Wickerwork Mitts ~ Crochet Pattern and Phototutorial

Even after 19 winters in Wisconsin, I'm still learning how to keep warm during the chilly months. This year's lesson: cover the pulse points! Not all the sweaters in the world will help if one's neck and wrists are bare. But put on a scarf (or turtleneck) and some snug wristlets, and you feel cozier all over.

Here for your crochet warmth (and pleasure) are the Wickerwork Mitts. They're quick to make - my last pair took an hour, including finishing - and easy on the yarn (50 yards makes a Small pair).  I find them rather addictive - I've made 3 pairs so far.

The Wickerwork mitts are easily customized to fit a larger or smaller hand. You can try them on as you go, and make them as long or as short as you like - mine go just past my wristbone. Also optional is the use of linked stitches for a slightly more solid palm to your mitt. (And if you really like the linked stitches, you could do an entire round of them.)

A tip for keeping your mitts in good shape: to remove, put your hand around your wrist just below the mitt, and gently push it off.

All stitch terminology is American.

Pulse points covered!

Size: Small (M,L)

Yarn Requirements: 50-60 yards of worsted weight yarn (more for longer or larger mitts)

Yarns I used: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted Weight (red)
                      Cascade 220 Wool (black)
                      Stitch Nation Washable Ewe (green)

Hook Size: I

We'll start with a chart, followed by a shorthand pattern and photo tutorial with instructions in plain English.

Wickerwork Mitts Stitch Schematic

Please Note: Although not a complete chart, this schematic does show the various stitches and rows. You'll have to read the pattern or follow the tutorial for things like thumb hole placement and how to make the foundation row.

The author at work...

Wickerwork Mitts Shorthand Pattern

A special thanks to CrueHead on Ravelry who pointed out a pattern typo in Round 2.

The typo has been fixed as of January 9th (corrections are in bold type).

Thanks so much, CrueHead!

(Don't be put off by the imposing stitch list - most of the stitches are normal, everyday crochet stitches, with some rows made in the back loop. There's really only one funky stitch used - and it's optional.)

Stitches:

Fdhc - Foundation half double crochet. See beginning of phototutorial for instructions.
Scbl - Single crochet through back loop
Hdcbl - Half double crochet through back loop
Dcbl - Double crochet through back loop
Trbl - Triple crochet through back loop

Ltrbl (Optional stitch - Linked Triple Crochet through Back Loop) - Yo, insert hook through one strand of 2nd loop from base of row and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yo (4 loops on hook), insert hook through back loop of next stitch (5 loops on hook); yo, pull up a loop; yo, pull through 2 loops (4 times).

Short Hdc Decr (short half double crochet decrease) - Yo, insert hook through next st, pull up loop. Insert hook through next st, pull up loop. Yo, pull through all loops.

Please Note:

~ Beginning chains do NOT count as the first stitch of a round, unless otherwise indicated.
~ Final stitches of each round will be made in the joining slip stitch of the previous round, unless otherwise indicated.
~ New rounds will start in the 2nd stitch of previous rounds, unless otherwise indicated.
~Joining slip stitches are always made through two strands, even on back loop only rows.

Starting Round: Fhdc 22 (24,26). Right side is facing you. Remove hook; flip foundation chain over; re-insert hook. Bring ends together, keeping wrong side to inside of ring, and join with sl st to form ring (see photos below; gap will be sewn closed later). Do not turn. Right side will be facing you at all times.

Round 1: Ch 1. Starting in 2nd stitch, scbl around = 22 (24,26) stitches. Final stitch will be made in slip stitch of previous round. Join with sl st.

Round 2, both mitts: Ch 5 (counts as first stitch). For a lacy palm, trbl 7 (8,9). For a solid palm, ltrbl 7 (8,9) (see Stitches above or photo tutorial below for instructions). Total 8 (9,10) stitches so far.

Round 2 continued, Left Mitt: Trbl 12 (13,14). Ch 2 (sk next 2 st) - thumb hole made. Join with sl st in 5th ch of beginning st = 22 (24,26) stitches.

Round 2 continued, Right Mitt: Ch 2 (sk next 2 st) - thumb hole made. Trbl 12 (13,14). Join with sl st in 5th ch of beginning st = 22 (24,26) stitches.

Round 3: Ch 1. Starting in next st, scbl around = 22 (24,26) stitches. Join with sl st.

Round 4: Ch 1, hdcbl around = 22 (24,26) stitches. Join with sl st.

Round 5 (decrease): Ch 1. Hdc 6 (7,8). Short hdc decr 1 (see Stitches, above). Hdc 10 (11,12). Short hdc decr 1. Hdc 2. Join with sl st = 20 (22,24) stitches.

Rounds 6-9: Ch 1, hdc around = 20 (22,24) stitches. Join with sl st. (Additional rounds may be added here for a longer glove.)

Round 10: Ch 1, scbl around = 20 (22,24) stitches. Join with sl st.

Round 11: Ch 2, dcbl around = 20 (22,24) stitches. Join with sl st.

Round 12: Ch 1, scbl around = 20 (22,24) stitches. Join with sl st or invisible join.

Cut yarn and weave in end. With starting tail, sew top of starting round together and weave in end.

Try on your new mitt and admire the neo-Victorian vibe. Pretty toasty, isn't it? The next one will be done before you know it.

Wickerwork Mitts Photo Tutorial with Instructions in Plain English

Important Notes:
~ Beginning chains do NOT count as the first stitch of a round, unless otherwise indicated.
~ New rounds will start in the 2nd stitch of previous rounds (I'll tell you if they don't).
~ Final stitches of each round will be made in the joining slip stitch of the previous round, unless otherwise indicated.
~ Joining slip stitches are always made through two strands, even on "back loop only" rows.

(Don't be surprised if I repeat these things during the tutorial.)

To start the mitt, we'll be using the Foundation Half-Double Crochet stitch, a very cool way of making the starting chain and first row all at the same time.

If you've never tried this stitch, just take your time. It's not as fast as a plain chain stitch, but it gives a much stretchier edge and is easier to stitch into when you make the next row.

Here we go.

Starting Round
Chain 2:

Yarn over, and insert your hook into the back loop and the back bump of the first chain;
yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops now on hook);
yarn over, pull through 1 loop (still 3 loops on hook);
yarn over, pull through all loops on hook. That's it! First stitch done.

The edge with the starting knot is the top edge. The hook is at the bottom edge.

For the second and following stitches:
Yarn over,
insert hook under 2 crossed strands at the top of the previous stitch,

yarn over, pull up a loop,
yarn over, pull through 1 loop,
yarn over, pull through all loops on hook.
Second stitch done!

Tip: If you are a tight crocheter (like me), here's how to make a nice even foundation chain.

Every time you pull up a loop, bring the hook out far enough so that it's at a right angle to the work. This will give you an even tension, the top and bottom edges will match, and your foundation chain will be nice and straight.

If your hook stays angled in towards the stitches as in the below photo, your foundation chain will be tight on top and loose on the bottom. The tighter stitches will pull in and make the whole thing curvy.

Keep making foundation chain stitches until you have 22 (24,26). The side facing you is the right side.

To join into a ring:
Remove hook from loop.
Flip the foundation row over so that the top edge is now on the bottom. Re-insert hook.
Lay the working yarn on top of the strip,
and bring the starting edge over to the ending edge to form a ring.
The working yarn should be inside the ring.

Insert hook from front to back through 1st stitch of starting edge. Join with slip stitch to form ring.
(The starting edge corner and the other edge corner will be sewn together when the mitt is done.)

Do not turn. Right side will be facing you at all times. The star in the above photo shows where the first stitch of the next round will go.

Try on the ring to make sure it fits your hand. It should be comfortably snug and slightly stretched. If necessary, undo slip stitch and adjust up or down a size by adding or removing foundation stitches.

The rest of the mitt will go much more quickly.

Round 1
Chain 1.
Starting in the NEXT stitch, single crochet in back loop only all the way around = 22 (24,26) stitches.

Your final single crochet will be made in the back loop of the slip stitch from the previous round.

Join with a slip stitch to close the round. (Be careful not to slip stitch in the chain 1. The star in the photo above marks the first single crochet of the round. Slip stitch to that.)

A note on joining with slip stitches: For this pattern, always slip stitch through both top strands to close a round, even if all your other stitches were "back loop only".

Round 2

Here you have the option to make a lacy palm - triple crochets all around - or a solid palm, keeping the lacier triple crochets on the back of your hand. (I made my mitts with solid palms.) Or, if you really like the way the linked stitches look, you could make the entire round linked. The choice is yours.

Chain 5 (this counts as the first stitch).

For a lacy palm, make 7 (8,9) plain triple crochets through the back loop, and skip to "Round 2, continued" below.

Lacy palm

For a solid palm, make 7 (8,9) linked triple crochets in the back loop as follows.

Yarn over and insert hook through left strand of 2nd chain;
yarn over and pull up a loop.
Yarn over, and insert hook through back loop of next stitch.
Yarn over and pull up a loop;
Yarn over and pull through 2 loops (4 times) to complete stitch.

For the following linked stitches:

Yarn over and insert hook through left strand of 2nd "bump" of previous stitch (see photo below);
yarn over and pull up a loop.
Yarn over, and insert hook through back loop of next stitch.
Yarn over and pull up a loop;
Yarn over and pull through 2 loops (4 times).

For the solid palm mitt, you should have a total of 8 (9,10) linked stitches. (Remember, the chain 5 counts as the first stitch of this row.) Finish as directed in "Round 2, continued" below.

Solid palm - a tad warmer and less likely to snag on things

Round 2, continued

Left Mitt (thumb hole at end of row): Triple crochet through back loop 12 (13,14).
Chain 2 (skip next 2 stitches) - thumb hole made.
Join with slip stitch to 5th chain of beginning stitch = 22 (24,26) stitches.

Right Mitt (thumb hole in middle of row): Chain 2 (skip next 2 stitches) - thumb hole made.

Triple crochet through back loop 12 (13,14).
Join with slip stitch to 5th chain of beginning stitch = 22 (24,26) stitches.

Now the fussy part is done. From here on in it's easy peasy.

Round 3:
Chain 1.
Starting in NEXT stitch, single crochet through back loop around = 22 (24,26) stitches. (Don't forget your final stitch will be made in the slip stitch of your previous round.)
Join with slip stitch. (Be careful to skip over the chain 1 that started the round.)

When finishing rounds, watch out for that chain 1 - don't slip stitch there
by mistake

Slip stitch made. The star marks where the first stitch of the next round
should go.

Round 4:
Chain 1.
Starting in next stitch, half double crochet through back loop around = 22 (24,26) stitches.
Join with slip stitch.

Now's a good time to try on your mitt and see how it feels.

Mine feels pretty good

I like the solid palm

Round 5 (decrease round):
On the next several rounds, we're making regular half double crochets. (No more "thru the back loop" - for a while.)

Chain 1.
Starting in next stitch, half double crochet 6 (7,8).

Make short half double crochet decrease as follows (it's really just a half double and single crochet decreased into one stitch):

Yarn over, insert hook through next stitch;
pull up a loop;
insert hook through next stitch,
pull up a loop;
pull through all loops on hook.

Half double crochet 10 (11,12) more.

Make 1 more short half double crochet decrease.
Half double crochet 2.
Join with slip stitch. You should have 20 (22,24) stitches.

Now the rounds will start to fly, and you'll be done before you know it.

Rounds 6-9:
Chain 1.
Starting in next stitch, half double crochet around = 20 (22,24) stitches.
Join with slip stitch.

After Round 9 (when you have 6 rows of half double crochet), try on your mitt to see if you like the length. I wanted mine to just cover the wrist bone, so this was perfect for me.

If you'd like a longer mitt, make some extra rounds of half double crochet until you're happy with the length.

Round 10:
Chain 1.
Starting in next stitch, single crochet through back loop around = 20 (22,24) stitches.
Join with slip stitch.

Round 11:
Chain 2. (This does NOT count as a stitch.)

Starting in next stitch, double crochet through back loop around = 20 (22,24) stitches.
(Your final double crochet will be squished in through the back loop of the stitch that contains the chain 2. That's okay.)
Join with slip stitch.  (Be careful to slip stitch in the first real double crochet, not the top of the chain 2.)

1 more stitch to make in this round -
it will go in the same space as the chain 2

Look! No gaps!

Round 12:
Chain 1.
Single crochet through back loop around = 20 (22,24) stitches.
Join with slip stitch OR invisible join.

What's an invisible join? Read on (because this tutorial's not long enough already). :)

For invisible join, cut yarn and leave a 4-5" tail. Gently pull yarn up and out of final single crochet.

Insert hook from back to front through next stitch (not the chain 1);
pull yarn end all the way through.
Insert hook, from back to front, of back loop only of final single crochet (the stitch the yarn came from in the first place);
pull yarn end all the way through.

How's that for a neat finish?

Weave in end.

At the top of the mitt, using starting tail, sew top of starting round together and weave in end. And you're finished!

When you're done admiring your lovely new Wickerwork Mitt...

...put it on and see how nicely it fits. Now your wrist will be warm while you crochet the second mitt. (Don't forget to put the thumb hole on the opposite side when crocheting the other mitt.)

Remember, the best way to remove the mitt is to put your hand around your wrist just below the mitt, and gently push it off. (Better than tugging on the top edge.)

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or contact me in Ravelry. Thanks for viewing, and happy crocheting!

You may do whatever you like with the items you make from this pattern, but you may not sell all or part of the pattern.

P.S. To sharp-eyed crochet purists: AFTER writing the entire post (and hand-drawing the chart), I realized that what I call a "linked triple crochet" is technically a linked double triple crochet. Sorry about that. (I'm not changing it now. Let us call this an erratum.)

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