How to knit a basic French bath mitt & how there's still beauty in imperfection!!!

Hi everyone,  I hope you all are enjoying your Sunday.  It's been so busy the last couple days that I haven't been able to post my photos of my knitting project - the French bath mitts.  I've got the basic pattern here, which I'll share with you.  I wasn't able to get photos showing how to cast on since I was doing this on my own.  The next project, I'll have my dad help me with that :) :)  Before we get started, I thought I'd share with you a photo of the very FIRST thing I ever learned how to knit...a pair of Norwegian two-color mittens. I learned how to knit while I lived in Bergen, Norway....now let me preface this by saying, it took me forever to learn how to cast on stitiches properly....but once I learned that, then everything else was easy...and this is what I made...no joke!!! it's like counted cross-stitch...but three-dimensional!!! Oh, looks like they need some repairs...




Okay...on to the good stuff...how to make a French bath mitt. I want to say up front that this project was knit in a hurry...and for that I'm sorry.  I'll be more detailed in my next  project. I did include some links to cover some of the basics that I didn't cover here...just in case you had questions.  This is just a simple, simple pattern..and you can do any style of knitting pattern you want to...the important thing is that the dimensions are right...OR customize them to fit your hand...whatever you prefer. It's a really easy pattern to manipulate.  I first saw something like this in Piecework magazine and decided to make some. Once I realized how easy the pattern is, I just made ultra simple ones, that were beautiful and functional...but also easy on the wallet in terms of cost of materials!!!  These are great for washing your body, face, or dishes for that matter...just make sure you clean them in between uses :) :) Or as a gift, include a nice bar of soap inside :) :) :)

What I used to begin this project:
*Set of 5 double pointed needles - Size 4.5 mm (USA 7)
*Cotton yarn..a small skein is enough to make one mitt, at least..anything left I'd save for use in another project and add a stripe of color somewhere.

Finished size should be 5"in wide x 7"in high..or whatever size fits your hand best. This is a standard size that will fit most hands. NOTE...5" wide when layed out flat is actually 10"inches knit in the round..remember that for later..

Now I'm going out from the fact that everyone knows how to knit basic knit and purl..so if I mention something you don't know how to do, let me know..and I'll try and get some photos next time...to illustrate.

Always knit a test swatch FIRST to verify gauge and guarantee correct finished project size.  The width is the most important for this project.  You don't those mitts too wide or too tight.  The height...well, you just keep knitting until you reach the desired height..but the width is the most important here.  The pattern is simple and extra rows can be added to reach correct height...but the width can't be changed once the project is knit up.

I knit a test swatch of 20 stitches wide by 24 rows.  When I measured it, I counted exactly 5 knit stitches per inch...



5 stitches/inch x 10 in. total = 50 stitches to cast on.
NOTE: I did lower it by 2 stitches to 48...so that I would have an even number of stitiches on each needle. That was just my personal choice.  Here I will be casting on 48 stitches...for a nice YouTube video tutorial on how to cast on stitches using one needle, click here.  You can check out the website listed at the end of the video. It's actually pretty good...and I love the video tutorial..it makes everything so easy to understand!!!


Divide the stitches evenly among four...yes, I said FOUR double pointed needles.  This is very common in Europe...and I actually prefer using four needles and knitting in with a fifth...It's a more even rounded shape...and there is much less stress at the pressure points/corners of your project :) :) :)

Before you start knitting in the round, make sure the stitiches are pointing in the same direction...so you don't end up knittnig a mobius :) :) :)



Add a row marker at the beginning of the first row, so you can keep track of where the beginning of the row is.  Since I'm using double-pointed needles, I placed the row marker one stitch in from the beginning, so it won't fall off.  As you're knitting...just transfer the marker from the left needle to the right needle...and knit as usual :) :) I also use  a row counter to keep track of how many rows I've actually knit.  I will actually take notes on each project and write them down, included number of rows knit...so if I make these again, and I don't knit a test swatch..I can refer to a previous project!!!


Here you see my row marker with the number three on it. What that means for me...is that I've already knit 2 rows and I'm about to begin row three. You can use whatever method is easiest for you, for counting...just make sure you keep track of the length...!!!

Join your knitting together...and begin knitting in the round, until the piece measures 7 inches from the bottom. If you are not sure how to join your knitting in the round using double-pointed needles click here.

As I was going through my knitting bag...I found a real handy tool that combines a row marker AND row counter all in one. This is nice...because I always lose my row counters...and these, I never lose...so I switched out the old row marker...for this one :) :)

Once the mitts have reached the desired length... make sure half the stitched are placed on one needle and the other half on another needle...as pictured below...cast off and weave in the ends...Here's a link...click here. Now this is for a sweater, but the principle is the same..and will work for this project, too.  Here's another fun video I found on how to weave in the yarn ends once your done knitting. She demonstrates this on a sweater, but you can use this technique on the bath mitts, too. Click here for the video.


This is what the finished project looks like. It's very simple and knits up within a few hours.  Now, I was knitting this while watching a movie last night...and the movie must have been really good because I forgot to stop knitting after 48 rows...but I kept on knitting until Row 54...so my project ended up being 8 inches in height..and 5.25 inches in width...So my project didn't come out exactly right...and that happens from time to time. that's okay.... I'm a bit of a rebel knitter anyway...and I still find beauty in this, even though I know where all the mistakes are...but I'll never show them to you :) :) 

Now this was a project done in quite a hurry.  I'm going to make another project and take much more time with it, so you really have more of an idea of how I do things...and also I'm not normally this careless in my knitting :) :) :)  I've also knit quite a few hats, mittens and socks..and they're fun and easy to do as well!!!


Here are some more lost/forgotten counted cross-stitch projects and one knitting project that I dug up while I was searching out my knitting needles. I'm telling you...I really do have all sorts of goodies stashed away!!!!

The words on the cross-stitch hoop says "She worketh willingly with her hands.."



Well that's it from Oregon today...I'll make sure to have more detailed photos etc for the next knitting project.  Thanks for stopping by. I love it when  you leave comments!!! Love and hugs, Heather :) :) :)