An Almost Blank Canvas - or Ribbed Mitts with a Twist Free Pattern

Super quick and easy fingerless mitts knit up in a hurry. Each pair takes approximately 50 grams of worsted weight yarn, you can get multiple pairs out of a single ball of worsted weight wool, which makes them an economical gift. The pattern is simple enough to serve as a blank canvas for your creativity...Want stripes? Add some! Buttons? Bows? Embroidery? Knitted Flowers? The possibilities are endless, and with the stretch of the ribbing ensuring a custom, not too snug, fit for most hand sizes.

Materials : Ella Rae Classic Heathers (219 yrds to 200g) color 122

                   US 8 (5mm) circular needle (16 inches) or Double Points

                   Stitch Markers, waste yarn, sewing needle to weave in ends

Gauge : 20 stitches and  24 rows per 4 inches 

Abbreviations : KTBL - knit through the back loop of the stitch, creating a twisted knit.

                          P - purl

                          Lifted Increase - pick up the bar between the stitch just worked on your right hand needle and the stitch yet to be worked on your left hand needle, twist while placing on your left hand needle to be worked to minimize holes.

Cuff/Hand :

Cast on 32 stitches using either a long tail or cabled cast on and join to work in the round being careful not to twist. Place stitch marker, if desired to denote beginning of the round. (I don't, I use the tail of my cast on to tell me when I am at the beginning on the cuff and the thumb gusset when I reach the hand but your mileage may vary.)

Work in *kbtl 1, p1* for 4 inches (or 24 rounds if you are a round counter!)

Thumb Gusset :

At the beginning of the next round, after your start of round marker if you are using it, make one stitch by lifting the bar between the needles and purling it, place marker to denote edge of thumb gusset. 

Round 1: Purl thumb stitch, slip marker, complete the rest of the round in pattern.

Round 2 : Make one lifted increase as a knit stitch, purl 1, make one lifted increase as a knit stitch, slip marker work rest of round in pattern.

Round 3: KTBL1, P1, KTBL1, slip marker, work rest of round in pattern.

Round 4: Make one lifted increase as a purl stitch, ktbl, p1, ktbl, make one lifted increase as a purl stitch.

Continue in this manner, alternating making knits and purls, until you have 13 stitches before the marker, ending having completed a "work as stitches present themselves" round. On the next round slip thumb stitches to waste yarn to hold until hand is completed. Rejoin hand stitches to continue working in the round.

Work in *ktbl 1, p1* for 2 inches (or 12 rounds)

Cast off in ktbl1, p1 pattern, or use your favorite stretchy bind off.

Thumb:

Place stitches from waste yarn using 5mm (US 8) needles, pick up one stitch from the "crotch" of the

thumb and knit it, work in ktbl1, p1 rib for 5 rounds. Bind off in pattern, loosely.

Weave in your ends, using the thumb thread to tighten up any gap, and clip.

Make a second mitt to match the first.

Dress them up or leave them plain, it is up to you!