Classic Mittens

There is a common feeling among knitters as November rolls around. This feeling is often accompanied by accelerated heart beat and sweaty palms. This feeling is of course the Christmas panic.
No need to worry! These simple and classic mittens are an excellent gift idea for everyone on your list. Knit in a worsted weight, you can have a pair finished in a few evenings. Have a Yarn has several yarns that can change the look and degree of warmth and softness of your mittens. Vintage (shown) is a tried and true machine washable classic that comes in solids, heathers, and lovely variegated colours. Yak offers an exotic warmth. Ultra Alpaca will make very soft and warm mittens with its 50/50 wool/alpaca blend. Blackstone Tweed has beautiful tweed and marled colours and Galway offers a classic 100% wool look and feel. Take your pick!
Needles: 3.5mm double points
Yarn: 200m of worsted weight yarn
Sizes: Women (Men)
Abbreviations:
k: knit
p: purl
k2tog: knit 2 stitches together to decrease one stitch
st(s): stitch(es)
M1: make one stitch - insert right needle under strand between last knitted stitch and first st on left needle. Slip this over your left needle by putting the left needle in front of the strand picked up and poking it through. Now knit into the back of this new stitch.
Cast on 44 (48) sts, divide on 4 needles: 8, 12, 12, 12 (12, 12, 12, 12) & work 3 to 4 inches in k2, p2 ribbing

Knit 4 (6) rounds
Next round: k1, p1, (M1, k1) 2x, p1, knit to end of round (both sizes)
**For the next two rounds knit, purling the sts that were purled last round.
Next round, k1, p1, k1, M1, knit to first st before the purled st and M1 then k1, p1 and knit to the end of round.**
Repeat from **to** until you have 14 (16) sts between the 2 purled sts.
Knit one round, purling the purl sts.
Next round: K2 then put the 14 (16) sts on a holder or thread for the thumb, cast on 2 sts over the gap for the thumb in this way: turn your work around (so that the wrong side is facing you) and use the cable cast on: insert right needle between the last 2 sts. From this position, knit a stitch and slip it knit wise to the left needle. Remove the right needle and repeat to give you 2 new sts. Turn the work back so the right side is facing you. Join work and continue knitting. Work even on 44 sts (48 sts) until mitt measures 5 ½ (6) inches from the end of the ribbed cuff.
Next round: Women: decrease 1 st on each needle (40 sts remaining)
Men: increase 2 sts evenly (50 sts total)
Begin decreases for top of mitten:
First decrease round: *k8, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round
Knit 1 round even
Second decrease round: *k7, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round
Knit 1 round even.
Continue decreasing by knitting 1 less st before the k2tog every other round and doing 1 round without shaping in between (i.e.. k6, k2tog next decrease round, then k5, k2tog, etc.)

When you have done K4, k2tog, start working the decreases every round.
When you have done K1, k2tog, the next round k2tog all the way round, break yarn and using a darning needle, thread all stitches onto remaining yarn, pull tight, and sew off securely on the inside of the mitt.

Thumb:
Put the 14 (16) sts from the thumb on needles again and knit them. Pick up 3 sts in the gap where you cast on 2 sts and arrange sts evenly on 3 needles. 17 (19) sts. Knit in rounds until thumb measures 2 (2.5) inches.
Next round: k2tog all the way around. Break yarn, thread through darning needle, pass through all sts and sew securely in on wrong side.