Duh

I decided to use a free knitting pattern from the net.  I'm knitting a belated baby present, but thankfully the baby is four months old.  Time for a new hat and baby mitts, right?

I had a number of duh! moments with this.  Let's start out with how I converted the pattern.  The pattern called for flat knitting and I wanted to do circs.  I wanted to avoid seaming.  So I reduced the cast on by two stitches (to take away the stitches needed for the seam).  Fine.  After knitting the ribbing, I decided to increase one at the end of each needle (that would be adding 6 stitches) to allow for a little more room for small fists.  Did that.

Knitted up in stockinette, then paused to find out how long the little one's hand is from base of palm to longest fingertip.  I realize babies seldom have hands outstretched, but it should be big enough that he can do so.  Resumed stockinette.  But came to the decrease.  The pattern called for all knit two together decreases, which I thought a  little strange even in flat knitting.  So, I recalculated the number of stitches between decreases and knitted away.  When I finished, the sad little mitt looked like the kid's hand must be a soft-serve cone -- swirled.

I ripped.  And fussed at myself.  However, I came up with a lovely end result.  Here's the pattern (and I changed enough from the free problem pattern to not cause a problem).

I used Rowan Yarns Classic Cashsoft Aran, 1 skein, size 7 US double point needles.

Cast on 30 stitches, join in the round, taking care not to twist stitches.
Knit in a K1 P1 ribbing for two inches.
Next round, increase six stitches (I did this by doing a make one at each end of the three needles - went from 10 to 12 stitches on each needle)
Next rounds, knit in stockinette stitch for about 3 inches, or until the length from the base of the baby's palm to the tip of the longest finger (or the first joint of that finger).
Decrease rounds:
SSK, K16, K2Tog, SSK, K16, K2Tog
then
SSK, K15, K2Tog, SSK, K15, K2Tog
and so on until 8 stitches total are left.
Arrange onto two needles and graft (Kitchener) edges together.

Beauteous and even!  And NO THUMBS!

Comments

[mosker]

I don't know what that means, but I'm sure it's quite helpful to someone who speaks the language. Perhaps you could post a picture for the rest of us...if you have time, of course.

[Mary]

I agree with Mosker. Sounds pretty?