Lady's Fancy Mittens

Lady's fancy mittens were popular items to knit. Not only were they practical but they also were great to make as gifts. Fine and highly decorative mittens were prized by Victorian women.

This pattern appeared in Art Needlework published in 1895 by Brainerd & Armstrong, manufacturers of fine embroidery and knitting silk.

LADY'S FANCY MITTENS.

"BRAINERD & ARMSTRONG'S" "Victoria" or Hamburg" knitting silk No. 300, 1½ ounces, 4 No. 18 knitting needles.

For a lady's fancy mitten, corresponding to a No. 6 kid glove, cast on 96 stitches. For a larger or smaller mitten, use any suitable number of stitches, divisible by 8. Knit 8 rounds plain.

9th round. Slip off one stitch without knitting, knit 1, draw slipped stitch over stitch knit, throw thread over once. Repeat from beginning. (In throwing thread, throw end from you.)

Knit 8 rounds plain.

18th round. Pick up on other needles the stitches first cast on, knit each stitch with each stitch of 17th round. This constitutes the hem of the mitten.

Wrist pattern. 1st round. Purl 2, throw thread over, 4 plain, knit 2 together. Repeat.

2d round. Purl 2, 1 plain, thread over, 3 plain, knit 2 together. Repeat.

3d round. Purl 2, 2 plain, thread over, 2 plain, knit 2 together. Repeat.

4th round. Purl 2, 3 plain, thread over, 1 plain, knit 2 together. Repeat.

5th round. Purl 2, 4 plain, thread over, knit 2 together. Repeat.

Repeat this pattern 7 or more times, according to the length of wrist desired.

Next work a band of ribs by knitting 1 and purling 1. So continue for 5 or 6 rounds, then make the holes, in which to run ribbon or elastic, as follows:

1st round. Knit 1, purl 1, throw thread over twice, and knit 2 together. Repeat.

2d round. Knit 1, purl 1, knit 1 loop, purl 1 loop. Knit 2, purl 1, knit 1 loop, purl 1 loop. Repeat from "knit 2." Last stitch of round, knit 1.

3d round. Knit 1, purl 1, knit 2 together; purl 1, knit 1, purl 1, knit 2 together. Repeat from second "purl 1."

Continue to rib, knit 1, purl 1, for 5 or 6 rounds more. Finish off wrist by 1 round of purl.

Now divide the 96 stitches into three groups, 48 on one needle, 24 on each of the two others. The 48 will constitute the back of the hand. For the left-hand mitten, mark the 5th and 6th stitches from the 48, on the right-hand group of 24; for the right-hand mitten, mark the 5th and 6thstitches from the 48, on the left-hand group of 24, the marked stitches constituting the base of the thumb. The stitch upon each side of the 5th and 6th is to be purled for the seam of the thumb. Our pattern is for the left hand - a skillful knitter can easily adapt it for the right, or make it larger or smaller.

1st round of hand. Knit 1 group of 24 plain. Knit the other group of 24 plain, except for the two purled stitches, forming seam for thumb. Knit 2 plain at beginning of group of 48. Following is the pattern, introduced into the back of the hand upon the next 28 stitches. Remainder of round plain.

1st round of pattern. Draw, 2d stitch over 1st, knit it, knit 1st; purl 1, knit 1. *Throw thread over once and knit 1. Repeat from * 8 times. Purl 1. Draw 1 stitch over, knit it, and knit the next. Repeat pattern once.

2d round. Knit 2, purl 1, knit 17 (each loop counting 1 stitch), purl 1, knit 2. Repeat. 3d round. Knit 2, purl 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over 1 knitted, knit 13, knit 2 together, purl 1, knit 2. Repeat. 4th round. Knit 2, purl 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over, knit 11, knit 2 together, purl 1, knit 2. Repeat. 5th round. Knit 2, purl 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over, knit 9, knit 2 together, purl 1, knit 2. Repeat. 6th round. Knit 2, purl 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over, knit 7, knit 2 together, purl 1, knit 2. Repeat.

Then repeat pattern from 1st round. In every round of the hand, all stitches are to be knitted plain, except the 28 on the back of the hand, and the 2 purled stitches forming seams for the thumb.

Widen the thumb by making 1 extra stitch between the 2 marked plain stitches, in the 3d round. In every 4th round thereafter, make 2 extra stitches next to the two stitches following the original 5th and 6th stitches marked, until the thumb is sufficiently wide. In an average mitten for a lady, this will be when from 29 to 31 stitches have been made between the two purled stitches. The pattern upon the back of the hand will then have been repeated about 7 times.

Slip off the thumb stitches with a darning needle and a piece of thread. Tie the ends of the thread securely, and dispose the hand stitches evenly upon the three needles. Knit 50 rounds plain, in average mitten, from 52 to 58 in a larger. Narrow for hand as follows: K. 2 together, k. 8, k 2 together, etc., to end of round. If necessary, plain at end. 8 rounds plain. K. 2 together, k. 7, k. 2 together, etc., 7 rounds plain. K. 2 together, k. 6, k. 2 together, etc., 6 rounds plain. K. 2 together, k. 5, k. 2 together, etc., 5 rounds plain. K. 2 together, k. 4, k. 2 together, etc., 4 rounds plain.

Narrow 3 times in every round thereafter, 1/3 of the round between each 2 narrowing, until each needle contains 4 stitches. Then narrow until each needle contains 2 stitches. Break off the thread, pass it through a darning needle, pass darning needle through the 6 stitches, draw them to a point and fasten end of thread on inside.

Now go back and pick up the thumb stitches, disposing them evenly on 3 needles. Knit 40 rounds plain, more or less, according to size of mitten. Narrow 3 times in every succeeding round, each narrowing marking 1/3 of the round, until each needle contains 2 stitches. Finish off as in hand.