Bricks & Mortar Mitts

I was inspired by the A Playful Day Podcast to design a simple pattern that would pay homage to our Local Yarn Shops and encourage others to support them. I have a groaning stash, but still I am tempted when I visit 88 Stitches Yarn Shop, just 45 minutes down the Number 1 Highway in Langley, or my niece's shop, Electrictree Yarns, 3 hours away in Kamloops.
If we were to each pick up a skein or two of worsted weight yarn, we could help keep the light on. They do so much to bring a creative environment, with delicious enticements, and great events, that they deserve our patronage.
I am just uploading it as a free pattern on ravelry. It should show up in better format (with pictures).
Here is my first pattern:

Bricks & Mortar Mitts

By LoriAngela McDermid

To show support for our Local Yarn Shops, LYS, we can buy a skein or two of worsted weight yarn to knit these simple Fair Isle colour work mitts and maybe wear them on our next yarn crawl.

Materials:

50 g worsted weight colour A (100 m/110 ft)

10 g worsted weight colour B: bricks (20 m/22 ft)

(Test knit in Cascade 220 and Berroco Ultra Alpaca)

4.0 mm dpn or circular needles 

(or size to reach gauge)

3 stitch markers, tapestry needle.

Gauge: 22 stitches  and 26 rows over 4 inches 

(in stocking stitch in the round)

Colour Pattern: (Repeat these 6 rounds)

Round1: Knit colour A

Round 2: (K 1 A; K 3 B) repeat to end of round. (Colour A can be gently drawn behind the 3 Colour B stitches as a small float.)

Round 3: as round 2

Round 4: K A

Round 5: K2 B; (K1 A; K 3 B) repeat to last 2 sts, K 2 B

Round 6: as round 5

1	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A
2	A	B	B	B	A	B	B	B
3	A	B	B	B	A	B	B	B
4	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A
5	B	B	A	B	B	B	A	B
6	B	B	A	B	B	B	A	B

Cast On: 36 stitches in Colour A and distribute on 4 dpns (or use circular needle)

Bottom Rib: Rib K1 P1 for 16 rounds

Increase Round:  *K8, Kfb*  repeat x 4

Hand: Knit one complete colour pattern

Thumb Gusset:

Increases will happen on a single colour (A) row, every 3 rounds.

Thumb gusset is knit in colour A. Carry colour B behind with short floats, to prevent snagging when slipping mitts on your hands.

Round 1: with A, K4, pm, m1, K 1, m1, pm, K to end of round.

Round 2: K round two of colour work pattern, slipping markers and knitting   colour  A between markers.

Round 3: K row three of colour work pattern, slipping markers and knitting colour   A between markers.

Round 4: with A, K to marker, sm, m1, K to marker, m1, sm, K to end.

Continue colour work pattern,  increasing every third round ( with single colour A) until 15 stitches between markers.

Knit Round 2 of Colour Pattern.

Place thumb stitches on waste yarn. Knit across Round 3 of Colour Pattern to space made by thumb gusset stitches. Using backwards loop, cast on three stitches and finish knitting row.

(I use these extra stitches to minimize the gaps at the thumb join.)

Knit round 4 until one stitch before new stitches. Knit first new stitch together with stitch before it. Knit next new stitch . Knit last new stitch together with the stitch after it and finish knitting round.

Knit around in colour pattern until mitten measures 7 1/2 inches (19cm) from cast on.

Decrease Round: *K 8, K2tog* repeat x 4

Top Rib in colour A: Rib K1P1 for 12 rounds or until desired length. Cast off. ( I don’t like the       top too loose)

Thumb: Remove the thumb gusset stitches from the waste yarn while threading your dpns into the stitches. I put 6 stitches on each of 2 needles and 3 on a third. 

In colour A, pick up 3 stitches from the hand margin of the mitten. 

K 4 rounds.

Rib K1P1 ribbing for 5 rounds. 

Cast off.

Weave in ends. Now is a good time to close those holes near the thumb.

Colour work always benefits from a good soak and gentle blocking.

Wear your

Bricks & Mortar Mitts

to your next 

Local Yarn Store visit.

Abbreviations: (in order of appearance)

K: knit

P: purl

Kfb: knit into front and then back of your stitch, increasing one.

pm: place marker

m1: (make one) lift bar between next two needles from front to back with left needle. Knit into the back of this loop, increasing one.

sm: slip marker

K2tog: insert right needle into the next two stitches and knit them together.

This pattern is made free to support the lovely people of our local yarn shops and their hard work at providing an inspiring and nurturing space for our community of crafters.

With special thanks to 88 Stitches Yarn Shop and Electrictree Yarn Shop.

LoriAngela McDermid (LoriAngela on Ravelry) www.imminentmetaphor.blogspot.com

Let me know what you think of it!