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Fluffy Cuff Mittens Fluffy Cuff Mittens From "Knitty Gritty" episode DKNG-104

Fluffy Cuff Mittens

Knitting in the round: Does the very thought of using five needles at once cause you to have heart palpitations? Don't worry! As you'll learn from designer Karen Baumer, you only ever use two of those needles at one time anyway -- and you already know how to do that! So what are you waiting for? Soon you'll be making these Fluffy Cuff Mittens for everyone on your gift list!

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	Casting on with double-pointed needles (to see a step-by-step demo, click on the video link below)...
	Media Watch the Video

Fluffy Cuff Mittens

Designed by Karen Baumer

Notes

• These mittens are knit in the round.
  
• Finished mittens may be worn with the cuff flipped up or down.

Size: Women's M/L (Mittens measure approximately 11-1/2 " from cuff to tip when cuff is folded down; approx. 9-1/2" from cuff to tip when cuff is folded up.)

Materials
1 hank Cascade Pastaza (50 percent wool/50 percent llama; 100g = approx. 132 yds.)
1 ball Berroco Plush (100 percent nylon; 50g = approx. 90 yds.)
*Possible alternate yarns: 1 hank Classic Elite Montera (50 percent wool/50 percent llama; 100g = approx. 128 yds.); 1 ball GGH Esprit (100 percent polyamide; 50g = approx. 88 yds.)
One set 5 size US 10 (6mm) double-pointed needles (or size to obtain gauge).
Tapestry needle
Stitch marker or piece of waste yarn to use as a marker
About 18" of waste yarn to mark and hold thumb sections

Gauge
Pastaza: 16 sts and 22 rows = 4"x4" on size US 10 (6mm) needles in stockinette
Plush: 12 sts and 28 rows = 4"x4" on size US 10 (6mm) needles in garter stitch

Stitches and abbreviations used
Stockinette stitch (St st): Knit every round (remember, this and garter stitch are different when you're knitting flat).
Garter stitch: Alternate one purl round and one knit round.
SSK: Slip the next two sts knitwise, one at a time, then insert tip of left needle into fronts of these sts from left to right and knit them together.
K2tog: Knit the next two stitches together.

When increasing sts, use the m1 (make-one) increase: Use your needle tip to lift the horizontal strand between the last st worked and the next st on the left needle (figure A), then knit that strand through the back part of the loop (figure B).

Note: For a closer look at the make-one increase, click here and watch the video.

Figure A

Figure B

After the cuff (top) is finished, a solid-color yarn is added to create the mitten.

Left mitten
Cast on 24 sts with Plush; divide stitches evenly among four needles, join into a round, and work 2½ " garter stitch, increasing 1 stitch per needle on last row (you now have 28 sts). Remember that garter stitch in the round is alternating one row purl, one row knit!

Note: It's standard procedure to refer to double-pointed needles by number (1,2,3 and 4, with the fifth being the "working" needle).

Switch to Pastaza and begin working St st (knit every round). Place a marker to indicate which needle is needle #1, i.e., the first needle of each new round. All measurements from now on should be taken from where the St st section begins.

Note: Since there is no wrong side when knitting in the round, stockinette stitch is achieved by a continuous stitch and no purling.

Knit-Bit: Place tangled circular needles in a bowl or pot of hot tap water for 10 to 15 seconds. They should straighten right out!

RESOURCES :
Berroco Plush yarn
Suggested retail price: $8.50 /ball
Berroco Inc.
Check Website for local retailers.
Website: www.berroco.com

Cascade Pastaza yarn
Suggested retal price: $8.50
Cascade Yarns
Website: cascadeyarns.com

GUESTS :
Karen Baumer
E-mail phibetakitten@gmail.com