Lambing season has arrived and so have the Tolt Lambing Mitts.  These hardy fingerless mitts will keep you warm during the cold morning and evening barn chores and even in the wee hours when you are called to the birth of new lambs.  

In honor of lambing season and and the introduction of our Lambing Mitts we will have a series of posts featuring shepherds we know and their experiences of lambing with their sheep over the next few weeks.

Lambing Mitts by Veronika Jobe

Tolt Lambing Mitts can be worn with garter band up for warm fingers or garter band rolled down for when you need to get to work. 

Shown in size Small with garter band rolled down.

Materials

Approximately 115-150 yards of worsted weight yarn.

1 skein of Peace Fleece Worsted

Samples shown in Grassroots, Glasnost Gold and Fathers Grey. 

Gauge

16 stitches / 30 rows = 4 inches in Garter Rib Pattern on US 7 needles(blocked)

Needles

US 7 (4.5 mm) – DPN’s or longer circulars for Magic Loop method

Tools

Blunt tapestry needle, 3 place markers (1 in a different color for BOR mrk) and scrap yarn.

Size

S (M, L)

Finished Dimensions

6 (7, 8)” circumference at palm

  Shown in size Large with garter band rolled down.

Pattern

Cast on 24 (28, 32) sts. Place mrk and join in the round.

Purl 1 rnd.

Garter Rib Pattern

Rnd 1: K1, *P2, K2; rpt from * to last st, K1.

Rnd 2: Knit.

Rpt last 2 rnds until piece measures 4” from cast on edge, ending with Rnd 1.

Thumb Gusset

Setup Rnd: K1, PM, knit to last st, PM, K1.

Increase Rnd: Knit to next mrk, M1R, SM, work in established pattern to next mrk, SM, M1L, knit to end. (2 sts increased)

Next Rnd: Knit.

Rpt last 2 rnds 3 (4, 5) more times. You now have 10 (12, 14) thumb gusset sts in between your mrks.

Hand

Setup Rnd: Remove BOR mrk, knit to next mrk, RM, work in established pattern to next mrk, RM, using backward loop cast on method cast on 2 sts (placing new BOR mrk in the middle of the two cast on sts), slip next 10 (12,14) sts onto scrap yarn.

Next Rnd: Joining back in the round, knit.

Continue working in Garter Rib Pattern until piece measures 8.5” from cast on edge, ending with Rnd 2.

Garter Band

Rnd 1: Purl.

Rnd 2: Knit.

Rpt last 2 rnds until piece measures 10.5” from cast on edge, ending with Rnd 1.

Bind off loosely as follows: K2, *slip sts back to left needle, K2tog tbl, K1; rpt from * to end. Pull tail through last loop to finish.

Thumb

Place 10 (12, 14) live sts from scrap yarn back onto needles.

Pick up 2 sts along cast on edge( placing new BOR mrk in the middle of the two cast on sts). 12 (14,16 ) sts

Next Rnd: Joining back in the round, knit.

Continue knitting in stockinette stitch 1”. Bind off loosely as above.

MAKE TWO.

Finishing

Weave in your ends and lightly block. Enjoy!

Abbreviations:

BOR – beginning of round

k – knit

k2tog tbl – knit two stitches together through the back loop

M1L - Make 1 left. Insert left needle from front to back under horizontal strand between stitch just worked and next stitch, knit lifted strand through the back loop (1 stitch increased).

M1R - Make 1 right. Insert left needle from back to front under horizontal strand between stitch just worked and next stitch, knit lifted strand through the front loop (1 stitch increased).

mrk(s) – marker(s)

p – purl

pm – place marker

rnd(s) – round(s)

rpt – repeat

sm – slip marker

st(s) – stitch(es)

 Shown in size small with garter band rolled down.

Shown in size medium with garter band up.