Another Christmas present handmade and gifted – and another free knitting pattern! These gorgeously soft fingerless mittens knit up really quickly using the magic loop method. Even better, this is a great unisex knitting pattern using a combination of staggered garter stitch bands and stockinette stitch. Happy knitting…

Yarn: 1 skein of Debbie Bliss Paloma 50g in Charcoal (003)

Needles: 8mm (US11) circular needles

Gauge: 14 sts x 20 rows per 4″

Key:
Garter stitch – knit one round, purl one round (repeat)
Stockinette stitch – knit all rounds

Mittens pattern:

Cast on 18 st and join to knit in the round. Place marker to indicate start of round (BOR) and place marker after 9 stitches to indicate end of top of hand section.
Knit 8 rounds in garter stitch, ending after a round of purl stitches.

Knit in stockinette stitch until piece measures 4.5″ from cast on edge.
Follow either Left Thumb or Right Thumb instructions.

Left Thumb:
On the next round, knit as established, slipping middle marker until 3 stitches remain. Bind off 3 stitches, slipping BOR at the same time (you will have automatically knitted the first stitch of the next row).

Right Thumb:
On the next round, knit until middle marker, slip marker and immediately bind off three stitches, knit to end of round.

Continue in following pattern:

Round 1 – Knit all stitches
Round 2 – Purl all stitches
Rounds 3-4 – Knit all stitches
Rounds 5-6 – Purl all stitches
Rounds 7-8 – Knit all stitches
Rounds 9-11 – Purl all stitches
Rounds 12-13 – Knit all stitches
Rounds 14-17 – Purl all stitches

Bind off all stitches purlwise, weave in all ends.