(The following pattern is copyright to me. Meaning that it was designed by me. Meaning that you may use it for yourself, gifting to others, a starting point for another pattern, or for charity work. Any uses that net you monetary gain will make me and my pointy sticks very angry. And you would not like me when I’m angry.)

Purple Monkey Dishwasher Fingerless Mitts

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So, I knitted these up as a gift for a friend (Crap, now I have to make something ELSE for her birthday. Hmmm.), with a little over 1/2 skein of yarn. The name comes from the fact that I could NOT think of a name to save my ass, and I remembered seeing “Purple Monkey Dishwasher” on the net, and then researching it so I would know what it was..These things take NO TIME. I watched two cheesy horror movies, knitted these, and still kept up with the plots of each. By the way, Candy Stripers (the horror movie) is awesome to knit to.

Each mitt only takes about 3 hours from cast on to finishing. They make an excellent cable project, since they have only a total of 10 cable crossings in each mitt. That’s 2 on every cable crossing row, of which there are only five.
The interesting part is that the cables do not sit directly over the center back of the hand. Instead, they gracefully run down the knuckles of the first and second fingers. This was a fluke when first knitting it, but I ended up liking it.
WOOHOO!
Also, these make wonderful last minute gifts, and can be knitted in any worsted weight yarn. They are tightly knit, and as such, very warm for playing guitar hero, typing, or knitting.

Anyway, here’s the pattern.

Purple Monkey Dishwasher Fingerless Mitts

Materials:
150-200 yards worsted weight yarn (amount given is for one pair of mitts.)
US 5 straight needles.
Darning needle
Cable Needle

Gauge: 5 st x 7 rows = 1″ in stockinette

Abbreviations:
C4B – Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold in back, knit 2, knit 2 from cable needle.

C4F – Slip next 2 sts to cable needle, hold in front, knit 2, knit 2 from cable needle.

Instructions:

Right Mitt -
C/O 40 sts.
Rows 1 – 12 are worked in k1,p1 ribbing.
Next Row (13) – P4, k2, p8, k2, p4, k1, p19
14 – K19, p1, k4, p2, k8, p2, k4.
15 – Same as 13.
16 – K19, p1, k4, p2, C4F, C4B, p2, k4.

Repeat rows 13-16 four more times (a total of 5 cable crossing rows.). If you wish to lengthen the mitts, add more cable crossing repeats. Either way, make sure you end by knitting row 15.
Instead of making the next row a cable crossing row, work K1, P1 across. Work 5 more rows of K1, P1 (6 rows total), and bind off in k1,p1 pattern.

Left Mitt -
C/O 40 sts
Rows 1-12 are worked in k1, p1, ribbing.
13 – P19, k1, p4, k2, p8, k2, p4
14 – K4, p2, k8, p2, k4, p1, k19.
15 – same as 13.
16 – K4, p2, C4F, C4B, p2, k4, p1, k19.

Repeat rows 13-16 four more times (a total of 5 cable crossing rows.). If you wish to lengthen the mitts, add more cable crossing repeats. Either way, make sure you end by knitting row 15.
Instead of making the next row a cable crossing row, work K1, P1 across. Work 5 more rows of K1, P1 (6 rows total), and bind off in k1,p1 pattern.

Finishing:
To finish, sew the side seams together, leaving a hole about halfway up (for me this was the top of the bottom – longer- ribbing, to the middle of the 3rd cable.) for your thumb. Weave in ends and enjoy!