Fingerless mitts - pattern update

I am in the process of hand knitting another pair of fingerless mitts, based on the pattern I created and posted about here. This pair is for a friend, not for Christmas, just because she admired mine a couple of months ago and I intended to make her some.

Please don't ask me why I am not working on the sweater - I refuse to answer that question!

These are plainer, without the lacy pattern on the back of the hand, so they are way simpler.

I'm using another colourway of James C Brett Marble and 3.75mm double pointed needles. It's been a while since I used dpns - I've been using a long circular with the magic loop method for my recent projects.

This yarn is a light worsted weight. My gauge is 6 stitches to the inch. Cast on 44 stitches, distribute over three needles, join and work K2, P2 rib for three inches (about 22 rounds).

Continue in stockinette (all knit in the round) for another 2.5 inches (about 22 rounds), ending at the end of a round (you don't need a marker, just look at where your yarn tail is hanging). Take some waste yarn in a contrasting colour and knit the next 9 stitches with it, then slip those stitches back onto your right needle and reknit them with the main yarn. Leave the waste yarn tails hanging at the back of your work. Continue in stockinette to desired length (I did 14 more rounds).

It's a good idea to keep track of how many rounds you knit on each section so you can make the second one the same! Having no fancy pattern on the back of the hand means you can make both mitts the same...no right or left to worry about.

Switch back to K2 P2 rib for half an inch and bind off in rib.

Use a thinner dpn or cable needle to pick up the stitches that are being held by the waste yarn. Rather than pull out the yarn, I prefer to pick up a leg of each stitch first, so they don't unravel on me. I picked up 9 stitches across the bottom of the opening and 10 across the top, transferring them onto three 3.75mm dpns, then removed the waste yarn. I knitted a round, decreasing by knitting 2 together across one of the ends of the hole. Work K1 P1 rib on these 18 stitches for an inch and a half (about 10 rounds). Bind off ribwise.

Weave in your loose ends, using one tail to tighten up any holes at the base of the thumb.

These are easily made in 2 evenings, or one day if you have the motivation and the time!