Remembrance Day will soon be here .....

In less than a week, we will be having our Remembrance Day to observe the bravery and sacrifice our men and women make every day in the military to keep us safe and free.

This has inspired me to make this poppy mittens.  The written pattern provided is free but I encourage you to please give generously to your local veteran charity.

The mittens are asymmetrical and poppy flowers are only on the left one. The cuff is a lace pattern I like, and like all laces, you might want to block the pieces to prevent rolling up at the edge.  I like it natural, so I didn't block. However, I do a ch3 (using the tail from the long tail cast on) to join the lower edge of the mitten to help with the rolling edge.  Without doing major alteration to the lace pattern for a flare out cuff, I left the edges of the cuff open for ease of putting the mittens on.

I use seed stitches and strips to decorate the right mitten. The design is impromptu so I didn't write it down; but get inspired-daring and place flowers on both

On a different note, please support our writer Mike and read his  Halloween short story .  He had served in the military for several years. Your comments, good or bad, are welcome :)

Enjoy the pattern and let us remember our soldiers, past and present through every stitch we knit :)

Asymmetrical Poppy Mittens  

Knitting techniques involved

 

1.       Long tail cast on and knit cast on

2.       Circular knitting

3.       Knit 2 together and slip slip knit

4.       Yarn over and reverse yarn over

5.       Changing colour yarns during knitting

6.       Stockinette stitch

7.       Kitchener stitch bind off

8.       Make 1 left and make 1 right

9.       Picking up stitches along the edge

 

Crochet techniques involved

 

1.       Chain stitch

2.       Single crochet stitch

3.       Slip stitch

4.       Magic circle cast on and crochet in rounds

5.       Triple crochet stitch

 

Abbreviations

 

CO = cast on

st(s) = stitch(es)

Rnd = round

k = knit

p = purl

yo = yarn over

ryo = reverse yarn over
sl(kw) = slip knitwise

m1l = make 1 left

m1r = make 1 right

pm = place marker

sm = slip marker

m = marker

rm = remove marker

BO = bind off

" = inches

mm = millimeter(s)

cm = centimeter(s)

approx = approximate

ch = chain

sc= single crochet

tc = triple crochet

sl = slip

Materials

Yarns, worsted

• Red
• Black
• Green

Circular needles, size 5.00mm and  4.50mm (cable length 20cm)

Crochet hook, size 3.75mm

Stitch Holder

Markers, 2

Scissors

Yarn needle

Gauge (stockinette stitch using 4.00mm needle)

Width and Height             10 stitches x 10 rows = 2.15" x 1.25"

 Measurement (approx)

Hand circumference = 7" (size small for women)

Length =10.5"

These mittens are made from bottom up starting with the lace cuff, continue to build the body and the gusset, and finished with the finger cap. Finally picking up the stitches for the thumb and then sewn in the poppy flower.

 Lace cuff (for both left and right mittens)

Using red yarn and circular needle 5.00mm, CO 33 sts using long tail cast on method; leave a 12" tail

Row 1    K2tog, k4, *yo, k2, sl(kw)1, k2tog, psso, k2*, repeat * * 2 more times, yo k4, k2tog (29 sts)

Row 2    p5, *ryo, p6*, repeat * * 3 more times (33 sts)

Repeat Row 1 and 2 for 7 more times, ending Row 2

Repeat Row 1 (29 sts)

Join the rnd

Rnd 1    sl2 onto a cable needle, k3, *yo, k6*, repeat * * 2 more times, yo, k3; k the next st with the 1st st of the rnd on cable needle together, k the last st with the 2nd st of the rnd on cable needle together (31 sts)

Rnd 2     Add black yarn, k to the end of rnd

Carry the red yarn up if you decide on knitting decorative stitches or strips; otherwise, cut red yarn leaving a 3 " tail

Rnd 3     k1, m1r, k13, m1l, k2, m1r, k to the end of rnd (34 sts)
Rnd 4 and 5         k to the end of rnd

 
Right Gusset (For right mitten ONLY)

Change to circular needle 4.50mm,

Rnd 1     k1, pm, m1r, k1, m1l, pm, k to the end of rnd (36 sts)
Rnd 2 and alternat Rnds                k to the end of rnd

Rnd 3     k1, sm, m1r, k3, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (38 sts)
Rnd 5     k1, sm, m1r, k5, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (40 sts)
Rnd 7     k1, sm, m1r, k7, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (42 sts)
Rnd 9     k1, sm, m1r, k9, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (44 sts)
Rnd 11   k1, sm, m1r, k11, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (46 sts)
Rnd 12   k to the end of rnd
Rnd 13   k1, CO1 using knit cast on method, rm, sl the next 13 sts onto a stitch holder, rm, k to the end of rnd (34 sts)
Rnd 14   k to the end of rnd

Continue k until the piece measured 6" from the cuff; improvise with decorative stitches or stripes as desired.

Finger Cap (For BOTH left and right mittens)

Rnd1      k1, k2tog, k11, ssk, k2, k2tog, k11, ssk, k1 (30 sts)

Rnd 2 and alternate Rnds             k to the end of rnd

Rnd 3     k1, k2tog, k9, ssk, k2, k2tog, k9, ssk , k1(26 sts)
Rnd 5     k1, k2tog, k7, ssk, k2, k2tog, k7, ssk, k1 (22 sts)
Rnd 7     k1, k2tog, k5, ssk, k2, k2tog, k6, ssk, k1 (18 sts)
Rnd 9     k1, k2tog, k3, ssk, k2, k2tog, k3, ssk, k1 (14 sts)

Close the cap using Kitchener stitch BO

Thumb (For BOTH left and right mittens)

Transfer the 13 sts on the stitch holder to circular needle 4.50mm

Pick up 3 more sts around the up edge of the gusset (16 sts)

Join the rnd

 Rnd 1    Add black yarn, k to the the end of rnd

Continue to k until the piece measured 1.25" from start

Rnd 1     k1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k2, k2tog, k2, ssk, k1 (12 sts)

Rnd 2     K to the end of rnd
Rnd 3     k1, k2tog, ssk, k2, k2tog, ssk, k1 (8 sts)

Close the thumb using Kitchener stitch BO

 Left Gusset (For left mitten ONLY)

Change to circular needle 4.50mm,

Rnd 1     k15, pm, m1r, k1, m1l, pm, k to the end of rnd (34 sts)

Rnd 2 and alternat Rnd k to the end of rnd
Rnd 3     k to m, sm, m1r, k3, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (36 sts)
Rnd 5     k to m, sm, m1r, k5, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (38 sts)
Rnd 7     k to m, sm, m1r, k7, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (40 sts)
Rnd 9     k to m, sm, m1r, k9, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (42 sts)
Rnd 11   k to m, sm, m1r, k11, m1l, sm, k to the end of rnd (44 sts)
Rnd 12   k to the end of rnd
Rnd 13   k to m, rm, sl the next 13 sts onto a stitch holder, rm, CO1 using knit cast on method, k to the end of rnd
Rnd 14   k to the end of rnd

Continue to k until the piece measured 6" from cuff

Follow instruction in the finger cap and thumb sections to make finish the left mitten

Crochet Poppy Flower

Using black yarn and crochet hook 3.75mm, start with making a magic circle, ch1, sc8 (8 sts); add red yarn,  sl st into ch1 to join; cut black yarn leaving a 12" tail for sewing the flower onto the mitten

Row 1    *ch3, tc2 into the same st, tc2 into the same st for the next st, ch3, sl1 into the same st, sl1 into the next st *; repeat * * for 3 more times; cut yarn leaving a 3" tail

Weave in all tails except the 12 one

Repeat the pattern 2 more times to make a total of 3 poppy flowers

Finish
 

Check the pieces for knitting and crochet error, amend as necessary

Blocking the mitten pieces optional

Eyeball the position of the poppy flowers on the top off the left mitten and sew them in place

Using green yarn to embroider the stem

Using the 12" yarn from the long tail cast on; sl1 into the same st, ch3, sl1 into the last st of the cast on row  to join (optional)

Weave in all tails