"Place Stitches on Waste Yarn"

How-to Questions
1

I’m currently working on this pattern, which is my first involving making a thumb gusset:

http://thegivingflower.de/patterns/Cabled_Fingerless2%20.2_20071017.pdf

What is waste yarn, and how do I put stitches on it? If I had to guess I would think maybe that I just take a random piece of yarn unrelated to my work and run it through each of the stitches, but I’m not sure. Could I just use a stitch holder instead?

Also, once I’m done with the rest of the mitten, do I divide the 14 thumb stitches evenly on my 3 DPNs and start knitting them with a new section of the same yarn? It says “pick up two stitches from the glove side”, but I’m not sure what that means or where those stitches will be coming from.

Maybe this will all make sense once I get to that section of the glove (I’m still only about 20 rows in), but I’m trying to visualize how this thumb is going to be created and I really have no idea and I can’t seem to find any videos on how to make a thumb or finger.

Thanks!

2

Using a piece of waste yarn is just what you thought. If you have a contrasting color, it makes it easier later on. Use a darning or tapestry needle to pull it through.

The reason you use the yarn rather than a stitch holder is that the thumb needs to kind of fold so you can bring the two sides of mitten together. A stitch holder would be too stiff.

When you work the thumb, you’re supposed to pick up stitches from the hand side to prevent a hole. What I’d suggest is to pick up 4 stitches rather than 2, and on the next round (yes, you use dpns) you can knit two together at the edge of the thumb and the hand stitches–that further prevents holes. You’ll also use a new strand of yarn for the thumb since there will be no yarn connected at that point.

3

Ah, okay, I think that’s starting to make sense. I’m starting to get the feeling that this glove isn’t as complex as I was afraid it was going to be. Thanks for the help!