Pieces of Eight Mitts

It was a topological challenge for me to get these  mitts right.  These fancy fingerless gloves are knitted in one piece (no yarn cutting involved) beginning at the thumb. The "Eight”-Shape is achieved by increasing in the first part of a row, and decreasing in the second part.

This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Dansk / Danish: A danish version is available here on strikkeglad.dk or here as a PDF. With big thanks to MarianneHo (Ravelry name). Mange tak!

Dutch / Nederlands: Carolien (or mijikke on Ravelry) has provided a Dutch translation of the Pieces of Eight Mitts. Hartelijk bedankt! You can find it here on my blog.

Japanese / 日本語: A video tutorial in japanese has been provided by Kabosu (かぼすの手しごと). It can be found on YouTube here: Part 1, Part 2

Deutsch / German: Two german versions of these have been written by Renate Schattschneider:

• for fingering weight yarn (link to ravelry)
• for sports weight yarn (link to ravelry)

Eine deutsche Version von diesen Handschuhen wurde von Renate Schattschneider erstellt:

• für 4-fädiges Sockengarn (Ravelry-Link)
• für 6-fädiges Garn (Ravelry-Link)

A crochet version of this pattern - called Octavo Fingerless Gloves - is available here.

Techniques
 A knitter who wants to knit these mitts should know the following techniques:

• k1, yo, k1 into the same stitch  and p1, yo, p1 into the same stitch (i.e. double increases)
• Cable cast-on midwork: As shown in this video.
• Three-needle bind-off – as shown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpJUrCX52DU
• Grafting: stockinette & garter stitch.
• How to knit a circle – since the effect is done with circle increases and decreases, it’s helpful if the general idea is known: In general a circle is knitted as follows:
  CO8 and join in round
  Round 1 and all odd numbered rounds: k
  Round 2: *k1 mk1 repeat from * (i.e. every 2nd stitch is doubled) (-> 16 sts)
  Round 4: * k2 mk1 repeat from * (i.e. every 3rd stitch is doubled)(-> 24 sts)
  Round 6: * k3 mk1 repeat from * (i.e. every 4th stitch is doubled) (-> 32 sts)
  Round 8: * k4 mk1 repeat from * (i.e. every 5th stitch is doubled) (-> 40 sts)
  … The formula should clear by now, i.e. that you increase by 8 stitches every other row. It also means that the distance between the "doubled" stitches increases by one in each of the increase-rounds. The same formula will be used when constructing the mitts - increasing around the thumbs and decreasing at the lower wrist part. If you do the increases always at the same spot a pattern (maybe even corners) will become visible; to achieve a more circular look I started the increases at a randomized stitch in each increase row.
• Picking-up a selvage stitch and joining it at right angles to your knitting (similar to entrelac knitting): at the end of the WS row wyif a stitch is picked up from the side. After turning the work, this stitch is knitted together with the first stitch of the RS row. A slightly different way of doing it is shown here - ending up with the same result, i.e. joining the last stitch with a "stitch" picked up from the edge. Please note, that in case of these mitts the join is not side-to-side, but side-to-cast-on-row
• Furthermore, you should be comfortable with the idea to “smooth out” certain differences in stitch counts. It's no big deal if there is one stitch too many - you can always fix it in the next row by decreasing one.
• Please note, that the mitts are mirror inverted – to achieve this, the one mitt is turned inside out at one point (at this point RS becomes WS and WS becomes RS). 

The picture on the right shows where the techniques are used - referring also to the work steps as described in the instructions.


Non-Standard Abbreviations

• kyok: k1, leave on needle, yo and knit again, all in the same stitch, i.e. make 3 stitches from 1
• pyop: p1, leave on needle, yo and purl again, all in the same stitch, i.e. make 3 stitches from 1
• w+t: Wrap and turn - a technique for knitting short rows. It is shown in this YouTube video by Very Pink Knits.

Materials

• 35 grams of fingering weight yarn (a list of the yarns I used is given at the end of this post)
• a set of 3mm dpns and a 3mm circular needle – I changed needles throughout the project
• 2 stitch markers
• tapestry needle (for kitchener stitch and to weave in ends)

Instructions

The picture on the left illustrates how your knitting should look after completing some of the steps.

NOTE: Please note that the sequences to be repeated don't always match the number of stitches left (e.g. it might say "* kfb k6 repeat from *", but there are only 4 stitches left) - that's OK. Just continue with the sequence and stop when you run out of stitches (in case of the example above, just knit the kfb and knit the 3 stitches to the end).

First Mitt

Thumb
Step 1: CO18
Step 2: Knit 8 rounds of k1, p1-ribbing
Step 3: Knit one round as follows: “k1, p1, k1, pyop, k1, p1, repeat from *  (there should be 24 stitches on your needles)
Step 4: Knit 5 more rounds of k1, p1-ribbing
Only the thumb (steps 1 to 4) is knitted in the round, after that everything else is knitted back and forth in rows (steps 5 and following).

Step 5:
The stitch you're at right now will be called “starting point” during this step.
Row 1 (RS): k20 place marker (“marker 1”) k4, cast on 4 stitches (with cable cast on), place marker (“marker 2”), cast on 70 stitches
Row 2 (WS): k back to starting point; pick up and knit one or two stitches from gap between the  last stitch and the recently cast-on stitches; wyif pick up one stitch from the lower edge of the first of the recently cast-on stitches (just as you’d do for entrelac).
Now the circle increases and decreases are started: there will be increases up to marker 1, plain knitting between the two markers, and decrease from marker 2 to the end of row.
Row 3 (RS): k2tog (the stitch you just picked up and the first stitch of the row), *k2 kfb repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k1 ssk k8 repeat from ** to end
Row 4 and all other even rows until the next step (WS): k to starting point, wyif pick up one stitch from the lower edge of the cable cast on
Row 5 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), *k1 kfb k2 repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k4 ssk k4 repeat from ** to end
Row 7 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), *k3 kfb k1 repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k7 ssk repeat from ** to end
Row 9 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * kfb k5 repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k3 ssk k3 repeat from ** to end
Row 11 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k4 kfb k2 repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k1 ssk k4 repeat from ** to end
Row 13 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k1 kfb k6 repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k3 ssk k1 repeat from ** to end
Row 15 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k7 kfb k1 repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** ssk k3 repeat from ** to end
Row 17 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k2 kfb k7 repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k1 ssk k1 repeat from ** to end
Row 19 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k5 kfb k5 repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** ssk k1 repeat from ** to end
Row 21 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k8 kfb k3 repeat from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** ssk repeat from ** to end
Row 23 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), k to marker 1, k to marker 2, ** ssk repeat from ** to end

Step 6:
There should now be 3 stitches between marker 2 and the end – adding up to 11 together with the stitches from between the markers – these 11 stitches will be on one needle for the three-needle bind-off. With another needle pick-up 11 stitches from the edge, do a three-needle bind-off over these 11 stitches. Make sure the bind-off is done from the WS. Remove the markers.
If the stitch number doesn’t match exactly, move one stitch from one needle to the other, or use one stitch from the other side of marker 1.
After the three needle bind off, knit back to starting point counting the stitches. There should be 93 stitches.


Step 7: First Set of short Short-Rows to widen the wrists
Place marker and pick up and knit 24 sts (1 st in the gap between the last stitch and the lower edge of the cable CO, and 23 sts along the cable CO edge).
Row 1 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k3, w+t
Row 2 (WS): k2, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 3 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k4, w+t
Row 4 (WS): k3, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 5 (RS):  sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k5, w+t
Row 6 (WS): k4, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 7 (RS): sl1, k to marker, sm, k2tog, k26, BO24, k34 (you should now be at the end of your row (i.e. no more stitches left to knit). Do NOT turn your work.
(The stitches you did before the BO will not be knitted until they are grafted during part 10 - you can leave them on your needles (especially if you're using long circulars) or you can put them on a stitch holder. As you can see from the photos, I just left them where they were.)

Step 8: Second Set of Short Rows to widen the wrists
Still on the RS, place marker, pick up and knit 24 sts (1 st in the gap between the last stitch and the lower edge of the cable CO, and 23 sts along the cable CO edge).
Now you mirror the rows you did during step 7, i.e.
Row 1 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k3, w+t
Row 2 (RS): k2, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 3 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k4, w+t
Row 4 (RS): k3, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 5 (WS):  sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k5, w+t
Row 6 (RS): k4, k2tog, sm, k to end

Step 9: Widen the mitt
You now knit several rows of garter stitch until the mitt is wide enough to fit your hands, i.e.
Row 1 (WS): sl1 k
Row 2 (RS): sl1 k
Row 3 (WS): sl1 k
While you're knitting the first rows during step 9 count your stitches and compare it with the stitch number on the other side (i.e. the ones you left after step 7), if the numbers are not equal, increase of decrease to get an equal number of stitches (decreases are best done somewhere close to the marker).
Repeat rows  2 and 3 six more times (or until the mitt fits).

Step 10: Graft sides together
Cut yarn leaving a tail of about 1 meter. With tapestry needle graft sides together in garter stitch.


Second Mitt

The instructions for the second mitt are similar to the first one. Except that at one point, the mitt is turned inside out in order to mirror-invert the curves. Only the differences to the first mitt are listed here.

Knit Steps 1 through 5 as described for the Left Hand mitts except the steps listed below.


Step 3: Knit one round as follows: * k1, p1, kyok,  p1, k1, p1 repeat from *


Step 6:
Turn mitt inside out. Everything on your mitt that was RS is now WS (and vice versa). Make sure to do the three-needle bind off from the NEW WS.

Step 7:
The first short rows will be added at the opposite side, i.e.place marker and pick up and knit 24 sts (1 st in the gap between the last stitch and the lower edge of the cable CO, and 23 sts along the cable CO edge).
Row 1 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k3, w+t
Row 2 (RS): k2, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 3 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k4, w+t
Row 4 (RS): k3, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 5 (WS):  sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k5, w+t
Row 6 (RS): k4, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 7 (WS): sl1, k to marker, sm, k2tog, k26, BO24, k34 (you should now be at the end of your row (i.e. no more stitches left to knit). Do NOT turn your work.

Step 8:
Here also the sides are mirror inverted (compared to the first mitt), i.e.

Still on the WS, place marker, pick up and knit 24 sts (1 st in the gap between the last stitch and the lower edge of the cable CO, and 23 sts along the cable CO edge).
Now you mirror the rows you did during step 7, i.e.
Row 1 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k3, w+t
Row 2 (WS): k2, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 3 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k4, w+t
Row 4 (WS): k3, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 5 (RS):  sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k5, w+t
Row 6 (WS): k4, k2tog, sm, k to end

Step 9:
Knit the same number of garter stitch rows you knitted for the first mitt.

Step 10:
Graft in stockinette stitch.

Yarns

The "eight"-effect comes out best when using variegated yarn, here's the list of yarns I used for the mitts in the photos.

• The green-blue ones in the first and last picture are knitted with sock yarn from a German discounter (Aldi Süd). However, the yarn is listed at Ravelry - it's colorway 555.
• For the red-yellow-green ones, I used Schoeller+Stahl Fortissima Mexiko (colorway 252)
• The neon ones (in the step-by-step pictures) is Regia Fluormania Color - colorway 7184.