Felted Mittens

Sizes: Medium (Ladies’), Large (Men's)
Note: the finished size is ultimately controlled by the felting process.
Materials: 2 balls of Galway Worsted Weight
8 mm double pointed needles
stitch markers, stitch holder, tapestry needle
**** Please note, mittens are knit using two strands of yarn****
Instructions:
Cuff:
Cast on 24 (28) sts loosely. Arrange sts evenly on 3 or 4 double pointed needles, place marker and join into round. Work K2, P2 ribbing for 12 (14) rounds. K12 (14) sts, M1L, K12 (14) sts, M1L. 26 (30) sts.
Thumb Gusset:
Rnd 1: Knit 12 (14) sts. Place marker, M1L (see glossary), K1, M1R, place marker, knit to end.
Rnd 2: Knit
Rnd 3: Knit to marker, slip marker, M1L, knit to next marker, M1R, slip marker, knit to end.
Increase 2 sts inside gusset markers in this way every other round until you have a total of 9 (11) gusset sts.
Knit 2 (3) rounds and then proceed with the thumb hole.
Thumb hole and body of mitten:
Place gusset sts on holder (or piece of yarn), remove markers, use the backward loop method (see glossary) to cast on 3 sts over gap left by gusset, and knit to end of round. (28, 32 sts).
Knit 15 (19) rounds even.
Decrease Top of Mitten:
Rnd 1: k5 (6), k2tog,* repeat from * to * to end of round.
Rnd 2: Knit
Decrease 4 sts (working 1 less knit st between decreases) in this manner every other round until there are 16 sts remaining.
Decrease in this manner every round until 8 sts remain. Cut yarn, thread tail through remaining sts, pull tight, and darn securely inside.
Thumb:
Place held gusset sts on double pointed needles, pick up and knit 3 sts over gap and join. NOTE: when it is time to weave in loose ends, you can close the gap that is at the base of the thumb. It will disappear after the mitten is felted.
Knit 7 (8) rounds. (12, 14 sts)
First thumb decrease: K2 tog, K4 (5) , K2tog , K4 (5). (10, 12 sts)
Knit 3 (4) rounds.
Next round: *K2tog *repeat around. Cut yarn, thread tail through remaining sts, pull tight, and fasten inside.
Work next mitten in same fashion as first.
Finishing:
Weave in loose ends, closing gaps at base of thumb. Now it is time to felt!
Felting:
Felt both mittens at the same time in order to get the same size. Size is controlled by the amount of felting, so watch closely, and remove from washer when the size is right. To protect washer from lint, you can place the mitten in an old pillow case and tie shut. Felt in washing machine on strongest cycle using HOT wash with mild detergent. Add another item such as jeans to really bash the mittens around. (Don't use a towel – you'll be picking fluff off your mittens for months). For even felting, remove both mittens each time to check the size and shape. If still too large, wash again – if too small, s t r e t c h it! Rinse with cold water in your washer or by hand. Do not spin dry because it may cause creases. Roll in a towel to remove excess water, shape and air dry.
* * * * *
Glossary:
Backward Loop Cast-On:
Loop working yarn and place on needle backward so that it doesn't unwind. Repeat for desired number of sts.
Increases:
M1L:
With left needle tip, lift strand between needles from back to front. Knit the lifted loop through the back to twist the stitch. Creates a left slanting stitch.
M1R:
With left needle tip, lift strand between needles from back to front. Knit the lifted loop through the front to twist the stitch. Creates a right slanting stitch.
~Have a Yarn