Having in mind a particular person and a particular result, I picked up a ball of Red Heart Soft Touch at Walmart yesterday in a denim blue. I envisaged some fingerless mitts with a lacy pattern of some kind, and the Harmony stitch books that I own immediately cooperated by providing a double eyelet rib stitch pattern that I love. (The texture reminds me of birds’ eyes and beaks, hence the name.) The stitch pattern uses a multiple of 7 so I dove in with size 7 (US) circs and 35 stitches. I’m very happy with the result. I finished the first one in a day and the second one should be finished today.

I am writing up the pattern as concisely as possible. The Channel Island cast on is in my Cast On Bind Off book by Leslie Ann Bestor but I just had a peek at You Tube and it’s easy to find a video tutorial.

I used magic loop (again, I’m sure there are many video tutorials out there) but double pointed needles would work too.

Pattern: Birdseye Mitts
One size fits most – relaxed, the diameter is 2.5 inches, stretched, 5 inches
Length 7.5 inches
Gauge not critical as these are very stretchy

One skein of worsted (medium) weight yarn (each mitt weighs less than 30grams) – estimated yardage 145yds/133m
Size 7US (4.5mm) 40inch long circular for magic loop, or dpns

Cast on 35 sts using Channel Island cast on. As this produces an even number of cast on sts, I cast on 34 and considered the slipknot as a stitch.

Slide sts onto cable and divide with 19 in front and 16 in back, yarn coming from back needle. Start working double eyelet rib pattern with magic loop method as below…
Round 1: *k5, p2, repeat from * around
Round 2: as round 1
Round 3: *k2tog, YO, k1, YO, SKP, p2, repeat from * around
Round 4: as round 1

Complete ten repeats of four-row stitch pattern.

There is a pattern repeat in the middle of the front needle which will become the insertion point for the thumb, although any column of knit stitches will do. Both mitts are made the same. Knit 5 sts, purl one, then take some waste yarn in a different colour and use it to [purl one stitch, knit 5, purl one]. Slip those 7 sts back onto left needle and reknit them with main colour. Continue around as usual. Complete three more pattern repeats to finish hand, and bind off.

Return to the waste yarn, and pick up the sts that are being held there, 7 below and 8 above the thumb opening. (Search “afterthought thumb” if you need help.) The 7 sts on the front needle will continue in the stitch pattern, the 8 at back are just knitted in plain stockinette. Starting with a Round 1, complete two repeats of the pattern. Bind off loosely.

Weave in ends.

Abbreviations
K knit
P purl
SKP slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over
YO yarnover
Sts stitches
Dpns double pointed needles

Edited to add: I have added this pattern to the sidebar in Free Knitting Patterns and also published it on Ravelry.