# Warm Hands in Four Hours......



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Here's one of two pairs that I made using my homespun Icelandic. 

I even wrote up a recipe.

Cast on 18 stitches on #17, 16 inch circular needles, four strands, 1 bulky, three worsted weight. 
K1P1 seven rounds, then add one mohair strand and replace one worsted strand with a bulky, to knit the hand with five strands, total. 
Knit 6 rounds after the ribbing and then knit back and forth two sets to make the thumb hole. 
Close the thumb hole with a K2tog and knit 10-12 rounds after the thumb, depending on fit. 
Then K2tog until 6 stitches remain. 
Leave a five inch tail, and pull the tail through the sphincter inside the mitten. 
Darn in the ends.

For the thumb, pick up ten stitches around the inside of the thumb hole on # 10 DPNs. Knit 10-12 rounds depending on fit. 
Finish the same as the mitten.

Voila!!!


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

Very nice!!


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

looks great, Forerunner. 
I need me some biggo warm mitts for when I go out and feed the deer and birdies or haul in firewood when it is -20ÂºF - these would fit the bill!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Well.....in the event they weren't quite sufficient, here's the _Warmer Hands in about 7 hours_ version. 

Cast on 18 stitches #17, 16â circular needles, 2 strands worsted weight wool, 2 strands bulky weight. 
K1P1 24 rounds. 
Reduce by 4 stitches in row 25. 
Add two strands mohair and switch to #19 DPNs. 
Knit 6 rounds in the round, then two sets back and forth for the thumb hole. 
K2tog to close thumb hole and then knit 10 more rounds. 
On round 11, after thumb hole, K2tog until only 6 stitches remain and finish with a crochet hook, pulling the remaining strands through the sphincter and darn loose ends inside the mitten.
Then pick up ten stitches on #11 DPNs around the thumb hole. 
Knit ten-12 rows, depending on fit, and finish the same as the mitten, itself.
Voila!!!


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

ahhhh maaaaaa ziiiiinnnnggg !!!!!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I'm thinking of trying a fingers-to-cuff mitten. 

I mean, I make toe-up socks, why not a fingers-down mitten? 

It would make gauge testing easy, with handspun or bulkier yarns. 

FR, ya got me thinking!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Frazzle, what a great idea!
Like a Head down hat.....now he's got me thinking.......:hrm:


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

Can you move your hands in the second ones?? I'm not sure my hands are strong enough to actually grab anything through that much yarn :happy:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

It's all about the tension, Tay.....all about the tension.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I honestly cannot imagine why anyone would want to start a project on the small/closed end.....and have all those increases to deal with.

Seems to me that decreases are easier, as is finishing at the closed end.

Maybe it's my childlike naivete showing ? :shrug:


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I like the lifted increases that Cat Bordhi calls LaLink and LaRink - they are no trickier than a k2tog, once you get the hang of them. You could also be creative about how you did the increases and do some funky shaping, maybe. Or embed it in a pattern. Hmmm.

Mostly though, I'd start at the small end so as to avoid having to do a seam on the fingertips (not a big deal, but some people hate seaming); but mostly to allow the fingertips to serve as my gauge swatch. You start knitting and see what you're getting, if it works, yay, if not, rip it out and change needles to adjust ... this is important with handspun as it may not be the 'perfect size' and sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to get the right needles for the job. The cuff being ribbing, it's harder to tell - and to guess how many stitches to cast on.

: shrug : it'd just be different. 

I do EZ's standard 36 stitch mittens with 3.25 mm needles most of the time, but this could be a fun change of direction.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Nice! I think I might try dialing down the size a bit (or just fewer strands/ smaller needles) 'cause I was literally thinking earlier today that my 2 littlest really need some good wool mittens for this coming winter.


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## canadiangirl (Jul 25, 2004)

Nice and quick- they look lovely. But...
The 12 year old inside me says "he said sphincter" lol I'll never close off again without giggling. I am so immature : )


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

:smack:



Goodness. 





:indif:
















Falls-A....... I recommend casting on with a #13 or #15, using one bulky strand and two worsteds.
Start with 15-16 stitches and experiment from there. 

Easy peazy.

Just don't tell your 12 year old how they were made.


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