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Home / Blog / Knitting / Arched Thumb Gusset for Top-Down Mittens

Arched Thumb Gusset for Top-Down Mittens

This article is part of my universal basic mittens pattern.

The decreases are worked only on the other side of the thumb every round. The gusset follows the form of the “life line” of your hand.

Your mitten should now cover the top of your hand from the tip of your longest finger to the base of the thumb or equal the measurement A on the size chart.

Special techniques used

Backwards loop cast on method:

If you use the backwards loop cast on method you need to pick up and knit the stitches when you start making the thumb. There will be a a tiny seam inside the thumb.

See a video tutorial here.

Provisional cast on method:

For the provisional cast on method you need a piece of scrap yarn and a crochet hook. When you start to work the thumb you unravel the scrap yarn and you’ll have live stitches. The beginning of the thumb will be seamless.

See a video tutorial here.

On the images below the thumb on the left side is made with provisional cast on method and the thumb on the right side with backwards loop cast on method.

Abbreviations

Knitting abbreviations used in this pattern you can find here.

Pattern

The pattern is written for the magic loop method and it’s assumed that your stitches are divided evenly on two needles.

I have a total of sts on my needles and my gauge is .

Right hand

Round 1: k22, pm, CO (backwards loop or provisional cast on method) 16 sts, k to end

A total of 60 sts.

Decreases

Round 2: k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, k to end

Repeat decreases every round 15 more times. A total of 44 sts.

You can remove the gusset markers (leave the BOR).

Left hand

Round 1: CO (backwards loop or provisional cast on method) 16 sts, pm, k to end

A total of 60 sts.

Decreases

Round 2: k to marker, sm, ssk, k to end

Repeat decreases every round 15 more times. A total of 44 sts.

You can remove the second marker.

Both hands

Continue working in the round until your thumb opening measures according to measurement B on the schematics or covers your whole hand from the tip of your longest finger to the beginning of the wrist and then go and make the cuff. After finishing the cuff come back to this pattern and make the thumb according to the instructions below.