These fingerless mitts let me type, mouse, surf, and knit while my hands and wrist stay cozy warm. I made mine 2 at a time on 2 circular needles. I won’t go into the specifics of that here, and you can use your preferred method.
Cast on 32 st with a long tail cast on, for each mitt. I used worsted weight yarn and I used a pair of US size 5 circular needles, but I have small hands and wrists and knit rather loosely. After a few rows, make sure the knitting will fit over your hand and if not, use larger needles.
Knit in a K2 P2 pattern for 3 inches. Pick one of the K2 ribs to be the center back, and increase one knit stitch in each of those 2 knit stitches. That on rib will now be K4 instead of K2 like the rest.
Continue knitting in your ribbed pattern, twisting the two sides of this K4 on every third row, to create a cable.
On the row after your 4th twist, knit in pattern until you reach your cable twist, then increase 1 knit stitch in each side of the cable again, so that you now have 6 knit stitches in the cable. Then P2, K2, P2, bind off the next 8 stitches, and continue in your rib pattern to end of round.
*Important Note, since you want the cable to be on the back of your hand you need a left and a right mitt. On your other mitt (left mitt), you will work bind off stitches 3 ribs BEFORE the cable, instead of 3 ribs after.
Work in rib pattern up to your cable. From here to the end you will not be twisting the cable again. You have 6 stitches in the cable. Knit the first 2 stitches, Purl the next 2, and Knit the last two. Continue in pattern til you reach the spot where you bound off.
Use the backward loop method to cast on 8 stitches, then continue in rib pattern for the rest of the round.
Continue knitting around in rib pattern, re-establishing the pattern over the 8 stitches that you cast on, for about an inch more. This will make a mitt that ends just under your first knuckles. If you would like to have it a little longer, to cover the first joint of your fingers, knit for about two inches, instead. Bind off LOOSELY.
Keep in mind that I wrote this up 3 weeks after actually knitting the mitts, so if you find any errors, please let me know.