitches to do the cable panel +1 stitch for the selvedge edge where the stitches will be picked up for the hand + 25 sts for the vertical garter double-cuff. For my wrist, 8 repetitions of the cable panel were what it took to go around comfortably. I did a provisional cast-on and, when the length was appropriate, a three-needle bind-off. Then, using Ann Budd’s The Knitter’s Hand Book of Patterns as a guide, I picked up around the top of the cuff, increased on the next row to the number of stitches required for my size hand and worked from there. Basically, you work the cable/cuff part until it fits comfortably around your wrist and then sew it up. Fold half of the cuff to the inside and sew to the bottom of the cable band. Pick up stitches around the top and, if necessary, increase on the next row until you have what you need to make a comfortable hand for you. Any mitten pattern will serve as a reasonable guide - including your favorite pattern. Then it’s just working the hand until it’s done.
Pattern (i.e. - what I actually did)
Materials
About 150 grams worsted weight yarn
Straight needles, size 7 (US)
Double point needles, size 7 (US)
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle
Terms
K Knit
P Purl
Sl1 wyib Slip one stitch purlwise with the yarn in back.
FC (front cross) Slip two stitches to cable needle and hold in front. P1. K2 from cable needle.
BC (back cross) Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in back. K2. P1 from cable needle.
C4B Slip two stitches to cable needle and hold in back. K2. K2 from cable needle.
C4F Slip two stitches to cable needle and hold in front. K2. K2 from cable needle.
Pm Place marker
M1 Increase by picking up running thread between stitches, front to back and knitting into the back of this stitch.
Gauntlet Cuff
Cast on (provisionally) 41 stitches.
Row 1: K12, Sl1 wyib, K12, P1, Sl1 wyib, P1, K2, P2, C4B, P2, Sl1 wyib, P1, K1.
Row 2: K2, P1, K2, P4, K2, P2, K1, P1, K13, P1, K12
Row 3: K12, Sl1 wyib, K12, P1, Sl1 wyib, P1, FC, BC, FC, P1, Sl1 wyib, P1, K1
Row 4: K2, P1, K1, P2, K2, P4, K2, P1, K13, P1, K12
Row 5: K12, Sl1 wyib, K12, P1, Sl1 wyib, P2, C4F, P2, K2, P1, Sl1 wyib, P1, K1
Row 6: K2, P1, K1, P2, K2, P4, K2, P1, K13, P1, K12
Row 7: K12, Sl1 wyib, K12, P1, sl1 wyib, P1, BC, FC, BC, P1, Sl1 wyib, P1, K1
Row 8: K2, P1, K2, P4, K2, P2, K1, P1, K13, P1, K12
Repeat these rows eight times. Length of cable should be about 9.5”. Release provisional cast on, picking up stitches on a spare needle the same size as the ones you’re working with. Do a three-needle bind-off or graft if you prefer. You could also cast on and cast off in the normal fashion and mattress stitch the seam - all that matters is that you do what you prefer and are comfortable with.
Turn the piece inside out and fold the gauntlet up to the bottom of the cable. The slipped stitches should be running in a chain around the bottom edge of the cuff. Sew the edge of the cuff neatly to the bottom of the cable band.
Hand
Starting to the immediate left of the seam and on the right side of the work, pick up 36 stitches around the top of the cable band.
Knit around, increasing 7 stitches evenly - 43 stitches.
Knit 2 rounds even.
Thumb gusset - right hand
K33, pm, M1, K1, M1, pm, k10
Knit 2 rounds even
K33, M1, K3, M1, K10
Knit 2 rounds even
K33, M1, K5, M1, K10
Knit 3 round even
K33, M1, K7, M1, K10
Repeat the last two rows 4 more times, adding 2 gusset stitches in the fashion described on each increase row until you have 17 gusset stitches in all.
Thumb gusset - left hand
K10, pm, M1, K1, M1, pm, K33
Knit 2 rounds even
K10, M1, K3, M1, K33
Knit 2 rounds even
K10, M1, K5, M1, K33
Knit 3 round even
K10, M1, K7, M1, K33
Repeat the last two rows 4 more times, adding 2 gusset stitches in the fashion described on each increase row until you have 17 gusset stitches in all.
On next round, place gusset stitches on a holder, remove markers and cast on 1 stitch over gap left by gusset. Knit to the end of the round.
Hand
Work even until hand measures to the top of your little finger.
On next round, decrease 3 stitches evenly.
Shaping the top
Next round: *K8, K2tog* around
Next round: Knit around even
Next round: *K7, K2tog* around
Next round: Knit around even
Next round: *K6, K2tog* around
Next round: Knit around even
Continue decreasing in this fashion every other round until you have 20 stitches left. Then decrease the same way every round until you are down to 8 stitches. Break yarn and thread tail through remaining stitches once or twice. Pull tight to close gap and weave end in on the inside.
Thumb
Arrange gusset stitches onto 3 DPNs, pick up and knit 1 stitch over gap and join. Work even until thumb measures about to the middle of your thumbnail.
[K2 tog, K4] 3 times
Knit even
[K2 tog, K3] 3 times
Knit even
[K2tog, K2] 3 times
[K2tog, K1] 3 times - 6 stitches remain.
Break yarn, thread tail through remaining 6 sts once or twice and pull tightly to close gap; weave tail in on the inside. Weave in loose ends, close gap at base of thumb if necessary and enjoy :)
You may use this pattern for yourself or for gifts. Please do not sell either the pattern or the mittens.
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oh read fannie flagg’s “welcome to the world, baby girl” if you get a chance- again not a lot of plot (i think she ‘plotted’ herself out with “whistle stop cafe”) but characters that are amazing-
i showed a pic of your mitten to my daughter- her first response was to point out that it was constructed so that it didn’t leave a couple of inches of bare flesh exposed between hand and place a coat sleeve would end- hmm, do you think she might have been making a no-so-subtle hint about mittens i’ve made before?
you are really cranking out those squares- geez, i am still trying to finish about a half a dozen for the blasted bear thingy- and btw, no, i am not going to make the swan thingy although sheer perversity does keep nudging me to do it!
hmm, obviously my word for the day is ‘thingy’-
stay happy-
Thanks for posting the mitten pattern so promptly! I’m going to start on a pair this week. You know…‘cause I don’t have anything else to do. 
Hehehehe
What can I say? I’m mitten smitten too.
Now - I wonder if I can manage a color other than pink?
I doubt it!
Barb - I will definitely check out that book as I have enjoyed everything else of Flagg’s that I’ve read.
That was kind of the reason for the gauntlet cuff in the first place - so it would be long enough to help avoid “gaposis”.
Bron - well, pink really isn’t required :) Please let me know if you have any problems or if anything’s unclear? Hope you enjoy it!
Well, aren’t you the clever one! I love it!!
Margene - Not so much clever as nuts - nutty about that cable and just looking for interesting ways to use it! Thanks :)
