Josefina mittens

 

I have been asked to share a pattern for Josefina mittens, so here it is. Some kind of pattern anyway. This is my first attempt to write a pattern in English, so please let me know if there are any problems.

So here we go

Yarn: Aran weight yarn for example Novita 7 veljestä (7 brothers)

Needles: Double pointed needles size 3.5 mm

Tension: approx. 21 sts / 10 cm

Size: woman, quite small

Left mitten:

Cast on 44 stitches with red yarn (11 stitches on each needle)

Purl one round

Knit a Latvian Braid with white and red yarn. There are many online tutorials available, if you need one. It`s not difficult to learn, but a little bit slow to knit. Braid consists of 3 rounds:

Round 1: Knit 1 stitch with white, knit 1 stitch with red. Repeat the entire round

Round 2: Bring both yarns to the front of the work and keep them there. Bring white yarn under the red one and purl 1 sts with it. Bring red yarn under the white one and purl 1 sts. Repeat the entire round

Round 3: Work as 2nd round but bring the yarn over the other instead of under.

Next work according to chart

Knit another Latvian Braid. Just like the first one.

After the braid knit one round with red yarn.

Then work with grey and white yarn according to chart below.

Knit round 1-10 once and then repeat rounds 5-10 as long as your work measures approx. 15 cm.

Knit 3 stitches as usual, knit 7 stitches with a different-coloured scrap yarn. Slip 7 stitches just worked back onto the left needle and work in pattern after the thump hole approx. 9 cm or until the mitten covers your index finger.

Top decreases: at the beginning of needles 1 and 3, knit 1 and skp (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped st over) and at the end of needles 2 and 4 (knit 2 together, knit 1). Work the decreases on every round until 8 sts remain. Break yarn and pull it through the stitches. 

Thumb:

Remove the scrap yarn. pick up and knit for 16 sts in total around the thumb hole on three needles.

When you have worked for 5 cm or the mitten covers half your thumbnail, work the top decreases: knit 2 together at the end of each needle until 4 sts remain. Then knit 1 and pass the other sts over from left to right.

Right mitten:

Work as left mitten but working the thumb hole on needle 3. (Knit 1, knit 7 sts with scrap yarn, knit 3).