Thrummed Mittens





Thrummed mittens are the warmest mitts on earth, and the fact that the body of these is alpaca makes them even warmer! (The larger size is knit with wool, which is still pretty damn warm.) The thrums make a soft fluffy lining on the inside that helps the mittens form to your hands and give you that extra bit of protection in especially cold climates. Note: The thumbs on these mittens are afterthought thumbs. Any changes for a larger mittens are in bold, if nothing is listed than there is no change. The larger pair of mittens is for an average female’s hands, as some people say my hand size is small so they might find the smaller size a little tight.

Yarn: Handspun, hand dyed, dk weight alpaca. You can use any dk weight yarn that gives you a similar gauge.
Larger size: Patons Classic Wool.
Content: Body: 100% Alpaca/Thrums: 100% Wool
Needles: Size 3US dpns
Gauge: Approximately 5-6(7) sts per inch. Something close to this is fine, five or six stitches won’t make that big of a difference with thrummed mittens as the thrums stuff” the mittens and make up for fit!

Body of Mitten:
Cast on 36 sts evenly over three needles. Join round and work in k2, p2 ribbing for 14(20) rounds. On 15th(20th) round switch to st st and at the same time k4(2), m1* rep for round. (45(54) sts). Work three(five) more rounds even.

Thrum round:
- *k4(5) sts, thrum 1, rep from *

- work 3(5) rounds even.

Alternate thrum round:
- k2, *thrum 1, k4(5), rep from *
- work 3(5) rounds even.

Continue in the pattern as established until mitten is height desired, ending with a thrum row.

Mitten top shaping:
- *k3(4), k2tog, rep from *
- next round: *k2(3), k2tog, rep from *
- next round: *k1(2), k2tog, rep from *

- next round large size only: *k1, k2tog, rep from *
- last round both sizes: *k2tog, rep from *
- cut yarn and thread through remaining sts.

Thumb:
Find height of desired thumb placement. Pick up 9(11) sts on the bottom and on the top in between thrums like so (for larger size, there will be more stitches inbetween thrums than shown on the following diagram - all stitches inbetween the three thrums shown must be picked up):

V V V X X X X X X X X X V V V
V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
V V V X X X X X X X X X V V V

“V” indicates regular knit stitch

“V” indicates thrum
“X” indicates sts to be p/u


Cut yarn on thrum row, unravel yarn to free sts, removing all three thrums shown. Join yarn, knit across 9(11) sts on bottom, p/u and knit one st, knit across 9(11) top sts, p/u/ one st, join round. Sts should be placed evenly over needles, with the far right st that was p/u on bottom as first st of rnd.

First thrum round:

- k4(5), thrum 1, rep from *
- continue working thumb in the round, alternating thrum rows as for mitten until thumb is height desired, ending with a thrum row.

For top of thumb shaping:
- *k2(3), k2tog, rep from *
- *k1(2), k2tog, rep from *

- next round large size only: *k1, k2tog, rep from *
- last round both sizes: *k2tog, rep from *

Cut yarn and thread through remaining sts. Work second mitten as for 1st.