Oh man, did I ever love the look of the Missoni for Target line that came out this fall. I was in Alaska at the time it came out and nowhere near a Target which means I didn’t get to go pick up any. (My lovely cousin Jenny did pick me up a notebook though!) I love the colors and the zig-zag look, so I decided it would be easy to create my own knit items with a similar look.
A series of increases and decreases are used to create the zig-zag look of the cuff easily. There are a lot of different ways to do this pattern out on the internet, but I wasn’t happy with any of them. They either left holes at the increases or didn’t give a sharp enough point. So, I played around with different decreases and increases until I found the pattern below which worked beautifully.The pattern is tighter than knitting the same amount of stitches in stockinette, so it creates a nice snug cuff.
I chose Vickie Howell’s Sheep(ish) yarn to do these mittens in because it came in the perfect bright colors and is readily available at big craft stores like Joann’s. It is a roving yarn, so quite fuzzy with very little twist. Sometimes that lack of twist makes it a little harder to work with, but it is so soft and billowy. (Crazily, after I started these mittens Vickie created a Missoni-style pattern for vase cozies for Craft using the same yarn in different colors.)
Those Zig-Zag Mittens
This pattern makes mittens that are about 8″ around the hand. If you need a bigger mittens use bigger needles for a looser gauge, if you need smaller mittens use smaller needles for a tighter gauge. You determine the length of the hand and thumb as you are knitting.
Supplies:
Yarn:
- 1 ball Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) in Black(ish)
- 15 yards Sheep(ish) in Magenta(ish)
- 10 yards Sheep(ish) in Pink(ish)
- 5 yards Sheep(ish) in White(ish)
- 15 yards Sheep(ish) in Chartreuse(ish)
Needles: Four size 6 double pointed needles (or size needed to get gauge).
Tapestry needle
2 stitch markers
Gauge:
5 1/2 stitches per inch in stockinette
Abbreviations:
M1R – Make 1 Right
M1L – Make 1 Left
K2tog – knit 2 together
Ssk – slip, slip, knit
K – knit
Sm – slip marker
(I recommend KnittingHelp.com if you need help with any of the above techniques)
Cast on:
Cast on 44 stitches. Divide between three needles (15, 15, 14). Join together to knit in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker between the last and first stitch.
Cuff:
In Black(ish)
Row 1: Purl
Row 2: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 3: k
Switch to Mangenta(ish)
Row 4: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 5: k
Switch to Chartreuse(ish)
Row 6: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 7: k
Row 8: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 9: k
Switch to White(ish)
Row 10: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 11: k
Switch to Black(ish)
Row 12: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 13: k
Switch to Pink(ish)
Row 14: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 15: k
Row 16: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 17: k
Switch to Magenta(ish)
Row 18: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 19: k
Row 20: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 21: k
Switch to Chartreuse(ish)
Row 22: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 23: k
Switch to Black(ish)
Row 24: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 25: k
Row 26: *(k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk), repeat from * 3 more times
Row 27: k
Hand:
Row 1: M1R, k1, M1L, place marker, knit until end of round
Row 2 – 3: Knit
Row 4: M1R, k3, M1L, sm, knit until end of round
Row 5 – 6: Knit
Row 7: M1R, k5, M1L, sm, knit until end of round
Row 8 – 9: Knit
Row 10: M1R, k7, M1L, sm, knit until end of round
Row 11 – 12: knit
Row 13: M1R, k9, M1L, sm, knit until end of round
Row 14 – 15: knit
Row 16: M1R, k11, M1L, sm, knit until end of round
Row 17 – 18: knit
Row 19: M1R, k13, M1L, sm, knit until end of round
Row 20 – 22: knit
Row 23: M1R, k15, M1L, sm, knit until end of round (17 stitches between the markers, the marker you place in row 1 and your end of round marker)
Row 24: Knit
Row 25: Place the 17 stitches between the markers on a stitch holder or piece of scrap yarn. (These stitches will become the thumb) Cast on one stitch using the backwards loop method. Knit until end of round.
Row 26: K2tog, knit until end of the round (43 stitches)
Knit every round until the hand length reaches the top of your little finger.
Hand Decreases:
Row 1: k9, k2tog, k9, k2tog, k9, k2tog, k10 (40 stitches)
Row 2: knit
Row 3: k8, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k8, k2tog (36 stitches)
Row 4: knit
Row 5: k7, k2tog, k7, k2tog, k7, k2tog, k7, k2tog (32 stitches)
Row 6: knit
Row 7: k6, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k6, k2tog (28 stitches)
Row 8: knit
Row 9: k5, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k5, k2tog (24 Stitches)
Row 10: knit
Row 11: k4, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k4, k2tog (20 stitches)
Row 12: knit
Row 13: k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog (16 stitches)
Row 14: knit
Row 15: k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog (12 stitches)
Row 16: k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog (8 stitches)
Cut off yarn leaving about a 6-inch tail. Put yarn on a tapestry needle and weave through the remaining stitches. Pull to the inside of the mitten and weave in.
Thumb:
The 17 stitches on the holder will make your thumb. There will be a tiny hole where the thumb meets the mitten, so we will pick up 2 stitches to close the hole up.
Put the 17 stitches you put on a stitch holder earlier on three double-pointed needles.
Using your main color yarn, pick up and knit two stitches from the body of mitten, placing a stitch marker between them. The stitch marker will mark the end of a round. You will knit the thumb in the round.
Row 1: knit
Row 2: k2tog, k15, k2tog (17 stitches)
Row 3: k8, k2tog, k7 (16 stitches)
Knit every row until the thumb is almost to the tip of your thumb, mine was about 2 inches.
Dec Row: k2tog until end of round (8 stitches)
Knit one row
Dec Row: k2tog until end of round (4 stitches)
Cut off yarn leaving about a 6-inch tail. Put yarn on a tapestry needle and weave through the remaining stitches. Pull to the inside of the thumb and weave in.
Weave in all ends.
If you find any mistakes in this pattern please let me know so they can be corrected.
copyright 2011 Kathy Lewinski
www.justcraftyenough.com
Do not sell or duplicate this pattern. Do not sell items made with this pattern. Do not teach this pattern without my permission. Thank you.
© 2005 – 2011 Kathy Lewinski & Susan Cornish
If I weren’t planning on a second pair of colorwork mittens to keep me warm this winter, I would so be interested. These are gorgeous.
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These mittens look lovely. I am tempted to try to make them myself, but I noticed on the etsy page that this is for intermediate knitters. I know a couple of weeks ago, you said you were attempted crochet for the first time. I’m ashamed to admit that I know nothing about knitting. Do you have any recommendations for first-time knitters – a book to learn from, or a project to attempt that might help encourage us as we learn?
This blog has been so inspirational. I’ve enjoyed seeing your suggestions and attempting my own flashes of creativity because of your inspiration. Thank you for all you do, and for all the posts. Keep up the good work!
Jeni – I often recommend Stitch N Bitch by Debbie Stoller as a good learn to knit book. It is not as cheesy as so many of them out there with some fun projects. I like the way it illustrates the techniques as well.
The reason I marked these mittens as intermediate is because of the need to knit in the round on four needles.
Thanks! I’ll have to pick up the book. I think my New Year’s Resolution is to learn how to knit… but I may have to get started early. 😉 A new year can start at anytime, right? 🙂
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Are you sure about casting on 44 stitches? Am I missing something? Your zigzag (k2tog, k3, M1L, k1, M1R, k3, ssk) is a 13 stitch repeat. In order to repeat it 4 times, I need 52 stitches, not 44. …or does your zigzag have a typo? Thanks!
Julie – I am sure it is an 11 stitch repeat.
k2tog – worked over 2 stitches
k3 – 3 stitches
the M1L & M1R are not done on stitches they are picked up on either side of the stitch in the middle
k1 – 1 stitch
k3 – 3 stitches
ssk – worked over 2 stitches
2 + 3 + 1 +3 + 2 = 11
The only way you would need 52 stitches (13 in each repeat) is if you are doing your Make 1’s wrong and actually doing an increase where you knit back & forth into the same stitch.
I had to copy this pattern to get a bigger print. I need a New Times Roman 16 font to be able to read it. I did not save the pattern and deleted it after my print.
Maybe you could insert font size on the pattern page (like some newspapers do)
Then I won’t have to do this. (I left the copy right and warnings on my print out and added the web page on the top of the page) Sorry 🙁
Liorah – Sorry you have a hard time reading the print. As of right now I don’t know of a way to offer people the option to see in in a bigger print. Saving it & printing it for your own use is totally fine! I want you to be able to use it. I’m only worried about people who print it out & sell it or give it away at places like knitting stores.
Hi. I have been knitting a long time and have never heard of M1L and M1R. How does one do this? Thanks.
Make 1 Left & Make 1 R are made by picking up the bar between two stitches & knitting it. For Make 1 Left you insert pick up the bar from front to back & knit into the back of the stitch. For Make 1 Right you pick up the bar from back to front and knit into the front of the stitch. It is a pretty common increase that leaves almost no hole like many of the others do. Knitting help has great videos showing how to do these increases. http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/increases
I love these mittens! I’ve been researching patterns to make convertible mittens, and I may just use this one for the base – they look so bright and comfy and I love the yarn!
I think you captured the colors perfectly! I too have been head over heels over the Target Missoni line.
I copied the whole thing and pasted in a word document – all copyright stuff is there and you can increase the font size easy.
these are beautiful!! thanks for being so kind and sharing your pattern. i can’t wait to put use to all the scrap yarn in my stash — as well as wear such pretty little mittens!
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Can hese be done on circular needles?
Kay – It would have to be a very small circular needle, because the circumference of the hand is only 8″ and the wrist is even less. I think it would be more easily done via the magic loop method, but I’ve never done magic loop myself so I’m not one to give instruction in it.
These are amazing! I just wanted to let you know that I’ve included them in our knitting roundup on the FaveCrafts Blog: http://www.favecraftsblog.com/link-love-free-knitting-patterns/
Please let me know if you’re ever interested in publishing your tutorials/patterns with FaveCrafts!
Karisa – Thanks for the link in your round-up.
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