Friday, March 20, 2015

How to Make a Thumb Hole for Fingerless Mittens

This technique is used for finished blocks, knitted or crocheted, to make fingerless mittens. With this particular striped block, I personally prefer this technique rather than knitting in the round with double pointed needles, because of the fact that it is easier to get the stripes aligned.

For this block, I used a pair of US7 (4.5mm) knitting needles and Vanna's Choice yarns. I cast on 40 stitches and alternated the three colors (two rows each), starting and ending with the pink. This block has 50 rows done in stockinette stitch (knit the right sides, purl the wrong sides).

  Leave a few inches on both ends of the yarn. You will need the same strands for securing and sewing the mittens together.

Since this is a striped block, several yarn ends were present. Tuck a few inches of these ends before securing and finally cutting them.  
Sewing the mittens together

Here is a good link on a tutorial for a mattress stitch. It is used for joining vertical stockinette stitch with invisible seams.

The photo below however, is a modified mattress stitch.

This is a modified mattress stitch. It lines up the stripes real well. Do this in a zigzag manner until you reach the placement for the thumb.



You are all done! There is no left or right hand with these gloves so you can wear either of them on both hands. The stockinette stitch creates the rolled effect which is a nice touch.


Enjoy your mittens and happy knitting!


Reference and Credit: Techniques with Theresa by Theresa Vinson Stenersen from knitty.com

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring04/mattress.html

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