I need help with this Basic Mittens Pattern!

hpknitlover22 · 03-20-2008, 03:28 PM

Hi! I'm knitting Basic Mittens and the patter asks you to use size 7 double pointed needles. I am confused at one part in the patter step 4. Place first 7 sts onto scrap yarn for thumb ( which I did) CO 7 sts and knit to end of rnd. What does it mean cast on and knit to the end of the rnd I don't understand at all do you cast on the left needle how does it make the thumb hole? And then further down the pattern it says 8. Make thumb as follow: Place sts from scrap yarn onto needle. Pick up the 7 sts CO above the thumb opening and 1 st on each side of opening-16 sts. What does it mean and 1 st on each side of opening 16 sts? What 1 st on each side of opening I only have 14 sts not 16!! Can someone help me?????

dustinac · 03-20-2008, 09:04 PM

ok so hopefully I can get this to go through...my 3rd time so it should

You are going to be CO those 7 sts so you can continue with the round...right now you have your working yarn on one needle and the sts on another...with some sts on waste yarn in between...in order to get the yarn connected to the other sts then you need to CO the 7sts...You can use the backward loop CO...I like to use the knitted cast on...once you co those sts then you continue in the round...

For the 2nd part...it's kinda once you get there then you will see what they mean...like after you finish this round and then the next rounds...it create an opening that you will begin to see that is where the thumb will go...and then you will see the sides of the openings..

I can't wait to see them!!

Yay, It posted!!

Abbily · 03-20-2008, 09:09 PM

I would cast the 7 stitches on to the left needle so that they are basically parallel to the 7 you put on the holder. Then knit the rest of the row, around to the 7 cast on stitches, knit across them again and join to the round. Basically you're still going to be knitting a tube, but you're replacing the 7 'held' stitches with 7 new stitches. This creates a slit right there between the held stitches and new stitches. If you hold the mitten upright, the held stitches are at the bottom of the slit and the newly cast on stitches are at the top. Later on you will pick up stitches along the top of the slit (because it will be a straight cast-on edge). Then you pick up one stitch on either side- at the 'corners' where the top and bottom of the slit come together. That will be a new tube for the thumb.

Hope that made sense.

hpknitlover22 · 03-20-2008, 09:58 PM

Hi! Thnx for the help but i'm still a little bit confused so you cast on the left needle and then just continue working in the round???

dustinac · 03-20-2008, 10:14 PM

When I'm working a mitten I have one dpn in the left this has the sts that I need to work still...then I have the dpn in the right with the sts I have just worked...I always cast on to the right needle and then continue knitting the sts from the left...I'm sorry about that

hpknitlover22 · 03-20-2008, 10:16 PM

no that's okay that's fine i'm sorry if i'm not explaining it well. Now what do i do then you said I cast the needles on the right needle with the working yarn? It says I need to cast 7 on? I have 7sts already on a scrap of yarn then it says I need to cast on 7 sts but it doesn't say on what?

dustinac · 03-20-2008, 10:23 PM

Ok yeah they had you place 7sts on the waste yarn...now you need to cast on 7sts onto the right needle...and then you can continue knitting the rest of the sts that are on the left...the 7sts that you are casting on, you will just work like normal sts on the next rounds...you are kinda replacing the 7 you put on waste yarn...because those on the waste yarn are for your tumb...so you just kinda forget about that for now

hpknitlover22 · 03-20-2008, 10:36 PM

thank you so much you are helping a ton! I really appreciate it !!! So then once i knit the 32 rnds it says to make thumb as follows after steps 6, and 7. It says to place sts from scrap yarn onto needle. Pick up the 7 sts CO above the thumb opening and 1st on each side of opening 16 sts what does that mean?? 1 st on each side of opening what first st?

dustinac · 03-20-2008, 10:42 PM

Ok when you get there it might make more sense cause you will see the opening and how the opening has sides...so what you will do when you get to that point for the thumb...you will place the 7sts that are on the waste yarn onto the needle...then you will pick up 1st in that corner, then pick up 7sts that go above the ones on waste yarn (top of the opening), and then one more in that corner...then you will be ready to start knitting the rounds on your thumb...

7sts waste yarn
1sts in corner
7sts pick up
1sts in corner
gives you a total of 16sts

that will make a lot more sense once you get there

hpknitlover22 · 03-20-2008, 10:54 PM

you have helped a lot i appreciate it now i have one more question when i pick up the sts i'm using all 3 dpn needles right? I guess I wouldn't say I'm intermediate but i have made harry potter scarves gryffindor, ravenclaw and hufflepuff so far they are very wide and 10 patches long! file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/star%20101/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Family%20Pictures/Family%20Pictures%20147.jpg