Welcome back to “Free Pattern Friday”, a fresh new free pattern every week! You’ll find today’s pattern at the very bottom of this page. These patterns are available FREE to use on your tablet or smart phone, or print from this location; they are not, at the moment, downloadable. Please see the FAQ tab above if you have trouble printing. For pattern support, please email me at for fastest results. Please do not leave knitting questions in the comments section.
Today, I’ve decided to brush up and make free forever one of my most popular paid patterns, the Barn Swallow Fingerless Mitts (now called Swallow Tail Mittens). This is the perfect project with which to kick off your “Holiday Box”, that stash basket that houses small knitted items to give as gifts when the need arises. (Look for more about the Holiday Box in September’s newsletter ;). So how about a touch of ‘really pretty’ peeking out from your coat sleeve? These feminine fingerless mitts are just the thing! They’re quick to knit with just enough excitement to keep a knitter from getting bored, yet much easier than they look. You’ll want to make them in every color.
Bonus? They match the Barn Swallow Socks! Just for fun, choose a free accessories pattern when you purchase the Barn Swallow Socks pattern this weekend; just enter the coupon code BARNSWALLOW at checkout and choose your free accessories pattern.
Extra bonus? I’ve been hearing from some helpful readers that the coupon codes on my SHOP link were not working, so I’ve marked down the Flat Stephanie Notions Bag and the Walker Sock Tote through the weekend too. Just click the SHOP link on the sidebar to save over 20% on these awesome bags!
So, to kick off your stash knitting, here is Swallow Tail! I’ve started a Free Pattern Friday Ravelry group where you can post your comments, chat, feedback, modifications and suggestions. I hope to see you there. Happy Knitting!
Swallow Tail Mittens
Quick fingerless mittens for the intermediate knitter
You'll Need
YARN:Quince & Co. Tern (75% American Wool, 25% Silk; 50 g/221 yd) 1 skein “Beach Glass”
NEEDLES: 2.75mm circular needle with minimum 40” cable for magic loop or 2.75mm double pointed needles
TOOLS/NOTIONS: Removable stitch markers, one distinctive for BOR, tapestry needle for weaving in ends.
GAUGE: 30-32 sts and 48 rows = 4”/ after blocking.
FINISHED SIZE: (after blocking)
- Ladies Small: 6“ in circumference (fits 7” hand circumference)
- Ladies Medium: 6-1/2” in circumference (fits 7-1/2“ hand circumference)
- Ladies Large: 7” in circumference (fits 8“ hand circumference)
CONSTRUCTION:
- Mitts are worked in the round from the cuff upward using your preferred method of working in the round.
- Pattern is written for magic loop method (singly or two-at-a-time) but can easily be worked on multiple double pointed needles.
- Stitch patterns are presented in both charted and written form.
SPECIAL STITCHES:
M1R: (Make 1 right-leaning) Pick up running strand between stitches from back to front; knit through the front loop
M1L: (Make 1 left-leaning) Pick up running strand between stitches from front to back; knit through the back loop
ELASTIC BIND-OFF: K2, *insert left needle into front of both sts on the right needle from left to right and knit the two sts together throught the back loops, k1* Repeat.
Instructions
CUFF: Using the Twisted German method, CO 45 (48, 51) sts, placing 25 sts on front needle for the back of the hand (needle 1) and 20 (23, 26) sts on back needle for the palm (needle 2). [For a video tutorial on the Twisted German Cast On, CLICK HERE] Join for your preferred method of working in the round, placing a distinctive marker for BOR. Work ribbing as follows:
- Rnd 1: *p1, k2, rep from * around
- Rnd 2: [p1, k5, p1, k2] twice, p1, k5, p1, * K2, p1* repeat to 2 sts before end of rnd, end k2.
Repeat Rnds 1 and 2 until ribbing measures 1-1/4” ending with Rnd 2.
Begin working Chart A across needle 1 while maintaining needle 2 in established rib. Continue in this manner until Chart A has been worked 5 times.
THUMB GUSSET: During the Gusset section, begin working Chart B across needle 1. On needle 2, mark placement of thumb gusset as follows:
- Right Mitten: Place a removable marker after the 5th st and after the 6th st. (There will be a single purl stitch between the markers.)
- Left Mitten: Place a removable marker after the 17th st and after the 18th st. (There will be a single purl stitch between the markers.)
Continuing to work Chart B across needle 1, work the following Gusset Inc Round on needle rnd:
- Gusset Inc Rnd: Knit to first marker, sm, M1R, knit to next marker, M1L, sm, knit to end of needle. (2 sts increased) Continue increasing in this manner until there are 21 sts between markers.
- Work 2 rnds even on needle 2 while continuing to work Chart B on needle 1.
- Next Rnd: Knit to first marker, remove marker, place next 21 sts on a length of waste yarn, remove marker, cast on loop method, work to end of rnd.
HAND: Continue as established, keeping needle and working Chart B on needle 1 until hand measures 1-1/2” from cast on stitches over thumb (or desired length less 3/4” for edge finishing.
Finish the hand by working 3/4” in p1, k2 ribbing.
Bind off by working the Elastic Bind-Off (see Special Stitches in sidebar) over needle Bind-Off over needle 2.
THUMB: Place 21 sts from waste yarn onto three dpn’s. Join yarn. (This is BOR).
- With a fourth dpn, pick up and knit 5 sts at base of hand (this includes the 3 cast on sts, plus 1 st on either side).
- Knit to 1 st before BOR. Knit this last st together with the first st on the next needle. Knit until 1 st remains on this needle. Knit this remaining st together with the first st on the next needle. (24 sts in rnd).
- Knit 5 rnds even.
- Finish the thumb by working 6 rnds in p1, k2 ribbing. Bind off using the Standard method.
FINISHING: Weave in ends and wet block.
CHART A:
Written Instructions:
- Rnd 1: p1, k2, p1, k3, k2tog, k3, yo, p1, yo, k3, ssk, k3, p1, k2, p1
- Rnd 2: p1, k23, p1
- Rnd 3: p1, k2, p1, k2, k2tog, k3, yo, k1, p1, k1, yo, k3, ssk, k2, p1, k2, p1
- Rnd 4: p1, k23, p1
- Rnd 5: p1, k2, p1, k1, k2tog, k3, yo, k2, p1, k2, yo, k3, ssk, k1, p1, k2, p1
- Rnd 6: p1, k23, p1
- Rnd 7: p1, k2, p1, k2tog, k3, yo, k3, p1, k3, yo, k3, ssk, p1, k2, p1
- Rnd 8: p1, k23, p1
CHART B:
Written Instructions:
- Rnd 1: k3, p1, k3, k2tog, k3, yo, p1, yo, k3, ssk, k3, p1, k3
- Rnd 2: k25
- Rnd 3: k3, p1, k2, k2tog, k3, yo, k1, p1, k1, yo, k3, ssk, k2, p1, k3
- Rnd 4: k25
- Rnd 5: k3, p1, k1, k2tog, k3, yo, k2, p1, k2, yo, k3, ssk, k1, p1, k3
- Rnd 6: k25
- Rnd 7: k3, p1, k2tog, k3, yo, k3, p1, k3, yo, k3, ssk, p1, k3
- Rnd 8: k25
Notes
CLICK HERE for Standard Abbreviations
**Please direct pattern and knitting questions to for fastest results. Please do not post knitting questions in the blog comments. Thanks!
As soon as you have them wrapped up in string your presence is requested in the forest, the fairies are asking for you.
Well, that is the loveliest invitation I think I’ve ever had!