You Need a Thneed

In October I joined a mitten KAL on the Knitting Purls group. (Or maybe it was on the Magic Loop group...)

I took a stab at a few patterns, but very quickly decided to just make up a pattern as I went along because I have freakishly small hands.



I ended up with Thneeds:



One day Ida messaged me and asked if I was going to write up the pattern.

Shucks. I never thought of that. I really don't consider it "write it up worthy", but I figure what the heck. I'll give it a try.

Well, here goes.

Skill Level:
Actually easy, but since I'm not very good at pattern writing, I hesitate to send a beginner down this road. I'll call it "Super Adventurous Beginner on the cusp of Intermediate who has made a pair of mittens before"

Gauge:
5 st per inch
Row gauge really isn't important for this one

Materials:

• I used Paton's SWS but any heavy worsted should do. 2 balls should be enough for a pair of thneeds and a coffee cozy (which is currently percolating in my brain. Eventually I'm going to sit down, knit it, write it and share it with y'all.)
• needles size 6 (4.0 mm) I am a magic loop ho (lots o' links here), so I used 40" circs, but I guess you could use dpn's or two circs if that's what floats your boat.
• blunt yarn needle for weaving in ends
• a length of scrap yarn for holding some thumb stitches (a legit stitch holder will just get in the way.)
  

On your mark, Get set, GO!
You'll want to cast on: 30 stitches (or any even number that will get you a comfy size using your gauge.) Then divide the stitches...

• 15 on each needle if you are using ML or 2 circs.
• 10 on each needle if you are using a set of 4 dpns.

Place a marker and being careful not to twist the stitches, join and...

• knit in the round using a 1x1 rib for 18ish rows. ('Cause if you want, you could make thneeds that go up to your elbow.)

So know you've made it to the hand area. You'll want to...

• knit every round for 5 rounds (or 6, really no more than 7.)

Now things might get tricky. I was working on 30 stitches, but your gauge may be different and you may be knitting on more (or fewer) stitches. I will try to explain the thumb gusset as best I can.

• knit 14 stitches (OR until there is one stitch remaining on the first needle...for dpn users this wouldn't work so I will say that you are wanting to knit until the stitch before the halfway point...hope that makes sense.)
• place marker
• knit 3 (yes, yes, you will end up two stitches in on the next needle.
• place marker.

Finish up the round and...

• knit 1 round.

On the next round...

• knit to marker.
• slip marker.
  
• M1 leaning right. (I actually used right and left leaning increases described in the November 2008-January 2009 issue of Cast on Magazine, but I'm sure any of these would work, too.)
• knit 3.
• M1 leaning left.
• slip marker. (Hint, there should now be 5 stitches between markers.)
  

Finish up the round and...

• knit 2 rounds.

Continue to alternate these 3 rows (1 increase round 2 plain ol' knit rounds) until...

• you have 11 stitches between the markers (or until you try on the thneed and it feels about right on your thumb.)
• end on the last plain ol' knit round (technically round 3 of the 3 row increasing sequence.)

It's now time to finish up the thumb gusset and get to the mindless knitting (and also the part where I can't quite remember what I did, so I hope this ends up working out for you.)

• knit to the first marker. Place all the stitches between the markers onto scrap yarn. Using the backwards loop cast-on (you won't need to start with the slip-knot), cast-on 3 stitches. Continue to end of round.
• On the next round, when you get to the three cast on stitches, knit into the back of them. Continue to end of round
• On the next round, you will have to rearrange stitches so you have 15 on each needle.

Now you get to do that mindless knitting I mentioned. Round and round you go, periodically trying on until you are at the bottom of your fingers (or, the top of the palm of your hand.) Now you need to...

• Switch to 1x1 rib.

More mindless knitting. Continue with the 1x1 rib until the thneed begins to look ridiculous or you are embarrassed to work on it publicly for fear people will look at you funny.



You may now cast off. I used a tubular cast off. (The only link I'm going to include for that is to amazon so you can get yourself a copy of this. It has become my "go to" reference book.) Actually, any stretchy bind off will do.

Let's finish up that thumb, shall we? I continued to use the magic loop method for this, but dpn's will work just at well.

• pick up 14 stitches (make sure you start on the "palm" side and in the crook of the thumb.
  
• place marker and knit one round.
• on the next round decrease one stitch (I used k2tog) At the beginning and end of the row. You should now have 12 stitches.
  
• knit away until the thumb is long enough.
• Cast off using EZ's sewn cast off. (You'll have to scroll down on that link.

In retrospect, I wish I had closed up the thumb. If you wish to do that, just keep working a knit row and decrease row until you have four stitches left. Run the yarn through them and pull tight!

If you make this pattern, I hope it is easy to follow. Don't hesitate to e-mail me if you have trouble!