Gravitational Lensing Mittens

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With these mittens, you can bend space-time.

"What an extravagance!" you say, "I don't need such a pair of mittens."

It's true, you don't. But if you are interested in harnessing the cosmic powers that Einstein postulated in the General Theory of Relativity, do read on.

When there's a super-massive object plunked down in space-time, like a galaxy, its huge mass causes space-time to bend around it, creating what's called a gravity-well. So when straight beams of light from a more distant galaxy pass near to the gravity-well, they bend around on their way to your eyes! This makes the more distant galaxy appear like a ring around the nearer, or else appear smushed to one side, magnified, or distorted by the nearer galaxy's huge mass. This effect is called gravitational lensing, because the nearer galaxy acts like a lens that bends the light of the distant galaxy.

Gravitational lensing mittens are full of gravity-wells! You work a series of increases and immediately decrease them away, leaving a patch of more stitches than normal packed into the same about of space (that is, a greater concentration of mass in the same amount of place). This extra mass creates gravity-wells as the knitted fabric depresses to accommodate the greater number of stitches.

And what happens to the straight columns of stockinette stitch on either side of the gravity-wells? Just like straight beams of light passing by a galaxy, the stockinette stitches get bent around the gravity-wells as their paths in space-time bend!

Materials

• About 300 yards (275 meters) of light fingering-weight yarn
  
• Five US size 0 (2mm) double-pointed needles
  
• Tapestry needle
  

Gauge

In the cuff, ribbing yields 10.8 stitches and 12.8 rounds per inch; in the hand, the pattern stitch yields 9 stitches and 12 rounds per inch on US size 0 DPNs.

Finished Size

The cuff of each mitten measures about seven inches in circumference. In the hand, the mitten's circumference is about eight inches, and the entire mitten measures about ten and three-quarters inches in length.

Cuff

Cast 73 stitches onto a US size 0 DPN, and divide the stitches among four DPNs. There should be 18 stitches on each DPN, except for the slip-knot needle, which should have 19. Pass this 19^th stitch across the gap to the first needle, completing the circle, and join in the round with a k2tog.

Round 1: K2, p1 around.

This cuff is filled with twists! These are basically tiny 1x1 cables, but in fact they are so tiny that you won't need a cable needle. To work a right twist, first knit into the front of the second stitch on the left-hand needle, then into the first stitch; then slip both stitches off of the needle together. For a left twist, begin by knitting into the back of the second stitch, then into the front of the first stitch.

As you knit the cuff, emerging will be not only the vertical waves of the twisted ribbing itself, but also a subtle horizontal wave of untwisted knit stitches that runs around the cuff. This wave is difficult to see, but like a lot of things in the universe, this subtleness is what makes it so exciting, that the cuff can look jumbled from a distance, but up close its pattern becomes clear. If you don't want this horizontal wave though, work solid left- and right twists (separated by purls) in each even round instead of breaking the twists up with two-stitch bursts of stockinette.

Round 2: Right twist, p1 around.

Round 3: K2, p1 around.

Round 4: K2, p1, [left twist, p1] x4, k2, p1.

Round 5: K2, p1 around.

Round 6: Right twist, p1, k2, p1, [right twist, p1] x2, k2, p1, right twist, p1.

Round 7: K2, p1 around.

Round 8: [Left twist, p1] x2, [k2, p1] x2, [left twist, p1] x2.

Work these eight rounds two more times. Then it will be time to transition from the cuff to the mitten body!

Round 25: K2, p1 around.

Round 26: Right twist, p1 around.

Round 27: On each needle, [k2, p1] x5, k3.

Round 28: On each needle, k3, [left twist, p1] x3, left twist, k4.

Round 29: On each needle, k5, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k6.

Round 30: On each needle, k6, right twist, p1, right twist, k7.

The waves in the cuff are like great waves of light, heading out into space from a star or a candle! As you begin working the hand, these stitches will twist around and be pulled by the gravity wells. Onward!

Thumb gusset

You'll knit the thumb gusset at the same time as you begin patterning the hand, so you'll need to look between the gusset- and hand sections of this pattern to make sure you're doing both right.

Begin working the gusset in round 33. This gusset is large and will probably fill up your DPN. But that's just how it'll have to be! Basically, you will work increases on either side of the gusset every two rounds. And once the gusset is large enough, you will begin patterning it as well. For now, skip down to the "Hand" section and knit rounds 31 and 32. Then jump back up here to start the gusset.

Round 33: inc 1, k1, inc1, place marker, then continue patterning around as normal.

Round 34: Knit across the gusset and around the rest of the mitten.

Round 35: inc 1, k across the gusset stitches, inc 1, then continue patterning around.

Round 36: Knit.

And so-forth! Continue increasing the gusset until it contains 15 stitches. In the following increase round (in which the gusset will grow to 17 stitches) begin knitting gravity-wells into the gusset.

Round 47: inc 1, k2, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k7, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k2, inc 1, then continue patterning around.

Round 48: Knit.

Repeat these two rounds three more times, though the amount of stitches on either side of the gusset will change. Then, as in the hand of the mitten, switch the increases with the decreases to complete the gravity-wells.

Work the gusset until it contains 39 stitches. After a final even knit round of the gusset, remove its first 38 stitches and place them on a stitch holder. Join the two mitten edges by casting on one stitch in between them and adding it to the first needle of the round. This new stitch will count as the first increase in the round, so when you get to the place you would normally increase for the gravity-well, don't. Now, continue patterning the hand as normal.

Hand

Round 31: On each needle, k5, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k7, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k2.

Round 32 (and all even rounds): Knit.

Round 33: On each needle, k4, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k7, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k3.

Round 35: On each needle, k3, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k7, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k4.

Round 37: On each needle, k2, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k7, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k5.

Round 39: On each needle, k2, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k7, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k5.

Round 41: On each needle, k3, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k7, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k4.

Round 43: On each needle, k4, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k7, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k3.

Round 45: On each needle, k5, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k7, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k2.

Round 46: Knit.

By now, you should see the gravity-wells taking shape. Every eight rounds, another row of gravity-wells will be completed, and the stockinette stitches will bend left and right.

Repeat these sixteen rounds four more times. When you are done, you will have just completed the fifth gravity-well on the left side of each needle; the right side of each needle will be halfway through a gravity-well.

Once you've finished all of these gravity-wells, the mitten should clear your pinky-finger, and it's time to begin decreasing.

Round 111: As round 31, but instead of working a double-decrease and then a double-increase, work the double-decrease in both places.

Rounds 112-118: As rounds 32-38.

Round 119: As round 111.

Rounds 120-126: As rounds 40-46.

Round 127: K2tog around.

Round 128: Knit.

Cut the yarn, and use a tapestry needle to thread it through the remaining stitches. Cinch the top of the mitten shut and tie in this end.

Thumb

Place the 38 thumb stitches on four needles. Pick up one stitch through the hand of the mitten between the two gusset edges and place it at the start of the round. Slip another stitch to the start of the round from the end-of-round needle.

Round 1: Join the original first stitch of the round, the cast-on stitch, and the slipped stitch with a slip 1 k2tog psso à 37sts. Then knit around the thumb stitches, patterning the gravity-wells as normal, but stop before knitting the final stitch in the round.

Round 2: Use this final stitch in another slip, k2tog, psso with the first two stitches in the new round à 35sts. Knit around.

Round 3: Work another double decrease at the start of this round à 33sts, pattern around.

Round 4: Work a final double decrease at the start of this round à 31sts, knit around.

Round 5: K2, double decrease, k5, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k2, double decrease, k2, double decrease, k5, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k2, k2tog à 28sts.

Round 6: Knit.

Round 7: K1, double decease, k5, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k5, double decrease, k5, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k4.

Round 8: Knit.

Round 9: On each needle, knit up to the point just before the old decrease, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k5, double decrease, k5, inc 1, k1, inc 1, k5, double decrease, knit to the end of the needle.

Round 10: Knit.

Rounds 11-16: repeat rounds 9 and 10 three more times.

Round 17: As round 9, but work increases where decreases had been; work decreases at the sites of the old increases.

Round 18: Knit.

Rounds 19-24: repeat rounds 17 and 18 three more times.

Round 25: As round 9, but in between each gravity-well, instead of knitting the 5 stitches, work the sequence k1, k2tog, k2 à 24sts.

Rounds 26-28: As rounds 10-12.

Round 29: As round 9, but in between each gravity-well, k1, k2tog, k1 à 20sts.

Round 30: Knit.

Round 31: At each gravity-well, work a double-decrease à 12sts.

Round 32: Knit.

Cut your yarn, cinch the thumb shut, and tie in your ends. Make one more mitten, and then you will be ready to bend the universe.

Fitted Leg-Warmers with Diagonally-Ribbed Cuffs

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My sister Laura requested a pair of leg-warmers for Christmas: snug on the leg, not too thick, and a color “that I can wear with a lot of stuff.” Of course, not-too-thick leg-warmers mean small needles and fine yarn, and a really long pattern. But I was up for it. I fetched my needles and trekked to the yarn store, where the woman helping me asked how much yarn my pattern called for.

“I’m improvising!” (I proclaimed this rather nervously).

She was trying to make conversation: “Are you planning to use a rib all the way down?”

I told her I hadn’t decided yet, paid for my yarn, and hurried home.

But no, I knew even then that I wasn’t going to be ribbing it all the way down. The thing is, I’ve recently become very interested in how the various patterns in a project meet at their borders. Do they switch out abruptly, do they morph into each other? They might awkwardly mix, or they could jigsaw. Anyway the point is, I’m finding this transitional portion really interesting at the moment, and how could I do anything with the transitional portion if I had no transitions in these leg-warmers?

So I opted for two cuffs and ribbing that at least attempts to wind neatly at the ankle into the leg-warming body of cables and vast fields of stockinette stitch, then to unfurl at the knee in widening triangles back into the ribbing. I’m imagining the cuffs like two neurons spitting out dendrites across the brain juices and feeding into each other. This isn’t a great simile, especially because real neurons don’t connect that way at all, I don’t think, just that’s how I’m imagining them.

Materials:

• About 415 yards (380 meters) of fingering-weight yarn (4-ply) [Possible suggestion: Dalegarn Baby Ull (Dark Blue)]

• Four US size 2 double-pointed needles
• One US size 3 needle (for binding off)
• Cable needle

Gauge:

In the leg, approximately 8.67 stitches and 10.66 rounds yield one inch on US size 2 DPNs.

Finished Size:

The ankle-cuff of each leg-warmer should measure about 8 ¾ inches in circumference, and the knee-cuff about 11 ½ inches. Each leg-warmer should measure about 13 ½ inches long.

Ankle-cuff:

Using an elastic cast-on, cast 64 stitches onto a US size 2 DPN. Divide the stitches between three DPNs with 21 stitches on the working- and middle needles, 22 stitches on the slip-knot needle. Transfer this 22^nd stitch to the working needle and join with a K2tog. à 63 stitches.

Round 1: K2, p1. Repeat to end.

Rounds 2-12: Slip 1, k1, psso, YO, p1. Repeat to end. Knitting this sequence is called “ribbing it.”

The ribbing will run in a diagonal as the repeatedly cast-off stitches are replenished with yarn-overs. If you arrive at a rib and realize there’s no yarn-over there for you to knit, it works fine to simply increase a stitch by picking up the strand in the row below and passing the slipped stitch over that.

After these twelve rows, you’re ready to begin phasing from the cuff into the main body of the leg-warmers. Things get a little bit complicated now for a while, because you’re working parts of two stitch patterns in each round.

Round 13: On each needle, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, p1, rib it x3, then repeat, but only rib it x2.

Round 14: On each needle, k1, in

c 1, slip 1, k1, psso, rib it x3, then repeat, but only rib it x2.

Round 15: On each needle, k2, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k1, p1, rib it x2, then repeat, but rib it just once.

By now you should be able to see the decrease-lines working their way across the cuff. These decrease-lines will end up forming the hypotenuses of six right triangles. As these hypotenuses are worked across, they eat up ribs (which is why the ribbits in round 15 decreased by one from their round 14 levels) and replace them with stockinette stitch.

Round 16: On each needle, k2, p1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, p1, ribbit x2, then repeat, with only one ribbit.

Round 17: On each needle, k2, p1, k1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, ribbit x2, k3, p1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, ribbit.

Round 18: On each needle, k2, p1, k2, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k1, p1, ribbit x1, k3, p1, k1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k1, p1.

Round 19: On each needle, k2, p1, k3, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, p1, ribbit, k3, p1, k2, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, p1.

Round 20: On each needle, k2, p1, k4, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, ribbit, k3, p1, k3, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

You’re ready to start the leg-warming body! For the next few rows, though, you’ll be simultaneously starting the cables and finishing up the rib-triangles. The cables require the stitches to be shifted slightly about on the needles.

The cable to be worked is your basic cable-4-front: slip 2 stitches onto the cable needle and hold in front, knit 2, then knit 2 from the cable needle.

Round 21: K2, then on each needle, p1, k5, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k1, p1, k3, p1, k3, cable (using the two stitches remaining on the left-hand needle and the first two stitches on the following needle).

Round 22: On each needle, p1, k6, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, p1, k3, p1, k3, inc 1, k4.

Round 23: On each needle, p1, k7, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k3, p1, k4, inc 1, cable.

Round 24: On each needle, p1, k7, p1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k2, p1, k5, inc 1, k4.

Round 25: On each needle, p1, k7, p1, cable, p1, k6, inc 1, k4.

Round 26: On each needle, p1, k7, p1, k4, p1, k7, inc 1, k4 à 78 stitches.

The cuff is now complete, and you’re ready for some smoother sailing for a while. Or rather, some exceedingly monotonous cabling. The decrease-line hypotenuses should be fading directly into the cables and spiraling on themselves in six columns rising towards the knee.

Leg:

Round 27: [P1, knit across the plain of stockinette, p1, cable, p1, knit across, p1, k4] x3 (Note: There should be 7 stitches this time in each plain, but don’t get comfortable).

Round 28: [P1, knit across, p1, k4] x6

Round 29: [P1, knit across, p1, k4, p1, knit across, p1, cable] x3

Round 30: As round 28.

Round 31: As round 29.

Round 32: As round 28.

Round 33: As round 27.

Round 34: As round 28.

Now, repeat rounds 27-34, and then repeat it once more. Your leg-warmer should now measure about 5 inches, and you’re ready to start increasing for the calf.

Round 59: This is the same as round 27, but in every plain of 7 stockinette stitches, k1, inc 1, knit across until you hit the next purl.

Rounds 60-66: As rounds 28-34.

Round 67: It’s like round 27 all over again..! Just, in every block of 8 stockinette stitches, knit across all but the last stitch, then increase 1, k1.

Rounds 68-74: As rounds 28-34.

I bid you continue this increasing! Increase until you have 108 stitches.

Rounds 75-82: As rounds 59-66.

Rounds 83-90: As rounds 67-74.

Rounds 91-98: As rounds 59-66 à 108 stitches.

Because a calf is not an endlessly-inflating balloon, we’re going to decrease a little bit now.

Round 99: As round 27, with a k1, SSK, k9 at each block of 12 stockinette stitches.

Rounds 100-106: As rounds 28-34.

Round 107: In each block of 11 stockinette stitches, knit across to the last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1 à 96 stitches.

Rounds 108-114: As rounds 28-34.

Not even the excitement of altering the stitch count remains to sustain your boredom now! But don’t lose too much heart now, because in a mere 21 rounds, you’ll be ready to begin the knee-cuff.

Rounds 115-122: As rounds 27-34.

Rounds 123-130: As rounds 27-34.

Rounds 131-135: As rounds 27-31.

Knee-cuff:

Round 136: P1, then on each needle, k10, p1, k4, p1, k10, p1, k2, inc 1, SSK, k1, pass SSK over.

Note that the last stitch knit on each needle actually comes from the needle following. So at the end of round 136, the purl from the round’s beginning has now been knit onto the last needle and passed over by the SSK. This knitting of stitches from the following needle will continue through round 149.

Round 137: K1, then on each needle, k9, p1, cable, k10, p1, k2, p1, inc 1,

slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 138: K1, the

n on each needle, k8, p1, k4, p1, k10, p1, k2, p1, k1 inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 139: K1, then on each needle, k7, p1, cable, p1, k10, p1, k2, p1,

slip 1, k1, psso, YO, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 140: K1, then on each needle, k6, p1, k2, inc 1, SSK, k1, pass SSK over, k10, p1, k2, p1, ribbit, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso à 90 stitc

hes.

Round 141: K1, then on each needle, k5, p1, k2, p1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k9, p1, k2, p1, ribbit, k1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 142: K1, then on each needle, k4, p1, k2, p1, k1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso,

k8, p1, k2, p1, ribbit, ribbit minus the last purl, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 143: K1, then on each needle, k3, p1, k2, p1, ribbit minus the last purl, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k7, p1, k2, p1, ribbit x2, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 144: K1, then on each needle, k2, p1, k2, p1, ribbit, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k6, p1, k2, p1, ribbit x2, k1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 145: K1, then on each needle, k1, p1, k2, p1, ribbit, k1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k5, p1, k2, p1, ribbit x2, ribbit minus the last purl, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 146: K1, then on each needle, p1, k2, p1, ribbit, ribbit minus the last purl, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k4, p1, k2, p1, ribbit x3, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 147: P1, then on each needle, k2, p1, ribbit x2, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k3, p1, k2, p1, ribbit x3, k1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 148: K1, then on each needle, k1, p1, ribbit x2, k1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k2, p1, k2, p1, ribbit x3, ribbit minus the last purl, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso.

Round 149: K1, p1, then on each needle, ribbit x2, ribbit minus the last purl, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k1, p1, k2, p1, ribbit x5.

Round 150: On each needle, ribbit x3, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, p1, k2, p1, ribbit x5.

Round 151: On each needle, ribbit x3, k1, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k2, p1, ribbit x5.

Round 152: On each needle, ribbit x3, ribbit minus the last purl, inc 1, slip 1, k1, psso, k1, p1, ribbit x5.

Round 153-159: Ribbit!!

Bind off with a k2, p1, using a size-three needle. Tie in your ends. For even warming of the legs, repeat the entire pattern, and you’re done!