Picot edged mittens

Picot Edged Mittens

Finished size: womens med/lge
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK. (55% Merino Wool, 33% Microfibre, 12% Cashmere; 110m/50g) 2 balls. Shown in colour 18014.
Needles: One set of double pointed needles size US3 (3.25) and one set of double pointed needles size US4 (3.5). Use which ever size gives you the correct gauge. I actually use circular needles and work in magic loop.
Notions: Stitch markers, yarn needle, small amount of waste yarn in contrasting colour.
Gauge: using larger needles, 25 sts and 34 rows in 4" knitting the cluster pattern

Notes:
sm = Slip marker

MP = Make Picot. Cast on 1 stitch (using knit cast on) then cast off one stitch. (for a more noticable picot, cast on 2 stitches then cast off two stitches)
CL2 = Yarn forward (yf), K2 then pull the yf over the two stitches and off the right hand needle.

Cluster stitch pattern:
row one: knit
row two: CL2, Knit 4. repeat around.
row three: knit
row four: knit
row five: K3, *CL2, K4. repeat from *around, k1
row six: knit


Cuff
With main yarn and smaller sized needles CO 15 sts. (for a seamless cuff, use a provisional cast on and then graft the stitches together)

Working back and forth knit on two needles the following pattern:
row one: knit
row two: knit
row three: MP, knit to end
row four: knit
repeat the last four rows until there are 36 garter stitch ridges (including the following cast off).
With right side facing (picot edge is on the right) cast off 14 sts. 36 garter stitch ridges on the right side with one remaining stitch on the right needle.

next row: with right hand needle pick up and knit 36 stitches (one at each garter ridge). 37 sts. (if using dpn needles, arrange stitches on three needles to work in the round.
Join for working in the round.

Change to larger needles and knit one round. (I actually knit the first stitch and the last stitch of the round together. 36 sts)
Next row: knit increasing evenly to 48 sts. (m1, k3 around). Place marker after the first 24 stitches.

Left Mitt Hand
Starting with row one of cluster stitch, work 20 rows in the cluster stitch pattern. (approx 2 1/2" above the cuff) Keeping in cluster stitch pattern work the following rnd: K15, K7 thumb sts with an 8" piece of waste yarn, return last 7 sts to left needle, with main yarn K7 sts worked with waste yarn, K26 to end. Thumb sts will be picked up from the waste yarn and worked later.

Continue in the cluster stitch pattern working 34 more rnds. (approx 2" smaller than desired length)


Mitten Top Decreases

Decrease round: ssk, knit in pattern until 2 sts before the marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, knit in pattern to last 2 sts, k2tog.- 4 sts decreased.
Work one round even.
Repeat last two rounds until 16 sts remain. (8 for front of mitten and 8 for back of mitten.)

Graft these stitches together.


Right Mitt Hand
Starting with row one of cluster stitch, work 20 rows in the cluster stitch pattern. (approx 2 1/2" above the cuff) Keeping in cluster stitch pattern work the following rnd: K26, K7 thumb sts with an 8" piece of waste yarn, return last 7 sts to left needle, with main yarn K7 sts worked with waste yarn, knit to end. Thumb sts will be picked up from the waste yarn and worked later. Continue in the cluster stitch pattern working 34 more rnds. (approx 2" smaller than desired length) Proceed with mitten top decreases.

Thumb
Slip the larger dpn into the 7 sts below the thumb sts knitted with the scrap yarn. Turn mitt upside down to identify the loops at the top of the sts knitted with the scrap yarn and slip a dpn into these 6 sts, plus 1 extra st at each end, for a total of 8 sts on this dpn. Carefully remove the waste yarn - 15sts total. Divide these sts over three dpn. Keeping in cluster stitch pattern (the inside of the thumb will look strange as you try to keep the sts inline with the cluster sts. You could knit these sts all st st or just line up the cluster as best as you can...which is what I did), knit 1 rnd, picking up 1 sts at each side of the thumb and knit this st through back of its loop to prevent forming a hole - 17sts. Work in pattern for 19 rnds.
next rnd: k2tog around, end k1 - 9sts.
next rnd: knit
next rnd: k1, k2tog around - 5 sts. Cut yarn and draw through remaining sts to close thumb.

Finishing
Seam cuffs. Weave in all ends, closing any small holes, if necessary, at base of thumb.

The pattern can be queued here in ravelry. Can't wait to see your pair!