Mitten Garland Advent Calendar – Mitten #3

Everybody ready for mitten #3?!

Download the Advent Calendar Mitten 3 Chart.

Do not be scared by this week’s mitten, it looks trickier than it is. You are still only knitting two colors per row. If you want to make it easier, Skip the grey in the main pattern and thumb and just do white and red. It’ll still look nice.

Some notes about knitting this one:
1. To avoid stranding the red through the whole cuff, I duplicate stitched the “3”.
2. Use a ruler or post it note to mark where you are on the pattern while working it. It is really easy to start working the wrong row and before you know it you are ripping back three rows. Believe me, I learned from experience.
3. If this was a mitten that was meant to be worn I would have done something to make up for the fact the pattern doesn’t match up at the beginning of the rows. Since it is just going to hang mostly flat, I didn’t worry about it and really it isn’t that noticeable when done.
4. I did though, do the jogless stripe technique on the stripes on the cuff. Finish the first color and knit one round of the second color. When you get to the first stitch of the second round of the second color, pull up the stitch below from the first color on to the left needle. Now knit those two stitches together.

You know, I really love my colors and I like working with wool, but the fuzziness of the red was really making the white look pink. The dye is not bleeding, the white is still white if I rip back. I showed Susi and she suggested I try a fabric or lint shaver on it. I just happened to have this one. What a difference it made!

If you need it, download the written Mitten Advent Calendar Pattern. It is the same as for all the mittens in this calendar.