The Thumb-Trick

Most of you know that I started knitting AND baking pies in July 2009.
Year of the Pie is here.

I have really enjoyed learning to knit. I am still learning new techniques. In between projects I try to learn something new.
This week I am learning the Elizabeth Zimmermann Thumb -Trick for a mitered mitten. Woolen mittens will be needed sooner than we think!
I haven't made the mittens yet, but here are some pics of the thumb-trick.
(the pattern is in Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac)

A practice swatch. One end is size 7 needles, the other end is size 8.
Basically, while knitting happily along on your mitten you can knit in a spare and completely separate piece of yarn (the orange), put those stitches back on your left needle and then continue knitting in the original yarn.

When the rest of the mitten is complete you can go back and pull out the special wool, pick up those stitches and knit around to the length of your thumb. Draw the wool through the final stitches.

There are two stitches on the sides that were not in the special wool that need to be picked up and twisted (needle is pointing at it), so you would have 15 stitches. I have yet to perfect that picked up twisted stitch, which is to prevent a gaping hole. But with practice I will over come!

I didn't weave in the ends because I ripped this all out to re use for the actual mitten. You may recognize this yarn from here, I didn't like how it fit so I ripped IT out to make mittens. Ha. ( I like to recycle things)

Ravelry.com is a great place for knitters and crocheters. It has helped me a lot.
I am LKLawsonKnits on Ravelry.