this is my first mitten pattern...have done a pair of socks...

here is the pattern
http://yarnmafia.blogspot.com/2007/12/oh-tequila.html

I'm confused about this part:

Next round: knit all stitches. Continue knitting until it's long enough to suit you. I knit fifteen rounds.

Next round: Using waste yarn, knit 5 stitches. Then slip those five back to the left needle. Knit those five stitches and the rest of the round with the working yarn.

Continue knitting in st st until it reaches the top of your pinky. For me that was 16 rounds (That is, 15 plus the round immediately after the thumb hole). At this point, the directions are different for each mitten.

Just need clarification. Thanks

Okay, this is going to set aside sts for the thumb. Knit 5 sts with some scrap yarn, then slip them back to the left needle and knit with the mitten round and continue knitting. You say you already have done that and knit until it reaches your pinky which is about right. Usually there's directions to decrease on a few rounds to shape the top, then you pulll the yarn through the sts left and draw it shut, or graft the sts together. Then you go back to the sts on the waste yarn and take it out, putting the sts on needles, maybe picking up a couple more and doing the thumb. So what did you need to know?

"Continue knitting until it's long enough to suit you." How long do I knit? Until it is as long as my hand?

If there's dec sts at that point, then you knit up to the little fingertip and do the decs. If there aren't any, then you'd want to go about up to the longest fingertip and finish off.