Machine Knit Mittens

Yarn: About 2-4 ounces for standard bed; 4-6 ounces for mid gauge. The exact amount depends on the mitten size and stitch type you select.   Mine were knit with about 2 ounces of Jagger Spun 3/8 Mainline in Raspberry.

Note: You must read directions on how to knit and cast on circular on your machine; you must know how to knit circular.  Consult your manual; the terminology and exact techniques vary for all machines. ( I used Passap cast-on #10, and counted the 12 cast on rounds as part off the roll cuff. )

Abbreviation: RC= row count.

Mitten: Make 2.  The second should mirror the first. (I'll indicate the steps that are different.)
In the knitting directions, I say 'knit 2 rows' when I mean 'make two carriage passes'. (Yes, this is the different of entering the gauge in the entry form above.  I don't want to write "make two carriage passes.")

Preliminaries: Enter any programs, or punch any cards you need for the fair-isle pattern.  I programmed my Passap E6000 to do cast on 10, and entered my fair-isle program for the front. I read how to pattern the back in stripes. )

1. Roll Cuff:
1. Raise a total of needles to work position, raising  on the front bed and  on the back bed.  Set machine to cast on circular with no stitch pattern. Thread machine with mitten yarn color you want for the roll trim.  Set carriage tension to .  Cast on.
   
2. Set carriage tension to .  Knit to RC= .
   
3. Raise needles on both edges of both beds.   (There are now  needles in work on each bed.)  Use transfer tool to transfer stitches so that the two outer most needles are full, and keep shifting some stitches outward  until there are two full needles between each empty needle.   Fill empty needles with the bar below the stitch on an adjacent needle.  
2. Begin actual mitten
1. If you are knitting fairisle, set machine for pattern knitting.  (I set mine to knit fair-isle on the front, and stripes on the back bed and threaded with both colors of yarn. ).
2. Set carriage tension to .  Knit rows. (Total RC= )
   
3. Thumb opening: On the back bed, hand manipulate to knit the needles on the right hand edge.   Break cotton.    Hand manipulate a second row of crochet cotton over the same needles.  Pull down on the knitting to set these stitches. (When working second mitten, work the thumb opening on the left hand edge.)
   
4. Knit rows. (RC= )
5. With 2 prong transfer tool,  transfer edge stitches in 1 needle.   This empties a total of 4 needles. (Two on each bed.)  Take these empty needles out of work. Knit rows.
6. Repeat step e  times.  ( At this point needles remain in work on each bed and total RC= .)
   
3. If you are knitting single thickness mittens, bind off.  Seam top of mitten.  Skip to knitting the thumb. (Step 8)  If you stop here, the mitten will resemble the photo below-- but there will be no lining. My lining is on the left in the picture below.
   

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4. If you are knitting double thick mittens:
   
1. If this is a fair-isle mitten, note that there will be half as many rows for the mitten lining. Otherwise, the total number or rows for the mitten and lining are the same.
   
2. Set row counter to zero.  Pick yarn color for interior. Set machine to for plain circular knitting on both beds; (CX/CX on Passsap) .
   
3. Knit 2 rows.
   
4. Knit  2 rows.  Raise an empty needle on each edge of the work on both beds. (Four needles raised.)  Using 2 prong transfer tool, transfer edge needles out 1 needle.  
   
5. Repeat step d until    needles are in work on each bed.
   
5. Knit straight to RC= .
   
6. Thumb Gusset.  When you knit the first mitten, the thumb is on the right.  When you knit the second mitten, change "right" to "left" to reverse shaping. 
   
1. On the back bed, count over  needles from the right hand edge.  
   
2. With crochet cotton, manually knit 1 row on the needles you counted out on the right side.  Break cotton.  Manually knit a second row.  Break cotton.   When knitting the next for rows, check the cotton stitches don't come off the machine.  
   
7. Knit to RC= . Take off on waste yarn or bind off, as you prefer.
   
8. When you remove the mittens from the machine, they will resemble the picture above and to the right.  The thumbs stitches are picked up from the crochet cotton.

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9. Knit thumb: 
1. Set row counter to RC=0;
2. Raise  needles on both beds.  Remove crochet cotton from thumb opening, and place stitches two doubled eyed bodkins. Pick up an extra stitch on each edge.  Hang stitches from one side of the opening on one bed, and the rest of the stitches on the other bed.   When knitting the first few rows, check the stitches don't come off the  machine.
   
3. Set machine to knit plain circular.  Set carriage tension to .  Knit rows.
4. With 2 prong transfer tool,  transfer edge stitches in 1 needle to decrease.   This empties a total of 4 needles. (Two on each bed.)  Take these empty needles out of work.   Knit 2 rows.  Repeat until stitches remain in work on each bed.
5. Transfer every other stitch to adjacent needle,  knit 2 rows. Thread one eyed bodkin tool and take stitches off on a thread.  Pull thread tight, and anchor stitches. 
   
6. If you are making lined mittens, knit a thumb on the lining. The lining thumb has 1 fewer stitch, so raise 1 fewer needle on each bed than indicated in step "b".  Also, knit 2 fewer rows before you being shaping so the inner thumb is slightly shorter from the outer thumb.
   
10. Finish:
    
1. If the mitten is lined, push the lining into the mitten with knit side on outside, and seam the first row of fair-isle knitting to the final row of the lining. (This leaves the decorative roll trim single thickness.)  Seam top of mitten closed.  If you like, tack the lining thumb to the mitten thumb. Tidy loose ends, steam or block as appropriate for you yarn. If felting, throw in washing machine; then steam and press.  Wear. 
   
2. If you need another mitten, make another one putting thumb on the opposite side.