New blog! Ryan has been working on this for me, and it’s so exciting to see it up and running. To add to the excitement, I bring you a free pattern for Little Zebra Mittens! I dare you to find something more fun and crazy than zebra print. Or young children. These mittens bring the two together!

The mittens are knit in two different sizes using the same chart, varying needle size to get a larger or smaller mitten. There is a lot you can do with such a simple pattern; a glittery yarn would make some crazy sparkly mittens, or you could bring in an optional third color to knit the cuff, tip and thumb with. Like pink and purple glitter mittens! Or a cyan cuff, tip and thumb with a traditional black and white zebra print for a little retro feel. You could go crazy colors like cyan and red or green and orange, or more analogous like auburn and camel or cerulean and sapphire.

Little Zebra Mittens

Sizes
2-4 years
5in long by 3in wide
15 rows and 17 columns in a 2in square

4-6 years
6 ½in by 3¼in wide
14 rows and 13 columns in a 2in square

Supplies

• a set of double pointed needles, size 3 for 2-4 year mittens or size 4 for 4-6 year mittens
• 70y of worsted weight yarn in main color (Red in the mittens pictured in the post)
• 50y of worsted weight yarn in contrasting color (White in the mittens pictured in the post)
• optional – 25y of worsted weight yarn in a third colour for cuff, tip, and thumb of mitten
• tapestry needle
• scrap yarn for marking thumb

Abbreviations
k- Knit
ssk- slip, slip, knit
k2tog – Knit two stitches together

Pattern
Cast on 40 stitches with your main color. If you are doing the cuff, tip and thumb in a different color use that color.
Divide the stitches among three double pointed needles and join in round.
Work 8 rows in k1, p1 ribbing in the round. If you want a longer cuff, knit 8 additional rows.

Begin chart. Knit with your main color for the black squares and your contrasting color for the white squares.
Note increases in the first row, with 6 increases over the row,bringing the stitch count up to 46.
In row 16, there are two rectangles each outlining 7 stitches. These represent the right and left thumbs, one for each mitten. Knit the 7 marked stitches for the thumb onto a piece of scrap yarn. Then move these stitches back onto your working needle and knit them according to the chart.
Begin the decreases in row 36. Remember to switch back to your third color if you are doing the cuff, tip, and thumb a different color.

If you want a longer more rounded mitten tip, knit one round between each decrease round.

At the end of the chart you should have 26 stitches left. Divide them among 2 needles and use Kitchener Stitch to close the top of the mitten.
For the thumb, pick up the stitches on either side of the scrap yarn in row 14.
Pick up two additional stitches, one on each side of the waste yarn for a total of 16 stitches.
Remove scrap yarn and divide them among 3 needles.
Knit 12 rows in your main color, or the third color you used for the cuff and tip if you did them a different color.
Knit the next row as follows: ssk, k4, k2tog, ssk, k4, k2tog.
Knit the final thumb row as follows: ssk, k2, k2tog, ssk, k2, k2tog.
Divide the 8 remaining stitches among 2 needles and use Kitchener Stitch to close the thumb. Weave in all ends.

Follow these instructions for the second mitten, making sure to knit the scrap yarn for the thumb on the opposite side. Otherwise you are going to have to knit two more mittens so that you have wearable pairs!

Edited on November 2nd, 2010 to change thumb placement from row 14 to row 16 and clarify decreases.