Attakai Fingerless Mitts

Attakai: a Japanese verb for warm.

What could be a better name for a little scarf and mitten set designed to do exactly that! Add in some cozy Alpaca yarn that will keep you insulated through those late winter chills. Alpaca is warmer than sheep’s wool, and it’s hypoallergenic and does not contain lanolin.

The mittens are knitted in the round from the bottom up with a shaped thumb gusset.

Attakai uses some fancy Japanese stitch patterns that are much easier than they look! Knit this sure-fire winner for yourself or as a gift.

Size

Circumference , unstretched at the wrist 6 inches ( 15cm). At the base of the cuff 7 inches (18cm)

Yarn

Elann.com Peruvian Baby Silk (discontinued) (fiber content; 80% Alpaca, 20% silk 109 yards [100meters]/250grams): Color Number 2010 raspberry (MC), 8 balls;

Suggested replacement 50% Alpaca, 30% Merino, 10% Nylon, 10% Silk with 400 meters / 100 grams

Suggested replacement yarn: Floating by A Verb to Keep You Warm 70% Alpaca, 20% Silk, 10% Cashmere goat Or Alpaca Silk 4 ply by Artesano 70% Alpaca, 30% Silk

Needles

Mitts: Size US 1.5 (2.5 mm) dpns

Notions

removable markers; stitch holders and or waste yarn; tapestry needle for sewing in ends

Gauge

18 sts and 24 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking.

Abbreviations

Please see our standard knitting abbreviations.

Wrap stitches: Bring yarn to front of work, slip the required number of stitches from the left to the right needle, bring the yarn around the stitches, between the needle to the back of the work, replace the slipped sts back onto the LH needle and knit them.

You can see the idea in this video, although we are not wrapping and turning, but simply wrapping and continuing along the round or row.

Mock cable st: Pick up the 3^rd st from the end of the left needle and pass it over the two sts to the right of it, k1, yo, k1.

Charts

Cuff

Thumb Gusset

Knitting Instructions – Mitts

Using 2.5mm dpns needles cast on 60 sts.

Divide the sts as follows:

Needle 1: 12 sts

Needle 2: 24 sts

Needle 3: 12 sts

Needle 4: 12 sts

Place a st marker to mark the beginning of the round, working round in knit.

Using either the chart (above) or written instructions (below) work the cuff pattern 5 times around the circumference of the mitten. Work the chart twice in all.

Written version of the cuff chart

Rnd 1: P1, yo, wrap 4, p1, wrap 4, yo,

Rnd 2: (P1, k5) 2 times.

Rnd 3: P1, k1, yo, wrap 3, p1, wrap 3, yo, k1.

Rnd 4: (P1, k5) 2 times.

Rnd 5: P1, k2, yo, wrap 2, p1, wrap 2, yo, k2.

Rnd 6: (P1, k5) 2 times.

Rnd 7: P1, k3, yo, ssk, p1, k2tog, yo, k3.

Rnd 8: P1, k3, (p1, k1) 2 times, p1, k3

Rnd 9: P1, k3, p1, mock cable st, p1, k3

Rnd 10: P1, k3, (p1, k1) 2 times, p1, k3

Rnd 11: P1, k3, (p1, k1) 2 times, p1, k3

Rnd 12: P1, k3, (p1, k1) 2 times, p1, k3

Rnd 13: P1, k3, p1, mock cable st, p1, k3

Rnd 14: P1, k3, (p1, k1) 2 times, p1, k3.

Then work the thumb gusset chart (above) or written (below).

Written version of the gusset chart

Rnd 1: M1, K1, M1, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 2: K3, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 3: Same as round 2

Rnd 4: M1, k3, m1, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 5: K5, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 6: Same as round 5

Rnd 7: M1, k5, m1, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 8: K7, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 9: Same as round 8

Rnd 10: M1, K7, m1, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 11: K9, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 12: Same as round 11

Rnd 13: M1, k9, m1, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 14: k11, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 15: Same as round 14

Rnd 16: M1, k11, m1, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 17: K13, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 18: Same as round 17

Rnd 19: M1, k13, m1, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 20: K15, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 21: Same as round 21

Rnd 22: M1, k15, m1, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 23: K17, (p1, k3) to end

Rnd 24: Same as round 23

 

Work 10 rounds with the sts as set.

Place the gusset sts on to a stitch holder or waste yarn. Cast on 3 sts to bridge the gap across the thumb and work 20 rounds in 3 x 1 rib (the pattern as set) bind off all sts in pattern.

Thumb

Place the thumb sts back onto 3 needles as follows

Needle 1: 7 sts

Needle 2: 7 sts

Needle 3: 4 sts

With needle 3 pick up and knit 3 sts across the base of the upper part of mitten.

Work 10 rounds in stockinette then bind off all sts

Finishing

Wet block and pat into shape, leave to dry.

Sew in all ends.