Bat Mitts

These were designed and knitted for a friend of my Mum's who had seen her black fingerless gloves and asked whether she could have a pair of black ones herself.

As usual, I thought it would be boring to knit the same ones again and wanted to do something different. Furthermore I had long thought about doing something on the lines of the Circle Mitts but with a lacy pattern. However, it wasn't quite as easy as I had hoped. It took me about four attempts of knitting and frogging to get this right ... but I quite like the end result. I even knitted a second pair in a lighter color a) to keep to for myself and b) to be able to get better pictures, because black yarn is difficult to capture on photo :)

In the end the lace pattern reminded me of the fingers of bat's wings - hence the name.

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






Materials

• about 35 grams of fingering weight yarn
• 3mm knitting needles (I used 80 cm circulars with the Magic Loop method)
• 8 stitch markers
• a third needle for three-needle BO
• tapestry needle to weave in ends

Techniques and Abbreviations

• Three-Needle Bind-Off: https://youtu.be/Ph93jWSzTa0
• Short Rows in the Round (and t+ky) I learned short rows in the round with this helpful video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCgycxLce94; however, I ended up doing the pick-ups differently.
  - "Wrapping" of the StitchesBasically, when you're on the RS, you do wrap the working yarn around the next stitch (from front to back) and then turn your work, i.e. the "normal" wrap and turn (w+t).
  When you are on the WS you slip the last stitch, turn your work with the yarn in front, wrap the yarn around the RIGHT needle and knit the slipped stitch. That creates a sort of double-stitch - one half of it has to be knitted together with the stitch in front when you're picking up the stitches. In the pattern, throughout the pattern I will call this stitch, t+ky (short for "turn and knit w/yarn-over").
  - Picking-upWhen encountering a w+t, I turned the wrapped stitch on the needle, picked up the wrap from the front and knitted the stitch and the wrap together through the back of the loop.
  When reaching the stitch BEFORE the “double-stitch”, I turned this stitch and knitted it together with the yo through the back of the loop. 
• Picking up stitches from a gap or ditch: After the three needle bind-off there is one left over stitch which tends to have a distance to the stitches next to it. To avoid holes, I usually pick up one stitch from the gap and decrease over the new stitch in the following row (see also this YouTube video where it is shown on the example of a thumb gusset). In my experience (or the way I knit :) it's even better to pick up two stitches and knit decreases over them in the following two rows.
• k1tbl: knit one through the back loop: https://youtu.be/vWuDsCsk9MI (YouTube video by crazyknittinglady)
• p1tbl: purl one through the back loop: https://youtu.be/gOHAqYFjvUM (YouTube video by Knit Purl Hunter)
• mk1p: make one purl stitch; https://youtu.be/7WLQ9qXa88k (YouTube video by Knit Purl Hunter - you can use one the first two method shown there)

Gauge and Measurements
In stockinette stitch 6 stitches gave 2cm in width and 7 rows gave 2cm in height. The finished mitts measures and 18cm in diameter a the widest point and about 18cm in length.

General Construction

These mitts are knitted in four parts. Part 1 - the thumb - is knitted in the round. Part 2 - the first part of the palm - is also knitted in the round, at its end there is a small ribbing knitted on top to make sure that the upper BO doesn't curl in. Part 3 is knitted flat and ends with a three-needle BO. Part 4 - the cuff - starts with a few short rows to even out the height differences. It is knitted in the round and ends with a few rounds of ribbing.
The second mitt will have different instructions to make it look mirror inverted to the first one.


Instructions

First Mitt

Part 1: Thumb
Knitted in the round
Loosely CO 16 sts and join in round - place marker at the end of round
Rounds 1-7: * k1tbl, p1, repeat from * to end
Round 8: * k1tbl, p1, mk1p, k1tbl, p1, repeat from * to end
Rounds 9-11: * k1tbl, p2, k1tbl, p1 repeat from * to end
Round 12: * k1tbl, p2, k1tbl, p1, mk1p, repeat from * to end
Round 13-14: *ktbl1, p2, repeat from * to end

Illustrations

Part 2
Knitted in the round
Round 1: * k1tbl, yo, k2, place marker, repeat from * to end
Round 2: * k1tbl, k to m, slip marker, repeat from * to end
Round 3: * k1tbl, yo, k to m, sllip marker, repeat from * to end
Round 4: * k1tbl, k to m, slip marker, repeat from * to end
Repeat rounds 3 and 4  five more times
Round 15: k1tbl, yo, * k1 p1, repeat from * to marker, slip marker; + k1tbl, yo, k to m, slip marker, repeat from + to end
Round 16: k1tbl, p1, * k1 p1, repeat from * to marker, slip marker; + k1tbl, k to m, slip marker, repeat from + to end
Round 17: k1tbl, yo, p1, * k1 p1, repeat from * to marker, slip marker; + k1tbl, yo, k to m, slip marker, repeat from * to end
Round 18: k1tbl, * k1 p1, repeat from * to marker, slip marker; + k1tbl, k to m, slip marker, repeat from + to end
Round 19: BO14 sts in pattern (remove the stitch markers you encounter during the BO), k to marker, slip marker; and continue round like round 3 (i.e.  * k1tbl, yo, k to m, sllip marker, repeat from * to end) - your piece should now look similar to photo 1 of the illustrations.

Part 3
Knitted flat
Row 1 (WS): p2tog, p6, t+ky, k to end, turn;
    * p to 1 bef m, p1tbl,  repeat from * to end
Row 2 (RS): k2tog, k6, t+p, p to end, turn;
    * k to m, slip marker, k1tbl, yo, repeat from * up to and including last marker, k to end
Row 3 (WS): p7, t+ky, k to end, turn:
    * p to 1 bef m, p1tbl,  repeat from * to end
Row 4 (RS): k8, t+p, p to end, turn;
    * k to m, slip marker, k1tbl, yo, repeat from * up to and including last marker, k to end
Row 5 = Row 3
Row 6 = Row 4
Row 7 (WS): * p to 1 bef m, p1tbl,  repeat from * to end

Fold piece in half, right sides together. Your piece should now look as in photo 2.
Do a three-needle BO of 31 stitches (remove the stitch markers you encounter during the BO), secure the last stitch and turn the piece back right sides out. Your piece should now look similar to photo 3.

Part 4
Knitted in the round - with some short rows around the last stitch of the three-needle BO
Round 1:  pick up 1 or 2 stitches from gap; * k to m, slip marker,  k1tbl, yo, repeat from * once more, k to end, pick up 1 or 2 stitches from gap
Round 2: k1, ktog, k2, w+t;
     p5, p2tog, p2, t+ky;
     k4, k2tog, k3, w+t;
     p6, p2tog, p3, t+ky;
     k to m, * slip marker, k1tbl, k to m, repeat once more from *, k to end
Round 3: k1, k2tog, k3, w+t;
     p5, p2tog, p3, t+ky;
     k11, w+t;
     p13, t+ky;
     k to m, * slip marker, k1tbl, yo, k to m, repeat once more from *, k to end
Round 4: k1, k2tog, k3, w+t;
    p6, p2tog, p3, t+ky;
    k11, w+t;
    p13, t+ky;
    k to m, * slip marker, k1tbl, k to m, repeat once more from *, k to end
Round 5: k2tog, k to m, * slip marker, k1tbl, yo, k to m, repeat once more from *, k to end
Round 6: k to m, * slip marker, k1tbl, k to m, repeat once more from *, k to end

Knit 7 rounds of p1, k1tbl-ribbing
Bind off loosely in pattern.

Second Mitt
To make the mitts mirror-inverted there are two differences between the first and second mitt:

• placement of the increases: for the first mitt the k1tbl-yo occurs just after the stitch marker - for the second mitt a yo-k1bl occurs just before the stitch marker
• for the second mitt the bind-off at the end of part 2 starts 2 sts before the end of the last row (instead of just at the beginning of the last row); that way the bind off "covers" two yo's

Here's it spelled out:

Part 1: Thumb
Knitted in the round
Loosely CO 16 sts and join in round - place marker at the end of round
Rounds 1-7: * p1, k1tbl repeat from * to end
Round 8: * mk1p, p1, k1tbl repeat from * to end
Rounds 9-11: * p2, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl  repeat from * to end
Round 12: * p2, k1tbl, mk1p, p1, k1tbl repeat from * to end
Round 13-14: *p2, ktbl1 repeat from * to end

Part 2
Knitted in the round
Round 1: * k2, yo, k1tbl, place marker, repeat from * to end
Round 2: * k to 1 bef m, k1tbl, slip marker, repeat from * to end
Round 3: * k to 1 bef m, yo, k1tbl, slip marker, repeat from * to end
Round 4: * k to 1 bef m, k1tbl, slip marker, repeat from * to end
Repeat rounds 3 and 4  five more times
Round 15: * k1 p1 repeat from * to 1 bef m, yo k1tbl. slip marker; + k to 1 bef m, yo, k1tbl, slip marker,k1tbl, repeat from + to end
Round 16: * k1 p1 repeat from * to 1 bef m, k1tbl, slip marker; + k to 1 bef m, k1tbl, slip marker, repeat from + to end
Round 17: * k1 p1 repeat from * to 1 bef m, yo k1tbl. slip marker; + k to 1 bef m, yo, k1tbl, slip marker,k1tbl, repeat from + to end
Round 18: * k1 p1 repeat from * to 1 bef m, k1tbl, slip marker; + k to 1 bef m, k1tbl, slip marker, repeat from + to 2 sts before end, BO2
Round 19: BO12 sts in pattern (remove the stitch markers you encounter during the BO), k to marker, slip marker; and continue round like round 3 (i.e.* k to 1 bef m, yo, k1tbl, slip marker, repeat from * to end)

Part 3
Knitted flat
Row 1 (WS): p2tog, p6, t+ky, k to end, turn;
    * p to m, p1tbl,  repeat from * to end
Row 2 (RS): k2tog, k6, t+p, p to end, turn;
    * k to 1 bef m, yo, k1tbl, repeat from * up to and including last marker, k to end
Row 3 (WS): p7, t+ky, k to end, turn:
    * p to m, p1tbl,  repeat from * to end
Row 4 (RS): k8, t+p, p to end, turn;
    * k to 1 bef m, yo, k1tbl, repeat from * up to and including last marker, k to end
Row 5 = Row 3
Row 6 = Row 4
Row 7 (WS): * p to m, p1tbl,  repeat from * to end

Fold piece in half, right sides together. Your piece should now look as in photo 2.
Do a three-needle BO of 31 stitches (remove the stitch markers you encounter during the BO), secure the last stitch and turn the piece back right sides out. Your piece should now look similar to photo 3.

Part 4
Knitted in the round - with some short rows around the last stitch of the three-needle BO
Round 1:  pick up 1 or 2 stitches from gap; * k to 1 bef m, k1tbl, yo, slip marker, repeat from * once more, k to end, pick up 1 or 2 stitches from gap
Round 2: k1, ktog, k2, w+t;
     p5, p2tog, p2, t+ky;
     k4, k2tog, k3, w+t;
     p6, p2tog, p3, t+ky;
     * k to 1 bef m, k1tbl, slip marker, repeat once more from *, k to end
Round 3: k1, k2tog, k3, w+t;
     p5, p2tog, p3, t+ky;
     k11, w+t;
     p13, t+ky;
     * k to 1 bef m, yo, k1tbl, repeat once more from *, k to end
Round 4: k1, k2tog, k3, w+t;
    p6, p2tog, p3, t+ky;
    k11, w+t;
    p13, t+ky;
    * k to 1 bef m, k1tbl, slip marker, repeat once more from *, k to end
Round 5: k2tog, * k to 1 bef m, yo, k1tbl, repeat once more from *, k to end
Round 6: * k to 1 bef m, k1tbl,  slip marker, repeat once more from *, k to end

Knit 7 rounds of p1, k1tbl-ribbing
Bind off loosely in pattern.

This blogpost was featured at Oombawka Design's Link and Share Wednesday Party 181 and at the Linky Ladies Party #93. Thank you!

My Knitting Failures in January

In January, I felt as though I had lost my knitting mojo ... Apart from the fact that I have currently, four half-finished knitting patterns not quite ready for publication, most of the new projects I started in January have somehow not worked, i.e. were (or will be) frogged.

The main reason I'm posting this is to say that nice knitting designs don't happen magically. Sometimes you've got an idea and it just doesn't work the way you planned it. You have to try, and try again and again and again ...

The first idea was for a new pair of fingerless mitts - again knitted in one piece with a special construction that wouldn't require to cut the yarn while. I planned to model it similar to the U-Turn mitts, but with a triagular (rather than round) turning. I had to start four times over to get the proportions right (short rows for the garter stitch ribbing vs. angles for the triangle on top). And the fifth time, I made it too wide to fit my hands. I am currently debating with myself whether to frog and forget it or whether to give the idea a new chance (and try again for the sixth time ...)

The second idea was a cowl knitted in the round with a fair isle pattern. I wanted the color A to blend into color B and then do it in reverse on the way back. I used some reclaimed yarn for this, i.e. yarn from a previous project that got frogged because I didn't wear it.
Unfortunately, my skills at this kind of colorwork are "suboptimal" (to put it mildly) and with this wriggly reclaimed yarn the color changes looked even worse than usual. I considered finishing it - hoping the problems would heal themselves in blocking, but in the end I decided to frog it again and start something different with this yarn.

The last project was a cowl I started as a "waiting room project";  I wanted to have something to knit to accompany my Mum to the hospital for a follow-up on her bone fractures. That meant it had to be

• easy to remember (no written or printed pattern to read),
• easy to carry, and
• something that wouldn't require me to make notes or take photos - for a pattern I meant to publish later. 

I settled on an idea for a short row design that I had drawn some time ago. It doesn't look too bad on the picture, but I don't quite like it. I'm not really sure why, perhaps the colors or the texture (I should have taken bigger needles). Not sure whether to try with bigger needles (and some other slight modifications) or to give it up completely.

The patterns and posts I published in January were actually knitted last year - so it didn't look so bleak on the blog :)

To finish on a positive note (and to give the absolute counter-example :) The pattern for the Ice Maiden Cowl was something that I wrote on a tiny Post-It note when I sat on the train to Zurich in November - planning an easy knitting project that could be done while playing Dungeons & Dragons. I only new that I wanted some intarsia pattern and I just wrote down some number (stitches of each colors) that I thought might work. I cast on and started it and even after I had knitted a few repeats, I wasn't sure whether to keep it or not ... But now that it's finished, I like it :)

Ice Maiden Cowl

This winter give a sparkle to your outfit with this beautiful colorwork cowl. It is knitted flat and all in garter stitch.

This knitting pattern is available for purchase 

• on Ravelry, 
• on loveknitting, and
• on Payhip. 

The pattern PDF contains both a written version and a chart.

To knit this cowl you need the following skills:

• Provisional CO: My favorite method for a provision CO is the crochet provisional CO - it is shown in this Youtube video by New Stitch a Day.
• Intarsia: Changing colors with the intarsia technique - as shown in this YouTube video by knitwithpat; or this YouTube video by Francoise Danoy.
• Grafting in Garter Stitch: A technique to get an invisible (knitted) seam - this technique is shown in this YouTube Video by knittinghelp.com.

Materials used to knit this cowl:

• about 210 grams of Sports weight yarn – in two colors, about 140 grams of the main color (blue in the photos) and 70 grams of the contrast color (white in the photos) - I used some beautiful Bilum yarn that I bought at Swisswullefestival (Bilum Lifestyle, to be precise) and some white merino as a contrast color. If you want to use a similar yarn - here's a link to Bilum's etsy shop. 
• 3.75 mm knitting needles
• scrap yarn for provisional CO
• a tapestry needle for grafting and for weaving in ends