Thanks for taking the time to make this video. It's one thing to read about this methodology in a book like Selbu Mittens by Ann Bardsgard, but it's another thing to watch it as it's done. I've spent the last year perfecting my colourwork knitting, holding the yarns as you do, with one colour in each hand. So, coming across your video as I was doing my research, felt to me like the cherry on top of a wonderful sundae. Cheers!
Thank you for this! I had knitted the body of a pair of mittens and had a heck of a time figuring out how to pick up the stitches for the thumb, in what direction using my circular needles. ❤
Thank you so much for this video!!! I was following a pattern that used this method and I could NOT understand what it was asking me to do. It literally kept me up at night wondering what it meant. This video saved my project.
I am so glad I find your podcast just a couple of days ago and thank you so much for this tutorial! Love your podcast! I am working on the last two mittens from Eli's Selbu mitten club and I find this technique is much easier for the thumb section.
I thank you so much for this video! There are so many aspects that intimidated me to knitting colorwork mitts and you just made me as calm as a cucumber. Not scared at all now. Thank you -thank you -thank you!!!
I can't thank you enough for this video. Mittens are in my near future for the first time and I am bookmarking this tutorial. AND the demo of catching floats was invaluable! I haven't done color work yet...I began knitting last sept or october and I love everything magical about it!
Thank you so much! This is so helpful! I was gifted the pattern and have my wool ready. When I actually get to the thumb I will use this to follow since I have never made mittens before. I'm also a new sock knitter so I have to learn all of these skills. Have a wonderful day! Sharon / Elvensknits :)
Thank you for this wonderful tutorial! I have knit three pair of colorwork mittens this winter and have previously used waste yarn to hold the stitches. This method guarantees that the colorwork stays in pattern so much better! I will try it on my next pair. Thanks again! Debi/debihassler
No need to be intimidated- it’s one of those things where doing it over and over makes it easier and easier. Start on a small project with chunkier yarn (I have a beginner hat pattern on Ravelry that I designed for teaching fair isle) and be kind to yourself while you’re learning. 😀
Thanks for this great video! I'd also interested in the actual knitting of the thumb, especially the first rows, because I always have holes at the sides...
If you pick up an additional stitch or two on each side of the thumb on the first round, and then k2tog them on the next round (to get back to the original stitch count on your pattern), the holes disappear. Also, if you still have holes when your thumb is finished, I use the “tail” to stitch them closed. I do kind of an improvised mattress stitch (rather than just whip stitching - that seems to make more holes). Maybe I’ll make a video when I get to that point.
Thank you for your informative video. I would be interested in seeing the actual knitting of the thumb, also as you are doing the color work. I understand how to pick up the stitches from the waste yarn, but the upper portion of the thumb where the stitches have been picked up look strange... some of the pattern color work stitches appear like YO’s rather than a full stitch. The lower portion of the thumb stitches look normal, including the colorwork stitches. Hope this makes sense to you.
That was my bad. 😬 I didn’t realize yet that the number of held stitches does match the number of stitches to pick up for the thumb in this particular pattern. So I had to improvise and do a knit2tog to get rid of that extra stitch on the next round. This technique works best with matching number of held and “pick up” thumb stitches.
Thank you for doing the tutorial. I am knitting Skeindeer’s Selbu mittens from her mitten club.(If you haven’t found her podcast, you should check it. She is a Norwegian living in London) Selbu mitten was my first colorwork project and her pattern calls for the other method of holding the stitches on waste yarn and picking up the inside of the thumb in pattern which works, but it is not always easy to do. This looks like it might be easier and tidier. I will have to try it. I was wondering does this method eliminates or mitigate the ever problematic holes where the thumb meets the hand?
Yes, it will eliminate holes if you pick up a a stitch or two extra on either end and then dcrease those stitches “out” on the next round! Similar to an afterthought heel!
First , this was an awesome tutorial . Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. Second , can I ask a silly question about construction of a mitten in this style? When you do the thumb gusset in this style your stitch count actually changes from the beginning of the mitten , right?
Not a silly question at all! Yes, it does change the stitch count because you are adding stitches on both sides of the gusset. Happy to hear the tutorial helped!
A question if you please..... every time I pick out the waste yarn from the back side of the thumb, the stitches remaining are crossed like X's. I don't know how to slip off these stitches so that they will sit properly on my needle? Help please. :-)
Hi Mel. Those stitches on the back sound like they are oriented wrong. To get them “right,” knit them through the back look instead of the front. Or remount each on before you knit it. This video might help ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IbFMKfG_8w8.html
That's a great idea for a video - I will work at some point on getting that up on RU-vid...in the meantime, i know that Patricia from Knitography has talked about how to do it on one of her vlogs...
I have only seen the podcast about the ways to put the stitches on waste yarn. I have not seen the center gusset explained. Thank you for considering a video.
Yes, but that gives the old problem that you have to cast on to make up for the stitches on the holder. This is very hard to make look nice, and only experts can make the pattern go on without it being visible. ( Sorry, I hope you understand. English is not my 1st language )
