I taught myself how to knit again (after having learned the very basics as a child) in the summer of 2019. I bumped my way through various projects and techniques chasing curiosity and whimsey. In the the autumn of that year, I thought I’d try my hand at thrummed mittens. I hadn’t made regular mittens before, but that didn’t stop me.
This blog post is adapted from my stream-of-consciousness updates on Ravelry. I’ve missed having a blog! I share it here to show you that you don’t have to be good at something to try it, you just have to be curious. And a good googler!
If you don’t know the term, thrums are little loops of roving (unspun wool) that you knit into the mittens to give them extra warmth. I’m following Tanis Lavalee’s pattern for making thrummed mittens.
October 19
I bought some roving today and did a little reading on how to make thrums. Fascinated by the process of lengthening the roving and how it changes as you pull it – feeling the first twinkles of interest in spinning. Uh oh!
I’m using this method for making thrums (links to a YouTube tutorial). I’ve already given up trying to pull the thrums through with my needle and instead pull them through with a crochet hook and then knit through the thrum and the stitch. It’s easier to do than describe. I’m also going with an afterthought thumb as recommended in the pattern, even though I’d never heard of one before.
I’ve gotten lost a few times (forgot one entire needle worth of thrums, ended up with an extra stitch somewhere) but the project seems very forgiving. (Edited to add: remember, I’d been knitting for about 12 weeks at this point!)
October 21
Finished the hand part of the first mitten, complete with my first kitchener stitch graft, and hated how peaked the fingertips were, so I pulled it all out (admittedly, the kitchener stitch had been a little sloppy) and pulled back two rows and tried it again. Still didn’t like it, so I undid it all again and frogged four more rows, which brought me into thrum territory – that was a mistake. Putting thrums in is pretty easy; taking them back out again is a messy fibrous hell. I think I might have lost a couple of stitches, but I got it done and it’s better, but still not great.
Note for mitt #2: start the decreases as mentioned, but bind off after 16 rows of thrums plus two knit rows.
Trying to decide if I tackle the afterthought thumb or cast on for mitten #2 next. Also wondering why the pattern doesn’t specify that the thumb slot should be on the other side of needle #1 so the palms are together and you don’t have two of the same sided mitten.
October 27
Finished! Overall, this was a fun and forgiving first-ever mitten project. Still not sure about the afterthought thumb method. For the second mitten, I don’t know why the pattern doesn’t suggest you move the thumb to the other side of the first needle but I did (so there are distinct L and R mitts.) This tutorial was helpful for the thumb, and seemed to leave a smaller hole:
These are too long for my preference. If I make them again for me, I’ll start the decrease rows three inches after the thumb / six from the cuff, and bind off with 18 stitches left on the needles.
We’ll have to wait for the deep cold to settle in and see if these can withstand an Ottawa winter, but they sure feel cozy! I think I like them better inside out, although the little hearts made by the thrums are pretty sweet too.
And I went on to make at least half a dozen pairs of thrummed mittens, giving them as gifts and making a less wonky pair for myself that I still wear every day in our cold Canadian winters. It’s an easier project than you think, don’t be afraid to give this one a try, even if you are a very beginner knitter – I was!