Mammoth Mitts

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

When an early draft of the Pathfinder Player Companion: Inner Sea Primer crossed my desk, I remembered that it's time for another Golarion-themed knitting pattern!

What’s that you say? It's too hot to knit with wool at this time of year? Nonsense! Summer lasted only 2 days this year, and it was only 50 degrees Fahrenheit when I biked in this morning—practically mitten weather already! And if you don't live in frigid Seattle, remember that it's never too early to start making Crystalhue gifts... such as Mammoth Mitts!

These mittens feature a mammoth motif¹, spiraled ribbing and decreases, and colors that echo the Realm of the Mammoth Lords art from the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting. (Players who knit their mittens from qiviut earn 1 PA. Players who gather their own qiviut gain a bonus PA, but must make a DC 25 Reflex save to avoid being trampled.)

Mammoth Mitts
Materials: worsted weight yarn: 1 skein MC (moorit/red-brown), 1 skein CC1 (cream), 1 skein CC2 (purple); 1 yard of thinner black yarn
1 set US 4/3.5mm double-point needles, embroidery needle
Gauge: 24 sts/29 rows = 4 inches/10 cm
Directions for larger size are in brackets.

Directions:
Using MC, cast on 36 [44] sts.

Right cuff (ribbing spirals to the left):
Rows 1–2: (k2, p2)*
Rows 3–4: (p1, k2, p1)*
Rows 5–6: (p2, k2)*
Rows 7–8: (k1, p2, k1)*
Repeat these rows until cuff is desired length.

Left cuff (ribbing spirals to the right):
Rows 1–2: (k2, p2)*
Rows 3–4: (k1, p2, k1)* (p1, k2, p1)*
Rows 5–6: (p2, k2)*
Rows 7–8: (p1, k2, p1)*
Repeat these rows until the left cuff is the same length as the right cuff.

Mitten body²:
Rows 1–4: Knit (36 stitches).
Row 5: Place marker, make 1, knit 1, make 1, place marker, knit to end (38 [46] stitches).
Even rows 6–18: Knit.
Odd rows 7–19: Slip marker, make 1, knit to marker, make 1, slip marker.
Continue until mitten has 52 [64] stitches.
Rows 20–26: Knit. (Knitting should reach just above the join of your thumb and index finger when you put your hand inside.)
Slip the 16 [20] thumb stitches onto a piece of waste yarn.
M2 stitches, join the live stitches (38 [46] stitches).
Rows 27–29: Knit 3 rows.
Work Chart A [B] (2 repeats per row).
Rows 40–53: Resume MC; knit. (When you put your hand inside, knitting should just cover your pinkie, about 5.5 [6] inches from base of palm.)

Right Mitten Decrease (decreases slant to the left):
Row 1 (Medium): (k16, ssk)* (36 stitches)
Row 1 (Large): k44, ssk (45 stitches)
Rows 2–14: Knit.
Row 3: (k7, ssk)* (32 [40] stitches)
Row 5: (k6, ssk)* (28 [35] stitches)
Row 7: (k5, ssk)* (24 [30] stitches)
Row 9: (k4, ssk)* (20 [25] stitches)
Row 11: (k3, ssk)* (16 [20] stitches)
Row 13: (k2, ssk)* (12 [15] stitches)
Row 15: (k1, ssk)* (8 [10] stitches)
Bind off.

Left Mitten Decrease (decreases slant to the right):
Row 1 (Medium): (k16, k2tog)* (36 stitches)
Row 1 (Large): k44, k2tog (45 stitches)
Rows 2–14: Knit.
Row 3: (k7, k2tog)* (32 [40] stitches)
Row 5: (k6, k2tog)* (28 [35] stitches)
Row 7: (k5, k2tog)* (24 [30] stitches)
Row 9: (k4, k2tog)* (20 [25] stitches)
Row 11: (k3, k2tog)* (16 [20] stitches)
Row 13: (k2, k2tog)* (12 [15] stitches)
Row 15: (k1, k2tog)* (8 [10] stitches)
Bind off.

Thumb:
Pick up the 16 [20] stitches, plus 2 more from around top of thumb.
Rows 1–16: Knit. (Until just past the end of your thumb, about 2 [2.5] inches.)
Row 17: K2tog*.
Bind off.

Finishing:
Weave in all ends.
Using thin black yarn, embroider the eye and tusk details (feel free to go crazy making your mammoth look shaggy!).

Chart A (19 stitches × 11 rows):

Chart B (13 stitches × 11 rows):

1. The motif used in this pattern is based on a motif used in Kathleen Tayor's "Elephant Hats".
2. Row numbers will be a bit higher on the mitten body for the larger size, since it has more increase rows. I've included notes about fit, so you can gauge more precisely how to adjust the pattern to your own (or your recipient's) hands.

Judy Bauer
Editor