Thursday, September 18, 2014

Fleece-Lined Stay-on Baby Mittens Knitting Pattern

Now that it is getting colder outside, it is time to start pulling out the hats, mittens, and scarves.

A little over three years ago, my brother contacted me because my niece, who was under a year old, kept pulling off her mittens. No matter what my brother and sister-in-law did, my niece would get her mittens off. My brother asked me if I could make a pair of mittens that would stay on.

So, I designed a pair of thumb-less mittens that were extra long to go up her arm and were also attached to an i-cord. They could put the mittens on her, pull them up her arm, and then pull her jacket sleeves over them. That way she could not pull the mittens off. If she would have somehow managed to get them off, the i-cord would have prevented them from getting lost. I also lined them with fleece to make them extra warm.


Here is the pattern:

Needed Materials:
US 3 - 3.25 mm dpn (for the i-cord)
US 4 - 3.5 mm dpn (for the mittens)
Sport-weight yarn (about 25 g)
Small amount of fleece

Mittens – Make 2
With the size 4 dpns, cast on 30 stiches.
Join in the round, and work in K1, P1 ribbing for 2 inches.
Change to the size 3 dpns and work in the ribbing for an additional 2 inches.
Change to the size 4 dpns and work in stockinette (knit every round) for 2 inches.
Next decrease row: K4, Knit 2 together around (25 stiches)
Next row: Knit around
Next decrease row: K3, Knit 2 together around (20 stiches)
Next row: Knit around
Next decrease row: K2, Knit 2 together around (15 stiches)
Next row: Knit around
Next decrease row: Knit 2 together to last stich, K1 (8 stiches)
Cut the yarn leaving a 4 inch tail. Pull the tail through the 8 remaining stiches and pull tight.
Weave in ends

Lining – Make 2 (Optional)
With tailor’s chalk, roughly trace the completed mitten onto a piece of fleece. Trace it slightly larger to account for the seam. You will need to trace 2 per hand. You may choose to make the lining to fit the entire mitten, or just the portion where the baby’s hand will go. Fleece stretches one way but not the other. Make sure that you trace the mitten in the direction to allow the fingers to spread out as opposed to stretching up and down.
Cut the mittens out of the fleece and pin together making sure that the softer side is on the inside. Staying close to the edge, sew around the edge of the fleece, leaving the bottom open for the baby’s hand to go into.
Slide the fleece mitten into the knit mitten. Secure the top and bottom of the fleece mittens into the knit mittens.

I-Cord (Optional)
With size 3 dpns, Cast on 3 stiches. Slide the stiches to the opposite end of the needle. Pull the end of the yarn from behind. *K3. Slide the stiches to the opposite end of the needle. Pull the end of the yarn from behind. Repeat from * until you reach about 22 inches. Bind off.
Sew an end to each of the mittens.

Fleece Lining
A printable pdf of the pattern can be found here. To see more details, check out the Ravelry pattern site. While you are out on Ravelry, be sure to check out some of the other things that I have made on my project page.

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