Pieces of Eight Mitts
It was a topological challenge for me to get these mitts right. These fancy fingerless gloves are
knitted in one piece (no yarn cutting involved) beginning at the thumb. The "Eight”-Shape is
achieved by increasing in the first part of a row, and decreasing in the second part.
This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
A crochet version of this pattern - called Octavo Fingerless Gloves - is available here.
Techniques
A knitter who wants to knit these mitts should know the following techniques:
• k1, yo, k1 into the same stitch and p1, yo, p1 into the same stitch (i.e. double increases)
• Cable cast-on midwork: As shown in this video.
• Three-needle bind-off – as shown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpJUrCX52DU
• Grafting: stockinette & garter stitch.
• How to knit a circle – since the effect is done with circle increases and decreases, it’s
helpful if the general idea is known: In general a circle is knitted as follows:
CO8 and join in round
Round 1 and all odd numbered rounds: k
Round 2: *k1 mk1 repeat from * (i.e. every 2nd stitch is doubled) (-> 16 sts)
Round 4: * k2 mk1 repeat from * (i.e. every 3rd stitch is doubled)(-> 24 sts)
Round 6: * k3 mk1 repeat from * (i.e. every 4th stitch is doubled) (-> 32 sts)
Round 8: * k4 mk1 repeat from * (i.e. every 5th stitch is doubled) (-> 40 sts)
… The formula should clear by now, i.e. that you increase by 8 stitches every other row. It
also means that the distance between the "doubled" stitches increases by one in each of
the increase-rounds. The same formula will be used when constructing the mitts -
increasing around the thumbs and decreasing at the lower wrist part. If you do the
increases always at the same spot a pattern (maybe even corners) will become visible; to
achieve a more circular look I started the increases at a randomized stitch in each
increase row.
• Picking-up a selvage stitch and joining it at right angles to your knitting (similar to
entrelac knitting): at the end of the WS row wyif a stitch is picked up from the side. After
turning the work, this stitch is knitted together with the first stitch of the RS row. A
slightly different way of doing it is shown here - ending up with the same result, i.e.
joining the last stitch with a "stitch" picked up from the edge. Please note, that in case of
these mitts the join is not side-to-side, but side-to-cast-on-row
• Furthermore, you should be comfortable with the idea to “smooth out” certain differences
in stitch counts. It's no big deal if there is one stitch too many - you can always fix it in
the next row by decreasing one.
• Please note, that the mitts are mirror inverted – to achieve this, the one mitt is turned
inside out at one point (at this point RS becomes WS and WS becomes RS).
The picture on the right shows where the techniques are used
- referring also to the work steps as described in the instructions.
Non-Standard Abbreviations
• kyok: k1, leave on needle, yo and knit again, all in the same stitch, i.e. make 3 stitches
from 1
• pyop: p1, leave on needle, yo and purl again, all in the same stitch, i.e. make 3 stitches
from 1
• w+t: Wrap and turn - a technique for knitting short rows. It is shown in this YouTube video
by Very Pink Knits.
Materials
• 35 grams of fingering weight yarn (a list of the yarns I used is given at the end of this post)
• a set of 3mm dpns and a 3mm circular needle – I changed needles throughout the project
• 2 stitch markers
• tapestry needle (for kitchener stitch and to weave in ends)
Instructions
The pictures above illustrate how your knitting should look after completing some of the steps.
NOTE: Please note that the sequences to be repeated don't always match the number of stitches
left (e.g. it might say "* kfb k6 repeat from *", but there are only 4 stitches left) - that's OK. Just
continue with the sequence and stop when you run out of stitches (in case of the example above,
just knit the kfb and knit the 3 stitches to the end).
First Mitt
Thumb
Step 1: CO18
Step 2: Knit 8 rounds of k1, p1-ribbing
Step 3: Knit one round as follows: “k1, p1, k1, pyop, k1, p1, repeat from * (there should be 24
stitches on your needles)
Step 4: Knit 5 more rounds of k1, p1-ribbing
Only the thumb (steps 1 to 4) is knitted in the round, after that everything else is knitted back
and forth in rows (steps 5 and following).
Step 5:
The stitch you're at right now will be called “starting point” during this step.
Row 1 (RS): k20 place marker (“marker 1”) k4, cast on 4 stitches (with cable cast on), place
marker (“marker 2”), cast on 70 stitches
Row 2 (WS): k back to starting point; pick up and knit one or two stitches from gap between the
last stitch and the recently cast-on stitches; wyif pick up one stitch from the lower edge of the
first of the recently cast-on stitches (just as you’d do for entrelac).
Now the circle increases and decreases are started: there will be increases up to marker 1, plain
knitting between the two markers, and decrease from marker 2 to the end of row.
Row 3 (RS): k2tog (the stitch you just picked up and the first stitch of the row), *k2 kfb repeat
from * until marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k1 ssk k8 repeat from ** to end
Row 4 and all other even rows until the next step (WS): k to starting point, wyif pick up one
stitch from the lower edge of the cable cast on
Row 5 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), *k1 kfb k2 repeat from * until
marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k4 ssk k4 repeat from ** to end
Row 7 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), *k3 kfb k1 repeat from * until
marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k7 ssk repeat from ** to end
Row 9 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * kfb k5 repeat from * until
marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k3 ssk k3 repeat from ** to end
Row 11 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k4 kfb k2 repeat from * until
marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k1 ssk k4 repeat from ** to end
Row 13 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k1 kfb k6 repeat from * until
marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k3 ssk k1 repeat from ** to end
Row 15 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k7 kfb k1 repeat from * until
marker 1, k to marker 2, ** ssk k3 repeat from ** to end
Row 17 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k2 kfb k7 repeat from * until
marker 1, k to marker 2, ** k1 ssk k1 repeat from ** to end
Row 19 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k5 kfb k5 repeat from * until
marker 1, k to marker 2, ** ssk k1 repeat from ** to end
Row 21 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), * k8 kfb k3 repeat from * until
marker 1, k to marker 2, ** ssk repeat from ** to end
Row 23 (RS): k2tog (picked-up stitch and first stitch of new row), k to marker 1, k to marker 2, **
ssk repeat from ** to end
Step 6:
There should now be 3 stitches between marker 2 and the end – adding up to 11 together with
the stitches from between the markers – these 11 stitches will be on one needle for the three-
needle bind-off. With another needle pick-up 11 stitches from the edge, do a three-needle bind-
off over these 11 stitches. Make sure the bind-off is done from the WS. Remove the markers.
If the stitch number doesn’t match exactly, move one stitch from one needle to the other, or use
one stitch from the other side of marker 1.
After the three needle bind off, knit back to starting point counting the stitches. There should be
93 stitches.
Step 7: First Set of short Short-Rows to widen the wrists
Place marker and pick up and knit 24 sts (1 st in the gap between the last stitch and the lower
edge of the cable CO, and 23 sts along the cable CO edge).
Row 1 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k3, w+t
Row 2 (WS): k2, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 3 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k4, w+t
Row 4 (WS): k3, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 5 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k5, w+t
Row 6 (WS): k4, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 7 (RS): sl1, k to marker, sm, k2tog, k26, BO24, k34 (you should now be at the end of your
row (i.e. no more stitches left to knit). Do NOT turn your work.
(The stitches you did before the BO will not be knitted until they are grafted during part 10 - you
can leave them on your needles (especially if you're using long circulars) or you can put them on a
stitch holder. As you can see from the photos, I just left them where they were.)
Step 8: Second Set of Short Rows to widen the wrists
Still on the RS, place marker, pick up and knit 24 sts (1 st in the gap between the last stitch and
the lower edge of the cable CO, and 23 sts along the cable CO edge).
Now you mirror the rows you did during step 7, i.e.
Row 1 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k3, w+t
Row 2 (RS): k2, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 3 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k4, w+t
Row 4 (RS): k3, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 5 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k5, w+t
Row 6 (RS): k4, k2tog, sm, k to end
Step 9: Widen the mitt
You now knit several rows of garter stitch until the mitt is wide enough to fit your hands, i.e.
Row 1 (WS): sl1 k
Row 2 (RS): sl1 k
Row 3 (WS): sl1 k
While you're knitting the first rows during step 9 count your stitches and compare it with the
stitch number on the other side (i.e. the ones you left after step 7), if the numbers are not
equal, increase of decrease to get an equal number of stitches (decreases are best done
somewhere close to the marker).
Repeat rows 2 and 3 six more times (or until the mitt fits).
Step 10: Graft sides together
Cut yarn leaving a tail of about 1 meter. With tapestry needle graft sides together in garter
stitch.
Second Mitt
The instructions for the second mitt are similar to the first one. Except that at one point, the
mitt is turned inside out in order to mirror-invert the curves. Only the differences to the first
mitt are listed here.
Knit Steps 1 through 5 as described for the Left Hand mitts except the steps listed below.
Step 3: Knit one round as follows: * k1, p1, kyok, p1, k1, p1 repeat from *
Step 6:
Turn mitt inside out. Everything on your mitt that was RS is now WS (and vice versa). Make sure
to do the three-needle bind off from the NEW WS.
Step 7:
The first short rows will be added at the opposite side, i.e.place marker and pick up and knit 24
sts (1 st in the gap between the last stitch and the lower edge of the cable CO, and 23 sts along
the cable CO edge).
Row 1 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k3, w+t
Row 2 (RS): k2, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 3 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k4, w+t
Row 4 (RS): k3, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 5 (WS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k5, w+t
Row 6 (RS): k4, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 7 (WS): sl1, k to marker, sm, k2tog, k26, BO24, k34 (you should now be at the end of your
row (i.e. no more stitches left to knit). Do NOT turn your work.
Step 8:
Here also the sides are mirror inverted (compared to the first mitt), i.e.
Still on the WS, place marker, pick up and knit 24 sts (1 st in the gap between the last stitch and
the lower edge of the cable CO, and 23 sts along the cable CO edge).
Now you mirror the rows you did during step 7, i.e.
Row 1 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k3, w+t
Row 2 (WS): k2, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 3 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k4, w+t
Row 4 (WS): k3, k2tog, sm, k to end
Row 5 (RS): sl1, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, ssk, k5, w+t
Row 6 (WS): k4, k2tog, sm, k to end
Step 9:
Knit the same number of garter stitch rows you knitted for the first mitt.
Step 10:
Graft in stockinette stitch.
Yarns
The "eight"-effect comes out best when using variegated yarn, here's the list of yarns I used for
the mitts in the photos.
• The green-blue ones in the first and last picture are knitted with sock yarn from a German
discounter (Aldi Süd). However, the yarn is listed at Ravelry - it's colorway 555.
• For the red-yellow-green ones, I used Schoeller+Stahl Fortissima Mexiko (colorway 252)
• The neon ones (in the step-by-step pictures) is Regia Fluormania Color - colorway 7184.
