“Howl’s Moving Castle” remains one of my favourite movies (and books)… and Calcifer is definitely one of the coolest characters. One of the things that is particularly sweet about him is when Sophie and Howl carry him about in their hands. And now you can too in these mittens. I like putting just one Calcifer on the inside of one of the mittens because that is how it looks in the movie.

You will need:
– 5mm needles (straight needles as these are seamed)
– Black, Red, orange, yellow and white DK or Aran yarn
– Darning needle

You can make these smaller easily by using 4mm needles. Mostly I did these with the 5mm needles as, well, all the 4’s currently have projects attached to them, and my DK yarn was really more of an Aran…. so I went this way.

Cast on 40 stitches in black.

Rib 16 rows with a knit 1, purl 1 repeat.

Stockinette 16 rows (Knit and purl alternate rows). You are now up to the thumb placement.
Mitten 1: Knit 6 stitches, slip these onto a stitch holder or safety pin. Leave these for now. Cast on 6 more stitches, finish the row.
Mitten 2: Knit to the end of the row. Slip the last 6 slip these onto a stitch holder or safety pin. Leave these for now. Cast on 6 more stitches.

Now go to the knitting chart. Complete the — rows of the chart, introducing the coloured stitches as they come and complete the rest in black.

Treat the stitches now in halves (as the mitten will be folded along this line.
Knit 1, SSK, knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, knit 1 – repeat on the second side – 18 on each side
Purl row
Knit 1, SSK, knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, knit 1 – repeat on the second side – 16 on each side
Purl row
Knit 1, SSK, knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, knit 1 – repeat on the second side – 14 on each side
Purl row
Knit 1, SSK, knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, knit 1 – repeat on the second side – 12 on each side
Purl row
Knit 1, SSK, knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, knit 1 – repeat on the second side – 10 on each side
Purl row
Cast off

Fold the mitten in half. Stitch up the side. There will be a hole for the thumb that you will now work.

Thumbs

Pick up the 6 held stitches on dpns. Pick up 10 stitches around the thumb hole evenly. (16 stitches)
Knit 16 rows.
Knit 2 together over the whole row. (8 stitches)
Cut the yarn with 20cm tail remaining. Slip the remaining stitches onto the yarn tail, pull to tighten. Stitch up the top of the thumb.

Darn in your yarn tails on both mittens.