by Mrs. Micawber

Photos: Mrs. Micawber

Difficulty: Intermediate

In my family we love to give books as gifts. This year every book I give will come with a little something extra – the quick and simple Frost Line Mittens bookmark. These tiny mittens also make adorable ornaments or gift toppers.

Only 3 stitches are used for the Frost Line Mittens: chains, slip stitches, and a few single crochets for the thumbs. Front Loop slip stitch, used for the mitten body, gives a lovely knit-like look and stable texture. If you’ve never tried slip stitch crochet, I recommend making a practice mitten using larger yarn and no beads. Keep your stitches relaxed and slightly loose – resist any urge to pull on the yarn. If you’re having a difficult time getting your hook into the stitches, try increasing a hook size.

Finished Size: Mittens 1-1/2 to 2″ tall, depending on yarn used; cord length as desired.

Materials:

• About 5 yards of DK (#3, light worsted) yarn – sample shown in Patons Grace, Orchid
• D (3.25mm size) hook OR size needed to create stitches
• (16) 6º or E beads
• Wire beading needle (optional)
• Worsted weight (#4) yarn may also be used with a hook size appropriate to the yarn.

Gauge: Gauge is not critical to this design.

Notes: Mittens are stitched in vertical rows. Some of the downward rows (working towards the cuff) start in the first stitch from the hook, which can be a bit awkward. Take your time and gently twist the hook around to insert it in the indicated stitch. At the cuff end of each downward row, the final stitch of the previous row tends to sink into the work and be difficult to see. Gently spread the stitches as necessary to find the last stitch.

Special Abbreviations Used:
FL sl st (front loop slip stitch): Insert hook under front loop only, yarn over and gently pull through both loops on hook.

BL sl st (back loop slip stitch): Insert hook under back loop only, yarn over and gently pull through both loops on hook.

FL sl st2tog (front loop slip stitch 2 together): Insert hook under front loop of indicated st, pull up a loop, insert hook under front loop of next st, yarn over, gently pull through all loops on hook.

Directions

First Mitten:

String 16 beads on yarn. (Slide beads down yarn and away from work as needed.)

Row 1: Loosely ch 11. Starting in second ch from hook, FL sl st 8, BL sl st 2. Slide 2 beads down to hook. Ch 1 (beads will be enclosed in st), turn.

Row 2: BL sl st 2, FL sl st 8. Make increase: sl st in end loop of previous row (end loop is just to the left of the tiny knot at end of row). Turn (do not chain).

Row 3: Starting in first st from hook, FL sl st 9, BL sl st 2. Slide 2 beads down to hook. Ch 1, turn.

Row 4: BL sl st 2, FL sl st 9. Turn.

Row 5: Same as Row 3.

Row 6: BL sl st 2, FL sl st 7, skip a st, FL sl st 1. Turn.

Row 7: Starting in second st from hook, FL sl st 5. Make thumb: loosely ch 4; starting in second ch from hook, working back towards mitten, sc 3 in back loops. FL sl st2tog in same st and next st. BL sl st 2. Slide 2 beads down to hook. Ch 2.

Cuff edge: Hold working yarn behind work. (Insert hook from back to front between next 2 beads. Turn hook to point across cuff of mitten; this will move one bead to the front and one to the back on either side of hook. Keeping working yarn above back bead, sl st.) Repeat 3 more times across. Sl st to starting ch. First mitten complete.

Cord:
Ch to desired length (for bookmark or ornament) + 11 ch.

Make second mitten as first. Cut yarn and weave in ends. Block lightly if desired.

About the Designer
Mrs. Micawber is a native Southern Californian now happily transplanted to small-town Wisconsin. She loves cooking, crochet, cycling, beading, reading, blogging … and Mr. Micawber (not necessarily in that order). Occasionally afflicted with spasms of poetry, she spends more time than she ought composing haiku, writing posts, and taking photographs for her blog, Mrs. Micawber’s Recipe for Happiness. You can see more of her work at mrsmicawber.blogspot.com.

Pattern & images © Mrs. Micawber. All rights reserved.