These mittens vary from the written pattern as follows:

• Needed to increase needle size to obtain gauge.
• C/o # of sts for 24 month size but extended length of mitten and thumb to fit my long-handed 3 1/2 yr old son. Also picked up # of sts for Child 7-8 size for larger thumb.
• Converted pattern to knit in the round, but did not remove the seam allowance stitches.

Knit to match Jeffrey’s I’ll be in PA for Christmas hat.

12/6 - Needed size 9 needles to obtain gauge of 16sts/24rows to 4”. Was planning to knit Child 7-8 size for my 3 1/2 year old son, but it was much too big; 24 month size is looking like it will be a better fit.

12/7 - First mitten done! I had to do some fudging with the pattern. I used the number of stitches for the 24 month size but the lengths and thumb width for the Child 7-8 size (and then some; I knit for 6 1/2” before starting the top shaping). I also had to knit the thumb much longer than the pattern calls for--my son’s thumb isn’t that stumpy! Fortunately, Jeffrey was willing to try the mitten on as often as I asked!

The biggest change I made to this pattern is to knit it in the round rather than flat and seam. This did make it a bit wider than the pattern calls for since I didn’t need the seam allowance, but that meant it fit Jeffrey perfectly. I wasn’t sure I could modify the pattern to knit in the round, but I figured after having knit a pair of fingerless gloves and designed another pair plus a pair of mittens, I ought to understand the construction well enough to make the changes. I was right; it was amazingly simple.

12/7 addendum - Aaaaargh! I hate patterns that require you to change needle sizes part way through! I forgot to change back to the US7 needles for the ribbing and ended up having to frog 10 rows. Grrrrrrr….

12/8 - And done! The hardest part was getting the mittens the same size since I’d made some changes. They’ll certainly look like a match on the hands of a snow-balling throwing pre-schooler, so my work here is done!