Hello
Just wondering if thumbs have to be made with double pointed needles?
I would like to make a cotton oven mitt, not found a pattern yet but when I was browsing mitts it seemed all used double pointed needles which I don’t have.
Thumbs in mitts
Well, there are patterns for mittens knit completely flat. You might be able to start with those.
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/basic-family-mittens
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Oh super! Thank you.
Two more questions
- As they are flat could I do double knitting to make a double layer do you think? Or better to make 2 lots and sew them all together for a double layered mitt?
- I’d love to make them in mock cable. Would I be able to work with the same number of stitches or would I need to add substantially more due to knitting in mock cable? Would I need to just compare st st and mock cable swatches to work out the size I’d get and enlarge accordingly or is there an estimate of an additional number of stitches needed, baring in mind they don’t need to fit perfectly?
Rather than double knitting, it might be better to make 2 mitts, one slightly smaller than the other. That way the smaller will fit inside the larger without pleating. You can of course give the double knitting a try anyway just to see.
Mock cable would be very pretty but if you’re going to use them the oven mitts should be very tightly knit so they protect the hands. If they’re decorative, anything goes.
Even the mock cable will pull the knit fabric in a bit so yes, swatches are the best idea. That way you’ll be able to estimate stitch number with some confidence.
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Don’t forget you can always use cabled needles and knit the thumbs using Judy’s Magic Loop technique. I made some fingerless mitts that had a small thumb section. Pattern called for DPNs but I just used my interchangeable with long cable. 
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Thank you so much.
Yes, I like the idea of a smaller and larger to double up.
I’m currently using a couple of the dish cloth type swatches of various stitches I made while back and managing with them just folded in half which is what made me think of making a mitt. I could also try out knitting with 2 strands to thicken it up.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the tips. I’m not sure I’m good enough with magic loop for a thumb or maybe my circulars aren’t the right sort to be successful. Not sure, probably my lack of ability and experience. I’ll keep it in mind.
If you can do magic loop on a sleeve, you can do it on a thumb. I’d only used magic loop twice before I made those mitts. But you’re right, you really do need the right cables. Not to stiff but not to floppy either.
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Doubling up the yarn would definitely help with the thickness. You could also do what I call a thermal stitch ( I kinda invented it after looking at the weave pattern on some long Johns). It makes it super thick. I’ve used this for pot holders and doubled them up using cotton yarn. In mittens and gloves, it makes thermal pockets that trap air and make them super warm. I’m actually making myself a pair of wool gloves right now using this pattern. It’s done in multiples of four. If you have like 34 stitches, you would round it off to 32 or 36, multiple of 4. If knitting it with two needles, knit one row, purl one row. If in the round, knit two rows. Knit 2 sts, purl 2 sts in rib pattern for two rows. Continue this pattern. It makes raised thermal squares.
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Thanks for the ideas.
I have some of the very cheap and kind of harsh dishcloth cotton in DK which is not so comfortable to work with but has turned into my temporary pot holder type cloths that I’m using. I love how this dish cloth cotton looks when knitted.
Oven mitt sounds easy until I realise how hard it is to make a mitt ha ha!
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Like Salmonmac said, it’s just an oversized mitten. Leave off the ribbing cuff and you’ve got it. Much easier to knit it on two needles. Suggest you double worsted weight cotton yarn and use bigger needles. Bevscountrycottage.com has excellent beginner mitten knitting patterns. Bernat Handicraft yarn (Joann’s) seems to be the best value. You can also buy cones of cotton yarn from Lily (Walmart).
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Last resort, you can knit 2-4 nine inch squares and sew three sides together, leaving the fourth side open to slide your hand in. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just practical.
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Imma gonna try that stitch FOL. Thanks!
Our winters are not so harsh compared to those of you in more northerly climes. But occasionally we get a direct hit of Arctic air & my normal equipment does not quite do the trick. I’ve thrummed mittens before, but in time the little balls matted up on the inside.
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