[jhueners]

I am knitting my first pair of fingerless mitts and have run into problems picking up stitches for the thumb. I'm sure the problem stems from the type of cast-on I used to replace the stitches being held for the thumb. What cast-on do you recommend as a base for picking up new stitches to knit a thumb?

 

[Windbeam]

You have to keep check there are no holes by keeping the stitches tight at first. The patterns I have up pick up stitches from a space where there is a knitted base.

 

[jhueners]

I noticed the problem with holes on the first mitt and wanted to avoid that on the second one. I have to pick up 9 stitches. Five are cast on to replace the five on the stitch holder but I'm not sure where the other four are supposed to come from. Should I do more than one stitch in the new cast ons? Where should the additional 4 stitches be made?

 

[flginny]

I noticed the problem with holes on the first mitt and wanted to avoid that on the second one. I have to pick up 9 stitches. Five are cast on to replace the five on the stitch holder but I'm not sure where the other four are supposed to come from. Should I do more than one stitch in the new cast ons? Where should the additional 4 stitches be made?

The pattern I used had me make extra stitches. I think I had to have four, but my base only had two.

About casting on in the middle of your work, try this:
knit a stitch, but do not leave it on the right needle. Put the new stitch back on the LEFT needle with the others. Knit another stitch and put it back on the left needle. Repeat as many times as you need cast on stitches. Each stitch will be a little loose because you use extra yarn to lift it; just snug if up gently the same way you probably do when you cast on the original stitches.

You can see it done in this video. Any time you need to cast on additional stitches in your knitting....as for buttonholes....or your thumb, this is a good, really easy method.

Aren't fingerless gloves fun?
Virginia

 

[RoxyCatlady]

I used the knitted on cast on for years, because it was the only one I knew, and never had trouble picking up stitches from it. Now, though, I will either use that or the backwards loop/e-wrap cast on. Both I find work well for the space between fingers on gloves as well as the extra stitches for thumbs.

 

[Homeshppr]

The mittens I've made use the M1 add-a-stitch. There are two ways to do this: Pick up the horizontal thread between two stitches on left needle by either:
inserting left needle front to back: then Knit by inserting right needle in BACK of new stitch to close hole
inserting left needle back to fron: then knit by inserting right needle in FRONT of new stitch to close hole

 

[moke]

when i do the gusset for the thumb....i sometimes use a smaller needle for the gusset stitches and snug them up tight...i do a regular cast-on for the replacement cast-on stitches.....and usually pick-up 2 more stitches on either side of the cast-on stitches.....and these can be decresed after 2 rows....