pa's red and white checked mittens

Ma had blown out the lamp because she did not need its light. On the other side of the hearth she was swaying gently in her rocking chair and her knitting needles flashed in and out above the sock she was knitting. - Little House in the Big Woods, Chapter 13, "The Deer in the Wood"

Mary C. Gildersleeve's soon-to-be-released Great Yarns for the Close-Knit Family (hillsideeducation[dot]com) will contain two knitting projects inspired by Little House in the Big Woods: "Ma's boot socks" and "Pa's red-white checked mittens".

The "Little House" books include a number of knitted items, including collars, coverlet, doily, hood, lace, mittens, mitts, necktie, socks, stockings, and wristlets. In Little House in the Big Woods, there's also the doll Charlotte's hair, which was made of "black yarn that had been knit and raveled, so it was curly." (See Chapter 4, "Christmas") The quote above is the only sock knitting reference in Little House in the Big Woods, so boots and knitted socks are never mentioned together. Are Gildersleeve's "Ma's boot socks" worn by Ma or simply made by Ma? I assume that Pa's mittens were made by Ma, so why call the socks "Ma's" unless they were to be worn by her? I've pre-ordered the book, so I guess I'll see. Yes, things like this niggle at me.

Little House in the Big Woods inspired me to knit both socks and mittens. The following is my grandmother's pattern for Checked Mittens in Fair Isle Knitting. My grandmother, Gladys Langford, lived from 1895-1966. I inherited her treadle sewing machine and some of her knitting needles and patterns. Since I was already a mitten knitter when I received this pattern, I construct my mittens a bit differently, but I use the chart for the squares, which I only place on the back of the hands, not both palm and back of each mitten.

Fair Isle knitting is the name given to designs knitted in several colors. The yarn is carried across the wrong side of the work. When only two colors are used and the spaces between are not more than four stitches wide, the yarn not in use is stranded across the back, keeping about the same tension as knitting.

However when the distance between two colors is more than four stitches wide, as these mittens, the colors are best woven in while knitting. Knit one stitch in the usual manner, and put needle through next stitch, but before catching yarn to knit, place the yarn you are carrying over the needle. Thus you are weaving the color not being knitted into every other stitch.

These mittens are knittied in an attractive diamond pattern; the main color being gray with red and green contrasting. Any other desired color combination may be used [note: use red and white for "Pa's checked mittens"]. For size 4 child's mittens, you need about one ounce baby yarn in main color, and a small amount of each of two contrasting colors is sufficient to make one pair of mittens; use knitting needles size 1 and 2. Three ply fingering yarn and size 1 and 3 knitting needles are best for size 6 mitten. Medium weight sport yarn and sizes 2 and 4 needles are used for size 8 mittens. Use knitting worsted and size 3 and 5 knitting needles for adult mittens.

One ball of main color is sufficient; but each diamond requires a separate strand or small ball of yarn.

Abbreviations: St (stitch); k (knit); P (purl); tog (together).



RIGHT HAND - With the smaller of the two sizes of needles and main color, cast on 48 stitches. K in ribbing of k 2, p 2 for 2-1/2 inches (3 inches or more for larger sizes). Increase 1 st at end of last ribbing row.

Change to larger needles and continue in stockinette st adding the various colors of yarn on next row.
Row 1: K 6 in main color, 1 green, 11 main color, 1 red, 1 main, 1 green, 11 main, 1 red, 6 main.

Continue from chart for one complete diamond (11 rows)-- be sure to p the row after each k row using the same sequence of sts and colors; the 12th row and each row between diamond patterns is worked in main color.

THUMB ROW - (Row 13) K 6 main, 1 red, 11 main, 1 green, 4 mian. With a small piece of contrasting yarn (about 12 inches), k the next 7 sts. Then slip these 7 sts just knitted back onto left hand needle and k them again with main color. FInish row with 1 red, 11 main, 1 green, 6 main.

Continue from chart until 3-1/2 complete diamonds have been knitted from ribbing (42 rows).

Row 43: K 2 main, 9 green, 3 main, 8 red, (k 2 tog, k 1, k 2 tog) in main, 8 green, 3 main, 9 red, 2 main.

Row 44: (P 2 tog, p 1) in main, 7 red, 5 main, 6 green, (p 2 tog, p 1, p 2 tog) in main, 6 red, 5 main, 7 green, (p 1, p 2 tog) in main.

Row 45: (K 2 tog, k 1) in main, 5 green, 7 main, 4 red, (k 2 tog, k 1, k 2 tog) in main, 4 green, 7 main, 5 red, (k 1, k 2 tog) in main.

Row 46: (P 2 tog, p 1) in main, p 3 red, 9 main, 2 green, (p 2 tog, p 1, p 2 tog) in main, 2 red, 9 main, 3 green (p 1, p 2 tog) in main.

Row 47: K 2 tog, k 1) in main, 1 green, 11 main, 1 red, k 3 tog in main, 1 green, 11 main, 1 red, (k 1, K 2 tog) in main.

Row 48: Divide the sts onto needles and weave together; or bind off with main color and seam across the top.

THUMB - Pull out length of contrasting yarn which you used to knit the 7 sts on thumb row. This will release 14 sts. Pick up on 3 needles and knit for desired length of thumb.

K 2 tog around for last row. Pull out needle and pull end of yarn through all sts and fasten securely.

LEFT HAND - Work as for right hand to thumb row.

Thumb row: K 6 main, 1 red, 11 main, 1 green. With a small piece of contrasting yarn, k next 7 sts. Slip the sts you have just knitted back onto left hand needle and knit them with main color, k 4 mian, 1 red, 11 main, 1 green, 6 main.

Finish remainder of mitten as for right hand; also the thumb.


Remember that in Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls (at age four) is knitting a little pair of mittens for Baby Carrie. Go ahead and knit some mittens. You'll never learn any younger.
- posted by pioneergirl at 1:59 AM