Mock Cable Mitts

Several years ago I encountered these mock cable ribs in a sock pattern and became enamored of their simplicity and flexibility, so when I set out to create a pattern for fingerless mitts, this was an obvious choice. The thumb employs a somewhat unusual construction, with the mock cable ribs running up the thumb and the thumb increases being incorporated into the pattern stitch. Since the pattern goes all the way around, both mitts are made the same way; there is no different left or right, which minimizes wear areas. Also, unlike the typical thumb construction of a fingerless mitt, these employ increases on both sides of the thumb markers to allow the mock cable ribs to flow all the way to the ends of the thumb.