4 Year Old Mittens Pattern #163

REQUIREMENTS:

YARN: 2-ounces of 4-ply Knitting Worsted, 5-yds. contrasting color

NEEDLES: 1-pr. #4 single pointed

RIGHT MITTEN: Starting at the cuff, cast on 32 sts. Work in ribbing of k 1, p 1, for 2 inches. Now work in the following pattern: ROW 1: Knit 4 sts, p 2, k 4, p 2, k 20 sts. ROW 2: Purl 20 sts, k 2, p 4, k 2, p 4 sts. ROW 3: Knit 4 sts, p 2, slip the next 2 sts onto a dble pt needle and hold in back of work, knit the next 2 sts, knit the 2 sts off the dble pt needle (cable twist), p 2, k 20 sts. ROW 4: Repeat row 2. These 4 rows make the pattern. After 4 rows start the thumb increases. Note: Keep the cable twists going until you come to the tip of the mittens regardless of what you are doing.

THUMB INCREASES: 1st inc: Work over 16 sts in the pattern, inc. 1 st in each of the next 2 sts, k 14 sts. Next row and every other row: Work back as the sts are. 2nd inc: Work over 16 sts, inc. 1 st in next st, k 2, inc. 1 st in next st, k 14 sts. 3rd inc: Work over 16 sts, inc. 1 st in next st, k 4, inc. 1 st in next st, k 14 sts. 4th inc: Work over 16 sts, inc. 1 st in next st, k 6, inc. 1 st in next st, k 14 sts. Next row: Work back as the sts are.

THUMB: Work over 16 sts and place onto a st holder; knit 10 sts and leave on the needle, place the remaining sts onto a 2nd st holder. Cast on 1 st at end of thumb sts, turn and purl back, cast on 1 st. Work in stockinette stitch on thumb sts for 1½ inches. Next knit row: K 2 sts together across row. Break yarn leaving 6 inches. Thread a darning needle and draw through sts. Fasten tightly on wrong side of work. Sew up thumb.

HAND: Place the sts off first st holder onto a needle, tie yarn in, pick up and knit 3 sts on thumb gusset, knit the sts off 2nd st holder. Keeping the pattern work until the mitten measures 3¼ inches above the ribbing.

TIP DECREASES: 1st dec: * k 4 sts, k 2 tog, repeat from * across row. Purl next row. 2nd dec: * k 3 sts, k 2 tog, repeat from * across row. Purl next row. 3rd dec: * k 2 sts, k 2 tog, repeat from * across row. Purl next row. 4th dec: * k 1, k 2 tog, repeat from * across row. Last dec: Purl 2 sts together across row. Break yarn leaving 10 inches. Finish as tip of thumb.

LEFT MITTEN: Work as the right one until you come to the pattern. ROW 1: Knit 20 sts, p 2, k 4, p 2, k 4 sts. ROW 2: Purl 4 sts, k 2, p 4, k 2, p 20 sts. Work remainder of mitten to correspond to the right one. For the first thumb increase start with: Knit 14 sts, inc. 1 st in each of the next 2 sts, work to end of row.

TRIMMING: Thread a needle with 4 strands of contrasting color and weave through center of cable. Then thread with 2 strands of contrasting color and overcast every other knit row on first knit st on each side of the cable.