Since I was in the mood for some colorwork knitting I took to my computer and started designing. I use the Stitchmastery program. It gives me a grid and I click the little boxes to make patterns. I can spend hours doing this. The software gives me a default number until I name the pattern. If I don’t name it I forget what number I’m working on. In my confusion I quickly gave this one the name Nth and it stuck.

I realize that Nth is not a common word but a few people I know (like my mom) use it occasionally. Like I do with all my pattern names, I googled “Nth” and searched ravelry to make sure someone else has not used it to name a mitt pattern. What I learned was that some people use NTH in text to mean “need to have”. I love it! Two meanings now!

My patterns are not written for beginning knitters. I’d say they are for intermediate knitters that already know how to read charts or advanced knitters. I thought I’d take time here to tell you how I knit patterns like Nth Mitts. Remember, there is no one right way to do anything in knitting.

Managing multiple yarns: I always weave in as I go so I don’t have lots of strings to deal with in the end. The exception is at the beginning or end of a project. I do take the time to weave in those end so the little left over tails are not visible. Also, with corrugated ribbing like in the Nth Mitts I do not weave in as I go because I get a better look if I take the time to weave in the long tails at the end. I carry the yarn not in use up the rows, trapping it every other row or so. That way it is ready for when I need that color again. With Nth Mitts I did not do that with the red lines because I decided it would be too bulky if I had that many yarns being carried up at the beginning of the round. If this idea is new to you, check out youtube videos or other resources about knitting stripes. Stranding knitting/colorwork it like knitting stripes except each “stripe” is worked with 2 colors at a time.

I don’t use fancy yarn holders. I just put the dominate color on my left side and my “background” color on my right side. I set the balls next to my legs. If I have a color that’s not being used but is still attached to my work, I set it in the middle of my lap until I need to use it again.

I use double pointed needles (dpns) because I love knitting with them and have no interest in “magic loop”. My patterns are written using “dpns” but you could use circulars/magic loop if that’s what you like.

If you need to have these mitts you can make them yourself with this free pattern!