Arched Gusset Mittens
It’s called the “Life Line,” the crease that arcs from the bottom center of the palm, up and around that fleshy mound, to the point between the index finger and thumb. It’s said that this line represents the strength and vitality of one’s life. I’m no palm reader, but there’s one thing I know for certain when it comes to the hands…
You gotta keep those palms, fingers and thumbs comfy and cozy during these interminable winter months, or all those lines, life, vitality and otherwise, will be woefully worse for wear.
Echoing the natural curves of our hands these Arched Gusset Mittens fit, well… like a glove. They have extra tapering at the pinky-side top and a gusset that literally traces the lines on your hands. Plus, the pattern comes in three widths and includes instructions for modifying lengths. Knit in Purl Soho’s Flax Down, an alpaca, merino and linen blend, these mittens are speckled with nature and incredibly soft to the touch.
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Finish out this winter with strength and vitality. Warm-up with a fresh pair of mittens! -Laura
UPDATE: NOW IN KNITTING YARN
SEPTEMBER 2022
Now in Knitting Yarn, it only takes one ball to knit up a pair of Arched Gusset Mittens in any size! Made of 100% merino wool from New Zealand, Knitting Yarn has a pleasant toothiness, squishy feel, and wonderfully even hand. It is also sturdy and affordable and comes in a big, cushy ball so you can cast on ASAP… Mittens for everyone!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoArchedGussetMittens, and #PurlSohoFlaxDown. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Flax Down, 43% baby alpaca, 20% extra fine merino and 15% linen. Each skein is 219 yards; approximately 85 (180) yards required. For the size Small (Medium) samples, we used the colors Yellow Zest (Artemisia Green).
- A set of US 4 (3.5 mm) double pointed needles
- Stitch markers, including one of a different color or type
- A stitch holder or scrap yarn
Shop our wonderful collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarn to find a suitable substitute for this project, and remember that it’s always a good idea to check your gauge before you cast on… Our All About Gauge Tutorial shows you how!
Gauge
22 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Sizes
Small (Medium, Large) to fit most Toddlers + Small Kids (Adult Smalls, Adult Larges)
- Finished circumference at palm: 5 ¾ (7 ¼, 8 ¾) inches
- Finished length from cuff to top of mitten: 8 (10, 12) inches, with instructions to modify
Samples: Size Small and Medium are pictured here.
Pattern
Knit Cuff
Cast on 31 (39, 47) stitches, distributing them onto three double pointed needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Place different color marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Work in stockinette stitch, knitting each round, until piece measures 2 (2 ½, 3) inches from cast on edge.
Shape Thumb Gusset
Right Mitten Only
Set-up Round: K15 (17, 19), place marker (pm), knit to end of round.
Round 1: Knit to marker, slip marker, make 1 left (m1L), knit to end of round. [1 stitch increased]
Repeat Round 1 fourteen (16, 18) more times. [46 (56, 66) stitches]
Next Round: K14 (16, 18), place previous 13 (15, 17) stitches on a stitch holder or scrap yarn, k1, remove marker, knit to end of round. [33 (41, 49) stitches]
Next Round: Ssk (joining the first stitch of the Gusset to the last stitch of the Gusset), knit to end of round. [32 (40, 48) stitches]
Left Mitten Only
UPDATE December 6, 2022: We’ve changed the wording of the Set-Up Round to be a bit clearer, right below. Don’t worry, the outcome is still the same!
Set-Up Round: K17 (23, 29), pm, knit to end of round.
Round 1: Knit to marker, make 1 right (m1R), slip marker, knit to end of round. [1 stitch increased]
Repeat Round 1 fourteen (16, 18) more times. [46 (56, 66) stitches]
Next Round: Slip previous 13 (15, 17) stitches onto stitch holder or scrap yarn, knit to marker, slip marker, slip next stitch purlwise onto right needle, remove end-of-round marker, replace slipped stitch back onto left needle, replace remaining marker with end-of-round marker.
Next Round: K2tog (joining the first stitch of the Gusset to the first stitch after the Gusset), knit to end of round. [32 (40, 48) stitches]
Continue Working Palm
Work in stockinette stitch, knitting each round, until piece measures 3 (3 ¾, 4 ½ ) inches from the end of the Thumb Gusset, or until 7/8 (1 1/8, 1 3/8) inches from desired finished length.
Shape Top of Mitten
Set-up Round: K12 (15, 18), place marker, k4 (5, 6), place marker, k5 (6, 7), place marker, knit to end of round.
PICTURED: Left Mitten, palm side facing up (left), Right Mitten, palm side facing up (right)
NOTE: Below, I refer to the “1st”, “2nd” and “3rd” stitch marker. These do not include the end-of-round marker.
Round 1: Knit to 2 stitches before the 1st marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit to 3rd marker, slip marker, ssk, knit to end of round. [2 stitches decreased]
Round 2: K1, k2tog, knit to 2 stitches before the next (1st) marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit to 2 stitches before next (2nd) marker, ssk, slip marker, k1, k2tog, knit to next (3rd) marker, slip marker, ssk, knit to 2 stitches before the end of round, ssk. [6 stitches decreased]
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 two (3, 4) more times. [8 stitches]
Cut yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches.
Finish Thumb
Slip the 13 (15, 17) stitches that are on hold onto three double pointed needles.
Hold the Mitten so that the thumb is on the left. Join yarn to the front needle.
Knit all 13 (15, 17) stitches, and before joining in the round, pick up 1 stitch from the base of the thumb. [14 (16, 18) stitches]
Place marker and join for working in the round.
Work in stockinette stitch until piece measures 1 3/4 (2, 2 1/4) inches from the base of the thumb or until just shy of desired finished length.
Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [7 (8, 9) stitches]
Cut yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches.
Finish the Mitten
Weave in the ends and block as desired.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
So gorgeous!! I’m hoping to buy this yarn in person soon to see what color or colors I need!
Can’t wait to knit a couple of these patterns for my family
Too bad the weather is getting a lot warmer in NYC. Will you guys add the PDF pattern for this?
Hi Aracelis-
All of our free patterns are easily converted to PDFs by using our print feature!
If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the date and tags. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions for customizing what parts of the pattern you want to delete for printing or saving as a PDF (for example, certain images or the list of materials).
Please let us know if you have any more questions and thanks so much for getting in touch!
Molly
Great design, very finished looking mitten!
Think I’ve just found the pattern for the yarn I bought back from Iceland. Icelandic mitterns – perfect!
How was the yarn stores and selection in Iceland?
Very different to here in the UK. I only found two stores: one in Reykajivik and one in a small town called Borganes. There wasn’t a huge selection available – it tended to be locally spun (quite rough!) in a worsted/aran weight. It knits up nicely on 5 mm needles. There was a lovely selection of colours.
You’re so good with colour…. X
These look so comfortable, so much better than the old fashioned pattern I used for my kids.
Ooohhhh… these are lovely.
Wish I had some soft yummy yarn to try these with!!
Can you knit these mittens with two circular needles?
Hi Linda.
I worked them up with double pointed needles, but I imagine you could easily use two circular needles. I’ve used that technique in the past, but must admit, I am not incredibly familiar with it, so I’m not sure how it would work when it comes to doing the small circumference of the thumb. Other than maybe being a pinch awkward, I think it’ll work fine!
Thanks for writing in.
Laura
I’ve used the two circulars method a lot in the past. I’ve knit mittens and socks that way. It looks to me like it should work fine. The thumb part will be awkward, as is any small circumference with circulars, but apart from that should be a piece of cake. 🙂 Hope that helps.
Ha! I designed a pair of gloves with “life lines” back in August to celebrate the arrival of “Outlander”, the TV series. The gloves were originally called “Claire’s Gloves”, but I’ve since re-named them “Inverness Gloves” to avoid any intellectual property issues (even though I don’t think there were any, since my gloves aren’t a copy of anything from the show). I also have a tutorial on my site regarding the increase method I adopted, which is a little unusual.
Very EEE Cc pattern to knit Thank you for sharing
Would have been lovely to have this in a PDF.
Hi Cheryl-
All of our free patterns are easily converted to PDFs by using our print feature!
If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the date and tags. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions for customizing what parts of the pattern you want to delete for printing or saving as a PDF (for example, certain images or the list of materials).
Please let us know if you have any more questions and thanks so much for getting in touch!
Molly
I soooo cannot wait to cast these on! These are beautiful! Thanks for the gorgeous pattern.
This is a great pattern! Can’t wait to try it out – the only time I miss Minnesota is when I see these wonderful cold weather patterns. Usually a bit too warm here in Vegas for mittens, but I do pretend to be cold in the “winter”. 🙂
MJ
I cant wait! I’ll be in New York for Easter… cant wait to visit your store…
those mittens are extra!
This pattern is really neat. I like the way the thumb is created. Can’t wait to make a pair as soon as I get my hand out of the cast.
I love the look of these! And I’m currently knitting them. But I think the last row of the right gusset is supposed to be k2, ssk, knit to end of row.
Hi Lisanne.
Thanks for writing in. Let’s see if we can figure this gusset out…
Before working the last round of the Right Gusset section your stitches be as follows… the end-of-round marker, then a stitch then all the on-hold stitches and then the rest of the stitches. The idea is to take that stitch before all the on-hold stitches and the stitch after all of the on-hold stitches and work them together, as picture above that pattern line.
I do hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Laura
I do hope this clears things up. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Best,
Laura
Oh, yes, thank you! It turned out I just didn’t read the pattern accurately enough. I’m making the medium size, and I only slipped 13 stitches onto scrap yarn, instead of 15. But thank you for your quick reaction, and your help!
This looks like sometype I might be able to do.
i am a bit confused with the sizes. Says “small ( medium, large) to fit most toddlers + small kids etc…
But only three cast on sizes. I guess for adults it is the 47 stitches cast on?
Hi Liz.
I’m glad you wrote in. Let me see if I can clear this up… So the pattern reads:
Small (Medium, Large) to fit most Toddlers + Small Kids (Juniors + Adult Smalls, Adult Larges)
The Small fits most Toddlers + Small Kids
The Medium fits most Juniors + Adult Smalls
The Large fits most Adult Larges
Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Laura
Thanks,
I understand now. I ordered the yarn yesterday & it is on its way. I can’t wait to start them.
Thank you for clearing up sizing issue.
I have knit these two up on a circular needle, magic loop method. Unfortunately, this has made it difficult to follow the decrease instructions because I do not have three needles.
Will persevere and see if they come out the same.
I do love all the patterns on The Purl Bee, I have knit so many of them in the past. Thank you!
Liz
Thank you. I had the same question. These are beautiful. Wisconsin is warming up. Perfect to get done for next winter. Thank you
Hi,
I love this mitten. I am confused on the sizing numbers. If I want to make a medium adult size what is the number of cast on stitches? Do I follow the numbers in () to make the adult sizes?
Help.
I just finished knitting these mittens. I did the right hand first and it worked perfectly. I had trouble with the left one, in particular with the “arch” and the “m1R”. I didn’t get a nice smooth arch, it was difficult to find a piece of yarn to pick up for the increase. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks so much.
Hi Ginny.
I know exactly what you are talking about! A lot of folks (myself included) struggle to create a m1R that perfectly mirrors their m1L. If you look at the sample mittens I made, you can tell they aren’t perfectly symmetrical.
I try to work my m1R a bit loose, especially when I know I’ll be doing another in the following row/round. The extra length from working the m1R loose will make working the next row’s m1R less of a fight since there will be a larger bar there for you to pick up. Plus, a looser m1R will/might more closely resemble the m1L if it’s less strained.
Please note that while I keep using the word loose, I don’t mean excessively loose. I just suggest that you be mindful of not working that increase extra tight. Sometimes when something is hard to work, it’s awkward or stiff or uncooperative, we naturally tense up and then end up working it tight, when really we should compensate for stiffness of the technique. Or at least this is something I’ve found helpful when trying to maintain a consistent tension.
I’d love to hear anyone else’s thoughts on this though. Maybe there is a really obvious trick out there I just don’t know of!!
Thanks for writing in Ginny.
Laura
Hi Laura!
I have the same problem here and after searching for an answer, i discovered a lot of technics to make a (m1R).
Can you tell me which one you use?
I can’t let it go! My first mitten is perfect!!
Thank you.
Amélie from Montréal, home of mittens’s lovers 😉
Hi Amelie.
Here is a link to a video showing how I worked my m1L and m1R: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2013/08/13/make-one-right-m1r-make-one-left-m1l/
I hope it helps!!
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Laura
I got it! Thank you!
Hello! I tried these on in the store and they fit me *perfectly*. I want to recreate them exactly, so for the first time in my life I’m going to to a gauge swatch. Is your specified gauge stockinette in the round or flat?
Thanks,
Mimi
Hi Mimi.
Oh, I’m so happy to hear this!
That gauge is measured from a swatch worked in stockinette in the round.
Thanks for writing in.
Laura
Hi!
Thank you so much for this gorgeous pattern. I am currently knitting the mittens and I don’t seem to quite understand what ‘until just shy of desired finished length’ means? Could you explain to a non-native english speaker. Thank you!
Hi Okasana.
Thanks for writing in. That part of the pattern means you should work until the mitten is almost to the total length you want. I hope that makes sense! Please do not hesitate to write us back with any additional questions or concerns! Laura
Hi! Love the pattern thanks so much for making it available!
My right hand mitten came out great. But I am stuck on the left hand mitten. I am doing the smallest size and have increased 15 stitches with the M1R. That all worked fine. I now have 46 stiches.
I tried this round as written (Next Round: Slip previous 13 (15, 17) stitches onto stitch holder or scrap yarn, knit to marker, slip marker, slip next stitch purlwise onto right needle, remove end-of-round marker, replace slipped stitch back onto left needle, replace remaining marker with end-of-round marker) but I end up with 4 stitches left at the beginning of the next round before I get to the slipped stiches on scrap yarn. I wonder what I should do with those stitches or if I have done something incorrectly. I assume there should just be one stitch there that will be knit together with the next stitch after the thumb. I am not sure if I am explaining clearly so let me know if you would like me to clarify. Thanks so much for your help!
Hi Char,
Thanks for reaching out! I am happy to help! I am having a difficult time understanding the 4 stitches you are speaking of, I think the best way to figure this out would be to have you send a few pictures of your work to our email [email protected] and we can trouble shoot further from there!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi! I recently made these mittens and I’m wondering if you have any recommendations for a hat pattern to go with them. Maybe the boyfriend hat?
Thanks!
Hello Olivia!
Did you use the yarn suggested? Would you like to use the same yarn for the hat so that they match? If so, you could use the Classic Cuffed Hat and use the same yarn as the mittens. Here is the link to that hat if you haven’t seen it yet: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2014/10/22/classic-cuffed-hat/ Hope this helps! Let us know what you think! -Alyson
I am totally at a lost when it get to the left mitten in round after finishing with 17 M1R rounds
“Next Round: Slip previous 13 (15, 17) stitches onto stitch holder or scrap yarn, knit to marker, slip marker, slip next stitch purlwise onto right needle, remove end-of-round marker, replace slipped stitch back onto left needle, replace remaining marker with end-of-round marker.”
1. so does it mean to slip the stitiches (from the previous rnd, so the st with the working yarn will be in the stitich holder too), and then start the rnd?
2. so when knit up to the next marker, will it be the marker that mark the M1R increase? If so, the whole writing following will not make any sense.
Thank you for the clarification in advance.
Hi Betty.
I’m glad you wrote in!
1. Yes, you’ll be slipping the last 13 (15, 17) stitches you worked. The last 13 (15, 17) stitches of the previous round. So yes you are correct, the working yarn will be attached to those on-hold stitches.
2. Yes, you will work up to the marker (where you have been making the increases). We’ll call this the increase marker. Once you’ve worked up to the increase marker, slip that marker onto the right needle, then slip the next stitch purlwise onto the right needle. Then remove the end-of-round marker. Then put that slipped stitch back onto the left needle and then replace the increase marker with the end-of round marker. Essentially you’re just moving the end-of-round marker to where the increase marker was so that you’ll be able to work the two stitches on the far sides of the gusset together, the stitch on the far right of the gusset and the stitch on the far left of the gusset.
Betty, I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any questions.
Laura
31 (39, 47)
I love this gusset. I made a couple pairs recently and they’re my new favourite method.
I am confused by the sizes. Six sizes?? One set for children, one set for adults?
Hello, Roseanna!
Thank you for writing in! There are three sizes for these wonderful mittens. The small will fit most toddlers and small kids. The medium will fit Juniors and small adults. The large will fit adults.
If you have further questions, please reach out to us again! Happy knitting.
Best wishes,
Kumeko
Thank you so much for creating such a beautiful site and for all the wonderful, tasteful patterns. I love Purl Bee and Purl Soho. It’s my “go to” when I want to make something really special. I haven’t seen anything as remarkable as your knitted items anywhere else. To me, they surpass the Vogue Knitting patterns.
Can you tell me the total yardage of yarn required to knit the adult mittens?
Hello, Zana!
Thank you for writing in and sorry for the very delayed response! The total yardage for the adult mittens is 115 yards. If you have further questions please let us know!
Happy knitting,
Kumeko
I am also confused about the term ‘previous ‘ where the pattern for left mitten says to slip previous 13 stitches on to holder. And for right mitten it says to knit 14 and then slip previous 13 stitches onto holder. Do you mean the next 13 stitches or the ones you just knitted?
Hi Catherine,
I understand the confusion! Here, ‘previous’ means that will be slipping the stitches that you have just knit onto a holder.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I love it that these are available on pdfs, but the site makes it very difficult to find it. I would love it if a link to the pdf was clearly posted under each free pattern.
Thanks!
I made one pair, and would like to try again and the cuff came out loose. I’d like to cast on less stitches and begin the thumb gusset increases sooner. How can I calculate how to do this?
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for writing us! Instead of casting on less, I suggest that you go down a needle size or two to make the mitten tighter. If you want to adjust the pattern it will take a bit of math. You’ll need to get your stitches per inch and multiply that number by the circumference of your wrist. Once you get to a wrist length you like, you’ll start the thumb gusset. Let me know if you have any other questions!
-Adam
I’ve just started this lovely pattern, I have one question concerning the left and right hand gussets. On the right hand gusset you knit 16 (I’m making the medium size) and then place the previous 15 stitches onto scrap yarn. With the left hand gusset the stitches that become the thumb are slipped onto the scrap yarn without being knit. I know it’s only a difference of one row but I’m a little neurotic about things being symmetrical (I keep track of how many rounds I do so that I can make the second mitten with the exact same number), to make it even could I knit the entire round, then slip the stitches, or would it be better to knit as written in the pattern and then add an extra round in when knitting the thumb?
Thanks for any advice!
Hi Laura,
Thanks for writing in! I understand your concern with the rows not being equal, but I can assure you that there is hardly any difference. I’ve tried the mittens on myself and they feel equal. If you’d like to experiment by omitting the K16 from the Right gusset, I say go for it! Best of luck and let me know how it goes!
-Adam
I love these and have knit several practice pairs in preparation for making some to give at Christmas. One thing I keep winging with mixed results is picking up a stitch to complete the thumb. I can’t tell exactly how to pick up the ssk stitch, so sometimes I pick up the bars on either side and ktog and sometimes I just grab anything in the vicinity with a little slack. Can you provide a picture of where to put the needle to get the right stitch and hopefully avoid gapping? Thanks for all the beautiful patterns!!
Hi Jean-Louise,
Thanks for reaching out! When knitting a mitten thumb, gaps around the picked up stitches are normal and to a certain degree unavoidable. As long as the picked up stitch is centered in the space between the first and last live stitches, you are doing fine! I would recommend leaving a long tail when rejoining your yarn and use that tail to tidy up any gaps that are left when the thumb is finished.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi, I am a beginner knitter and have a question about after placing the previous 15 stitches on a scrap yarn (for the medium size). That leaves the stitches on two needles. Do I just continue with the two needles or would I need to redistribute the stitches on to 3 needles again? (If so, is it best to just split along the needles equally?) I found that when I got to the next round of ssk, I had to move the stitches from one needle to another sometimes. Thank you for any help!
Hi Susan,
Thank you for writing in! You can redistribute your stitches evenly to knit the body of the mitten. The only thing is that you want to make sure your beginning of round marker is in the right place. Hope this helps!
Good luck and happy knitting!
-Adam
Can you suggest a soft machine washable yarn for the gloves? I need/want to make two pairs of the toddler size and am willing to spend $40 (excluding shipping) per skein if it covers both gloves. Thank you for your help! 🙂
Hello, Katrina!
Thank you for your question! Tosh Merino DK or Cricket are a couple of great machine washable options.
Please let us know if you further questions. Thanks for writing in!
Best,
Kumeko
If you were making them for a toddler, which one would you pick? I don’t think I’ve bought Tosh before, so I’m not familiar with how soft it is when washed. Thank you for all of your help!
Hey, Katrina!
This is a tough choice, but I personally would choose the Tosh Merino DK. I have made many scarves, hats, and sweaters for my two kids using Tosh and they have stood up well to multiple washings (just a side note – I always air dry my knits).
However, I know that kids can be quite particular about the feel of wool against their skin so if softness is the major deciding factor I would choose Cricket. Cricket has a bit of cashmere in it so it’s going to be the softer of the two wools.
Thank’s again for your question!
Warmest wishes,
Kumeko
Kumeko – Thank you very much for your help. I think I’ll buy both and give them two pairs instead of one. Oddly enough this has started out to be a nice fall/winter for us in Central Cali so I think two pairs would be welcomed by my friends. 🙂
Katrina,
Awesome! Thank you, again, for writing in!
Best,
Kumeko
My right mitten turned out great. Unfortunately, my left one is not looking so good. The increases are still slanting to the right even though I swear I did M1R just like in the video. Any ideas on what I am doing wrong? I’m going to go back to before the increases and try again, but I don’t want to make the same mistake.
Also, the large was too large and the medium was too small so I did some math and made a size in between that fits me perfectly, casting on 43.
Oops, I meant my M1R increases slanted to the left, the same direction as the M1L on my right mitten.
Hi Charlie,
Thanks for the question. I think that you must be doing something wrong with the M1R if you don’t think it’s coming out right. Unfortunately, I don’t have your mitten in front of me, so I can’t know what’s wrong for sure. If you send in a picture of the mittens to [email protected], I’d be glad to assist in any way. Thanks!
-Adam
Charlie (and all future people who run into this),
I was having this same problem and I was losing my mind. I read your comment a few days ago and just figured it out last night
If you do your m1 after the stitch marker, the seam will always slant to the right. To slant to the left as on the left mitten, do each m1 before you slip the stitch marker.
The instructions are clear but I totally missed the difference when I switched to the left. Then I it hung up on why m1R didn’t slant the opposite way to m1L. Turns out the direction of the m1 is only for smoothness and can’t direct the seam itself.
Alex,
Thank you so much for your insightful comment. I too was loosing my mind over this. For days I tried to figure it out. My boyfriend even suggested I try knitting the left mitten the other direction, but I just couldn’t fathom the idea of that. Anyways, thank you for your help.
Vicki
It took me three tries to get this right! You described my problem very well!
I found Tincan Knits description of m1L and m1R most helpful.
I’m confused about the m1L increases—once I get to the second one, what am I supposed to knit into? Knitting into the only visible “bar” leads to a hole. Please help!
Hi Indrani,
Thanks for the question. I’d take a look at our M1L / M1R tutorial and see if you are doing the M1L incorrectly. Let me know how it goes. I’d be glad to answer any questions you have.
-Adam
Indrani, yep it got me too over and over again. The instructions for Make ones always say and show knitting into the “bar”. This is great for the very first increase in this pattern. However, the pattern, which is lovely, calls for all the following make one increase to be made into the last increase. The “bar” in knit piece for these increases does not reveal itself as easily. The strands of the previous increase are twisted with the “bar”. The strand of yarn you want to pick up is the one (and only one) which is twisted over the strands for the previous increase. I wish I could attach a picture. One way to make sure you have the correct strand, is to confirm you are not pulling on the strands that are part of the next stitch on your left needle.
I am a new knitter and am having such a hard time reading the instructions for the left mitten. I did the right mitten on my first try, but I am on my 5th attempt with the left one. Can you make the instructions easier to follow? My gusset looks exactly like the right mitten instead of going the opposite way, and the thumb is not where it’s supposed to be. The right mitten looks so nice, I’d love to make a left one, too! I cannot understand the instructions when the m1R is completed. My thumb does not end up in the right place. I would appreciate an easier-to-understand instruction for the left mitten.
Hi Vivien,
I’m sorry you are having trouble with this! Hopefully I can help. Make sure you are knitting the set up round correctly. For this you’ll knit from the beginning of round marker until the last (14, 16, 18) stitches depending on your size. You place a marker here toward the end of the round and will M1R increase just before this marker for subsequent rounds. Also, make sure you are doing the M1R increase correctly. Click here for the tutorial. I hope I’ve helped you out! If not, please feel free to write back!
-Adam
Hi Vivien,
I’m sorry you’re having trouble with this! First, I’d make sure you are doing the increase (M1R) correctly. Click here for the tutorial. If you are still having problems, write back with what you are struggling with specifically and I’d be glad to help. Thanks!
-Adam
Working on the Jasmine scarf and thinking I might make these to match by adding the cable piece down the middle of the back of the mittens – thoughts?
Hi Ilona,
Thanks for writing in! What a great idea! This can certainly be done if you are knitting the mittens in round!
Let us know how it goes!
Cassy
Can these mittens be knitted on 2 needles or can you recommend another pattern please?
Hello Cheryn,
Thanks for writing in! I just want to clarify what you mean. Do you mean you are looking for a pattern that is not knit in the round, but knit flat on two straight needles?
Best,
Marilla
Is there a way to convert this pattern to knit flat?
Hi Meredith,
Thanks for writing in! Due to the shaping of these mittens, converting them to knit flat could present quite a challenge. At present, we only have the pattern offered in the round but you can certainly try converting them. I do think t it will require a fair bit of trial and error. We do have one mitten pattern that is knit flat, the Ancient Stitch Mittens.
Best,
Cassy
Wonderful mittens…the fit is great! Yes, did find some confusion in the pattern but as and experienced knitter it was not too difficult to figure out. I used the traditional cuff with K2, P2 ribbing and made it long enough to cover the arm and wrist where the gap between the coat and mitten is at. Today its 13 below zero but my hands are WARM. I used Lamb’s Pride wool and size 5 DPN. I am a tight knitter as well. Just can’t tell you how many friends and family have tried them on…because of jealousy maybe??
I am fairly new to DPNs but these were quite easy (and fast!!) to knit up. It is summer now where i live, so i still have a lot of time to knit up a bunch for presents later in the year.
Thank you for sharing the pattern for free!!
Is there’s video showing how to do the gussets?
Hello Barb,
Thank you for reaching out! The arched gusset is made simply by doing M1L, which we do have a video tutorial for.
Enjoy!
-Marilla
Love these mittens! But, I keep getting a little hole at the inside base of the thumb when I knit these mittens. Is this normal? Thanks!
Hello Heather,
Thank you for reaching out! This can certainly happen, but the good news is it is an easy fix. I would recommend closing the hole up when you are weaving in your ends. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of stitches and your hole should disappear.
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
These mitten knit up beautifully. Thank you for such a well written pattern.
Would this pattern work in your Linen Quill yarn?
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out! Linen Quill is a fingering weight and the Flax Down is a light worsted/dk weight! You could use linen quill doubled up so that you achieve a similar gauge! Just be sure to work up a gauge swatch to insure that you are consistent with the pattern!
All the best,
Gianna
Sorry, I meant Linen Quill worsted?
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out! I just realized that I responded to you previous question before seeing this one! Linen Quill Worsted should work but you may have to adjust the gauge a bit since Flax Down is a light worsted/dk weight and the Linen Quill Worsted is a true worsted weight! Our tutorial All About Gauge is an excellent resource to you for re-gauging patterns!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
Hello! I love the arched gusset design of these mittens so much!!! Do you think another mitten pattern (eg. somthing in another weight, or with a design element) could be converted from the regular gusset to the arched gusset? Any suggestions on how I could do this?
Hi Jessie,
Thanks for reaching out! I think you could absolutely apply this design to other mitten patterns with different weights of yarn! It may take a bit of trial and error when adjusting the gauge but I think it can certainly be done!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hello! I keep running into similar issues when shaping the top of the mitten- it doesn’t line up when I get to the last row. It will call for me to k2tog before the marker but there is only 1 stitch remaining. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?
Hi Miriam,
Thanks for your question! I would suggest taking a look at your decrease rounds and checking that your stitch count is consistent with what’s in the pattern. Before starting the decrease rounds, you should have [32 (40, 48) stitches] depending on what size you’re making. Each set of decrease rounds (Round 1 and Round 2) result in a decrease of 8 stitches (2 stitches per every Round 1 and 6 stitches per every Round 2). You knit these decrease rounds 3 times for the smallest size, 4 times for the medium size, and 5 times for the large size. Each size should end with 8 stitches on the needles before threading through the remaining stitches and closing the top of the mitten.
More specifically, for each of the Round 1 decrease rows that result in a decrease of 2 stitches, 1 stitch is decreased between the BOR marker and the 1st marker and 1 stitch is decreased between the 3rd marker before getting back to the BOR. And for each Round 2, 2 stitches are decreased between the BOR and the 1st marker, 1 stitch is decreased between the 1st marker and 2nd marker, 1 stitch is decreased between the 2nd marker and 3rd marker, and lastly 2 stitches are decreased between the 3rd marker and the BOR. If you’re decreasing in this fashion for Round 1 and Round 2, you should be all set!
I hope this was helpful! Have a wonderful rest of your day!
All the best,
Cat
That worked! Thank you!!!!
Hi! I have some sport weight alpaca yarn that I want to use but don’t know how to convert the pattern and what size needles to use. How does one go about figuring that out? Thank you! Can’t wait to dive in (but resisting the urge to just dive in recklessly).
Hi Helena,
Thanks for reaching out. You’re in luck, because I’ve recently modified this pattern for a lighter yarn myself, and it worked out wonderfully! Here’s what I recommend:
First, you can use any needle size you’d like, since you’re going to need to change up the gauge anyway. So pick whatever needles work for your yarn, and start out by knitting a gauge swatch! Once you know how many stitches per inch you’re getting, multiply this number by your hand circumference, and that will be your cast-on number. Then, find 40% of this number, add 2, and that will be how many stitches you need to increase by in the gusset section (and the number of stitches for your thumb is this number without the added 2 stitches)!
There will likely be a few other little things you’ll need to adjust, but I hope this gives you a sense of how to begin!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Purl Soho! I just purchased some of your cashmere merino wool, with these mittens in mind. Any advice on how (if) to modify this pattern? I will be making the adult small.
Hi Alexandra,
Thanks for writing in! Flax Down (the original yarn) and Cashmere Merino Bloom actually have a pretty similar gauge so you should be able to follow. the pattern as written! However, I do recommend working a gauge swatch to ensure you are consistent with the pattern or if you will need to make any adjustments to the needle size to match the gauge,
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
I just finished the first mitten of a pair using this pattern. I love it. I love the construction of the thumb gusset and the clarity of the pattern.
I am knitting them in a worsted weight baby alpaca/extra fine merino blend held together with lace weight mohair on US 4 needles. What a squishy, perfect mitten! I have a new go-to here.
Can you please explain “ previous stitches”??
Hi Sydnie!
Thank you for your question! When it comes time to divide stitches for the thumb gusset, you will be placing some but not all of the stitches you just knit on scrap yarn to save for later. By placing stitches you previously knit on a holder for later, your working yarn will be at the end of those stitches to continue using throughout the rest of the current row, and your stitches on hold will be ready to pick up when it is time to work the thumb.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Margaret
This helped so much! Thank you! You always respond so quickly I appreciate you!
You are very welcome, Sydnie! We are happy to help.
Happy knitting,
Margaret
I’m confused with this statement. Small (Medium, Large) to fit most Toddlers + Small Kids (Adult Smalls, Adult Larges). I want to make these for my grandkids (4 & 6) for Christmas. Do I follow the number to the left of the first bracket? 31 (39, 47) for a kids mitten I would cast on 31 stitches?
Hi Amy!
Thanks for checking in. We’re happy to help clarify these sizes! We recently released these mittens in Knitting Yarn, and with our updated sizing to confirm, you will still cast on 31 stitches for a kid size mitten! If you are interested, you can see our updated pattern here.
I hope this helps, and happy (Christmas) knitting!
All the best,
Margaret
I have knit up the right mitten in this pattern & really live it. But I’m running into problems with the left gusset. In for attempts no matter how hard I try to reinterpret instructions f I place the “previous 15 stitches” on a holder my left thumb gussett ends up on the pinky side of the palm. And the lifeline feature ends up on the back of my hand if I turn it on my wrist so the gusset is by my thumb. It seems like I should place 15 stitches After the M1R marker to get the thumb gussett on the correct side. Hopefully I’m explaining this clearly enough. Can you help?
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for reaching out. It is admittedly difficult for me to visualize what you’re describing, but I still want to help out! Would you be able to send a photo of your work to [email protected]? That way, we can see exactly what’s going on and offer more specific advice!
All the best,
Lili
I am having the same issue!! Did you get an answer?!
Hi Karen,
Thanks for writing in! It looks like Elizabeth hasn’t yet emailed us a photo yet, so we haven’t been able to take a closer look. If you’re experiencing the same problem though, I’d recommend emailing a photo to us as well! Then we’d be happy to troubleshoot.
All the best,
Lili
I have been looking at this pattern and wonder if I can use Magic Loop technique which is easier for my arthritic hands.
Hi Pat,
Thanks for reaching out. You can absolutely use magic loop to make these mittens!
All the best,
Lili
Hi,
I noticed the 12/6/2022 update above on the left mitten. I’m glad for the clarification, because I just struck out trying to make the twisted rib mittens (and part of my trouble was the setup round). This clarification is helpful; I’m wonder why the other mitten doesn’t match? The Update has a different stitch count for the setup round than the right mitten. Won’t that make them come out differently? Thanks for your help,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for reaching out! I’d be happy to explain how these mittens are constructed in a bit more detail. You’re absolutely correct–the right and left mittens do not match because they’re designed to be mirror images of each other. That allows the right mitten to perfectly fit the right hand and the left mitten to perfectly fit the left hand! You will end up with mittens that are different from each other, but that’s intentional! Otherwise, you would just have two left (or two right!) mittens.
All the best,
Lili
Well, this is what I get from knitting a free pattern. Between the time I printed the pattern and the arrival of the 6 skeins of yarn I bought from you for the pattern, you corrected a mistake.
Is there any way you can have this pattern tested to make sure it works before you publish? Please let me know when the pattern is ready. #frustrated
OH, and by the way there’s still a formatting error.
Repeat Round 1 “fourteen” (16, 18) times.
Sorry in advance, just really frustrated.
Hi Sean,
Thank you for reaching out about this! I want to assure you that this pattern was thoroughly test knit (as are all of our free and paid patterns) and we’re always eager to fix a mistake as quickly as possible, should human error occur!
These corrections are listed as a note to the pattern (or on our errata page), and we want to assure you that there haven’t been any errors that were found in this pattern yet. We think you may have instead noticed an update we made to clarify the wording of a round, and we apologize for causing any concern! Can you please let us know if this was the note that made you think there was an error?
Regarding the formatting of “Repeat Round 1 fourteen (16, 18) times” and other instances of this, I want to let you know that this was an intentional style choice. We always spell out the first number in order to differentiate it from the number 1 in “Round 1.” If we had written “14” instead, then “Round 1 14” has the potential to be misread as “Round 114.”
I truly hope that helps, but please don’t hesitate to reach out again if anything else is still frustrating you about this pattern!
All the best,
Lili
Hi,
I’m not sure I understand the instructions for the left mitten thumb gusset… do I finish the last increase round and then place the previous 15 stitches on the stitch holder? (In other words, the 15 stitches just before the end of round marker?) Or do I put the 15 stitches prior to the second marker on the stitch holder? I’m having trouble understanding how this will line up with the arch…it would be helpful if you posted a video of the left thumb gusset on you tube..
thanks, Ellen
Hi Ellen,
I’m sorry to hear that this part of the mitten is giving you trouble. Your first instinct is correct though! You finish the last repeat of the increase round, and then immediately put the last 15 stitches just before the end-of-round marker on hold. These on-hold stitches will eventually become the thumb!
I think you may find the photos in the SHAPE TOP OF MITTEN section to be very helpful. These photos show both the left and right mitten next to each other, making it easy to compare where the thumb stitches are placed in relation to the gusset increases. Let me know if they help you visualize how this works!
All the best,
Lili
How do I make these on magic loop?
Thank you
Jean
Hi Jean,
Happy to hear you are looking to make the Arched Gusset Mittens! You can make these using the magic loop method by dividing your working stitches in half instead of working across all the DPNs. I always love to refer to our Magic Loop video tutorial to brush up on the technique when I am knitting mittens or socks. I hope you find this helpful but please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Thank you! The problem I’m having is when I try to do them on magic loop I can’t get the stitches to slope in the right direction according to the instructions.
Thank you for your time
Jean
Oh thank you for letting me know more of the issue you are running into!It sounds like the section of your magic loop split might be causing your work to pull ever so slightly. To work this pattern in magic loop, you will want to make sure that your stitches are oriented similarly to the pattern by having your marker on either the front or back needle. So although you are only working across the two needles, you will want to make sure you are still able to place your marker in between stitches that are on the same needle. For example, on my swatch of the smallest size, I placed 14 stitches on my front needle and 17 sts on my back needle to be able to have a stitch before and after the increase marker when I began my gusset increases. I hope this helps clear things up but if you need further assistance please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] and we can have a closer look.
All the best,
Gavriella