Clapdale Wool Fingerless Mittens Knitting Pattern

A knitting pattern for a pair of adult fingerless mittens made using just one 100g DK hank of Glencroft’s fully traceable Yorkshire Dales Clapdale Wool. Read more about the Clapdale wool project here. This pair of mittens will fit up to a men’s small, they are very stretchy! But can be adapted and made larger or smaller as required.

We’ve been producing 100% wool knitwear at Glencroft since we were established in 1987, however hand knit wool is a new area for us we needed to learn all about.

Luckily here in the Yorkshire Dales we are surrounded by lots of hand knitters and hand knit shops who have been a fantastic, enthusiastic and friendly resource for us to check our hand knit wool with, get their feedback and their essential advice.

One local expert is Sandra Oakshott who used to run Beckside Yarns just up the road from our warehouse in Clapham, she has helped with the accuracy of our labelling and was first to test a hank of Clapdale Wool. She has also been kind enough to provide us with free knitting patterns – this one for fingerless gloves and two other patterns for a kids hat and scarf and an adult bias scarf.

Materials

1 x 100g hank of Glencroft Clapdale 100% Local Wool Yarn.
3.5mm needles
4mm crochet hook for provisional cast on. (Or you can use your own provisional cast on method)
You will also need a length of smooth scrap yarn for crochet provisional cast on.

Note: if you do not want to work a provisional cast on and graft the seam together then you can work your normal cast on and cast off and sew the seam together.

Abbreviations

K; knit
Sts; stitch/s
W&T; wrap and turn.
Instructions for W&T
Work to specified stitch. With yarn still at the back of the work, slip the next stitch purlwise, bring yarn to the front of work between the needles, slip the stitch purlwise back to left hand needle, turn work and continue as the pattern instructs.

Instructions

To fit sizes Average (Large) Adult Hand

MITT 1 & 2
Make a crochet chain of (approx) 45(48) chains
Using size 3.5mm needle pick up and knit 40(42)sts along the back of the crochet chain
Knit 2 rows. Note; Knit 3 rows here for 2nd mitt.
Next row; k25(26) W&T knit to end.
Knit 4(6) rows.
Next row; k25(26) W&T a knit to end.
Knit 2 rows.
Next row; k25(26) W&T knit to end.
Next row; knit to end.

TO SHAPE THUMB

Next row; knit 28(30) turn (do not W&T).
Next row; k10(12) W&T k10(12)
Next row; k8(10) W&T k8(10)
Next row; k6(8) W&T k6(8)
Next row; k4(6) W&T k4(6)
Next row; k2(4) W&T k2(4).
Next row; k3(5) W&T k3(5)
Next row; k5(7) W&T k5(7)
Next row; k7(9) W&T k7(9)
Next row; k9(11) W&T k9(11)
Next row; k11(13) W&T k11(13)
Next row; k13(15) W&T k13(15)
Next row; knit to end.
Next row; knit to end, working across all 40(42)sts. This completes the thumb.

Row 1; k25(26)sts sts W&T knit to end.
Rows 2-9; knit
Repeat rows 1 – 9 3(4) more times.
Next row; k25(26) W&T knit to end.
Knit 4(6) rows. Note; for the second mitt knit 3(5) rows here

Graft together: Unravel the provisional cast on and slip the stitches onto second needle, graft sts together using Kitchener stitch as follows; Break yarn leaving about 110 cms, thread a tapestry needle with this yarn.

Hold your needles together in the same direction so you have a front and a back needle. (the back needle is the one you have been knitting from)

Using the tapestry needle;
1) Go into the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl, then into the first stitch of the back needle as if to purl.
2) Go into first stitch of the front needle again as if to knit, slip stitch off needle.
3) Go into next stitch on front needle as if to purl, leave on.
4) Go into first stitch on back needle as if to knit, slip stitch off.
5) Go into next stitch on back needle as if to purl leave on. Repeat steps 2-5 (remember knit, slip off purl, leave on) Continue across all stitches in this way. Weave ends in.

Note: as you get more adept at doing this you can perform steps 2 & 3 in one movement and the same for steps 4 & 5 Go into the first stitch knitwise slip the stitch off the needle then swing your tapestry needle round and into the next stitch purlwise.

Hand knitted fingerless mittens in natural undyed British Wool

This pattern is not to be copied, shared or used for any commercial purposes. You may however sell the item which you have made with your own hands but please give credit to the designer.