Felted Fingered Mitten

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(Click on photos to enlarge)

I really like the looks and warmth of mittens but I don’t wear them at all because they’re so clumsy.  I like to be able to use my fingers without having to take a mitten off.  So I got to thinking and looking around and thought that I could easily use my felted mitten pattern to add a finger just as I did the thumb.  One finger is better than none at all when it’s really cold.

My felted mitten pattern features a shortrowed fingertip but only one side of the fingertip is shaped on this mitten so I used decreases in the center of the mitten to get the shaping I needed.  It’s not hard at all but does take a bit more time than shortrowing.  These too can easily be made in the round on a machine with ribber.

So, here’s my take on a fingered mitten.  They look kind of strange but they work for me.


FELTED FINGERED MITTEN

Size:  Woman’s Medium
Machine:  KX-350 midgauge
Yarn:  Interlacement’s Sweet Feet sock yarn (2 strands), 4 oz
           (400 yds = 4 oz)
Gauge:  Pre-Felt 5 sts, 6 rows = 1”

CUFF:
1)   CO 42 sts with waste yarn and ravel cord.
2)   With main yarn, e-wrap each needle by pulling the e-wrap thru the stitch already
       on the needle created by the ravel cord.
3)   RC000, T6, K6R.
4)   Work 2x1 rib with latch tool, beginning with the 2^nd stitch.

WRIST:
1)   RC000, T7,  K20R (or desired length). 

THUMB GUSSET:
1)   RC000, T8, with 2 prong transfer tool, increase 9 sts on each side by increasing 1
      st on beginning of every row 18 times for a total of 18 added sts.  Fill in the empty
      needle with the heel of the previous stitch from the main body.  Knit across so
      COR. 
2)   Opposite the carriage, scrap off 8 sts with several rows of waste yarn.
3)   K1R, opposite the carriage, scrap off 8 sts with several rows of waste yarn.

HAND:
1)   RC000, T8, K17R on 44 sts.
2)   For finger, opposite the carriage, scrap off 7 sts with several rows of waste yarn.
3)   K1R, opposite the carriage, scrap off 7 sts with several rows of waste yarn.
4)   Continue to knit on 30 sts until RC026, COL.

FINGERTIP SHAPING:
1)   RC000, decrease one st on needle L1 and move all stitches on carriage side in to
      fill the empty needle, K1R.
2)   Decrease one st on needle R1 and move stitches on carriage side in to fill the
      empty needle.  K1R.
3)   Continue decreasing one stitch in the middle on alternating sides, move stitches in
       to fill the empty needle and K1R, until 20 sts remain, RC010.
4)   With 2 prong transfer tool, decrease one stitch on each side, along with the one in
       the middle, K1R.
5)    Repeat step 4.  (14 sts remain)
6)    Scrap off with several rows of waste yarn.

FINGER:
1)  With wrong side facing and finger pieces in the middle of work, hang a total of 16
      stitches with the 7 sts from the left finger section, 1 stitch from that edge of the
      mitten body, 1 stitch from the edge of the right hand mitten body and 7 sts from the
      right finger section.
2)   RC000, K14R.
3)   With 1 prong transfer tool, transfer EOS to its neighbor to the right and move
      stitches together.
4)   K2R.
5)   Dec EOS as above, move stitches together.
6)   K1R and gather.

THUMB:
1)   With wrong side facing and thumbs in the middle of work, hang a total of 18 stitches with the 8
       stitches from the left thumb section, 1 stitch from that edge of the mitten body, 1 stitch from
       the edge of the right hand mitten body and 8 stitches from the right thumb section.
2)   RC000, K2R.
3)   With 2 prong transfer tool, dec 1 st on each edge.
4)   K12R even.
5)   With 1 prong transfer tool, transfer EOS to its neighbor to the right and move stitches together.
6)   K2R.
7)   Dec EOS as above, move stitches together.
8)   K1R, gather and secure.

FINISHING:
1)   Vigorously stretch fabric lengthwise to set stitches.
2)   Loosely graft the fingertip together from purl side.
3)   From the public side, loosely sew all seams with Bickford style stitching.
4)   Felt to desired size.