Tubular cast on, 6 rows …13-25 stitches, then join to wok in the round, knitting first and last sts together. 24 sts total, 26 seemed too big.

Count joining row as row 1 of pattern, then continue as written, switching to sz.8 ndls after ribbing. In hindsight, 26 sts would have been fine for ribbing, but I did the second the same as the first. :)
Mittens took just two days of knitting!

Re-opening this project to include matching hat. Tubular cast on (sz.8 ndls) to 68 sts, 1x1 rib 10 rounds. Switch to sz.10 ndls and knit plain until hat is 7 or 8 inches long, dec 2 sts at each side of hat, then Kitchener remaining 60 sts together. Add tassels at corners. :)

I started the hat with this pattern (Gotcha Covered Hat), and ended similar to this pattern (Happy Hat). And doesn’t that hat just make you happy? lol!