Almeda Fingerless Gloves

This pattern is for a pair of reversible gloves. The pattern uses slipped stitches to produce a diamond quilted look on one side, and a waffle stitch on the other. The stitch pattern is particularly nice for variegated and handspun yarns which may have a tendency to pool.

This pink and yellow pair was made using some of my handspun yarn. The fiber was from Sweet Sheep, colorway Indian Spice, a merino/bamboo blend, spun to a 2-ply DK. The pair used 50 grams, or 122 yards.

I then tested the pattern with Mirasol Hacho, (color 314) which knitted up beautifully, using a little more than one 50 gram hank.


This pattern has not been tested by anyone but me. If there are errors, please let me know. The pattern for these cute and warm mitts is here, but you can also download now in PDF format.

Due to the nature of the stitch pattern, please note that:
1. Your beginning of round will shift before you get to the thumb gusset on each rnd 4.
2.It knits up to a much tighter gauge than one might expect from a DK. I also used Kollage square needles to knit these, so be sure to check your gauge before knitting.

Reversible Fingerless Gloves

DK weight yarn, approximately 60 grams
4mm needles

Gauge: 28 sts/ 4 inches over pattern stitch.

7 (7.5, 8) inch circumference, to fit hand 8 (8.5, 9) inches around.
cast on 48 (52, 56) sts

Rnd 1: k1,p1
Rnd 2: sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, p1
rnd 3: k1,p1
rnd 4: sl1 purlwise, p1. slip these sts onto last needle. *sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, p1*

Repeat rounds 3 & 4 until you have worked 2.5 (2.75, 3) inches.
Thumb Gusset:
Rnd 1: *k1, p1* repeat until you have 2 sts left, then k1, pm, m1,k1,m1, pm
Rnd 2: k1, p1 *sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, p1* repeat to last st before marker, k1, slip marker, k3, slip marker.
Rnd 3: k1, *p1,k1*, slip marker, k3, slip marker.
Rnd 4: *sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, p1* repeat to last 3 sts before marker, sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, slip marker, k3, slip marker.
Rnd 5: k1, *p1,k1*, slip marker, k1,m1,k1,m1,k1, slip marker
Rnd 6: k1, p1 *sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, p1* repeat to last st before marker, k1, slip marker, k5, slip marker.
Rnd 7: k1, *p1,k1*, slip marker, k5, slip marker.
Rnd 8: *sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, p1* repeat to last 3 sts before marker, sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, slip marker, 5, slip marker.
Rnd 9: k1, *p1,k1*, slip marker, k2,m1,k1,m1,k2, slip marker

Continue in this manner, increasing two stitches every fourth row until you have 11, (13, 13) sts in between the markers, ending with:
*sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, p1* repeat to last 3 sts before marker, sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, slip marker, k11 (13,13), slip marker.

Next rnd: k1, *p1,k1* slip next 11 (13, 13) sts onto a holder. These will be thumb sts. Cast on one stitch for inner thumb.

Upper Hand:
rnd 1: sl1 purlwise, p1. slip these sts onto last needle. *sl1 knitwise, kfb, k1, psso 3 sts, p1*
rnd 2: k1,p1

Repeat these two rounds for 1.5 (1.75, 2) inches, ending with round 1.
Cast off in k1,p1.

Thumb:
Slip thumb gusset stitches onto dpn’s. Pick up two stitches from inner thumb, and work 6 rounds in garter stitch. Cast off.

Copyright 2011, Rachel Abrams. Please do not copy, publish, or distribute this pattern in any way.

Winter, Winter, Winter

Here I am, editing the baby bootie pattern, and I looked out the window to see... more snow. Really. The last of the snow has just melted off the back yard (though it's admittedly still clinging to spots in the north-facing front yard) and here we are, back to square one.

We are not amused. If it snows again next week, I can make t-shirts which will read: "I SURVIVED THE NINE MONTH WINTER." Yes, we often get a dump of snow in May, but we don't usually have snow cover from October through April. I'm going to end the weather rant now, and simply note that I noticed some tulips and daffodils beginning to sprout by the back door. It's exciting, because this is a new house for us, and since there was already snow cover when we moved in (see above) I don't know what surprises may sprout.

So, as one might imagine, I am still knitting and designing wintery sorts of things. I noticed the local supply of hats was getting low, so I dove into the stash and came out with some Berroco "Blackstone Tweed" and Mirasol "Tika". Then I flipped through my stitch dictionaries until I found a nice wave pattern. I had to tweak it slightly to make it work how I wanted.

(Berroco Ultra Alpaca.)

I think the greatest thing about this stitch pattern is that the beginning and end of round are virtually invisible. That means there is no jog or fancy slip stitches needed to avoid a jog.

This hat was done bottom-up, with a doubled hem for extra warmth. Oddly enough, The Mirasol Tika is labeled DK weight, but as I knit it, I would not peg it at anything less than a worsted.



This one was done top down, and the hem turned out to be a problem. The yarn is much softer than it looks, and pulls apart if you so much as look at it funny. Making a sewn bind off was out of the question. I ended up doing a blend of the k2tog and regular cast off.



I settled on the bottom up design, with the doubled brim. I had a hat making blitz, hoping that I could write a pattern that would work. It is available for download on Ravelry. This one is a $3, although I'll still offer some free patterns in the future. This pattern has detailed instructions for making the doubled brim, along with clear photos. It has instructions for an alternate rolled brim. The pattern is also perfect for someone new to stranded knitting, as there is only one color needed for the crown of the hat.



This one was made out of Garnstudio DROPS Nepal. It is a little bulkier yarn than the other three, but knit to the correct tension, it keeps out the wind even better.

You can use the link below, or go to the pattern page on Ravelry to get more details.

Only Begotten Knitter

It started with Ian pestering me: "When can I learn to spin on the wheel? When? Can we do it now?"



I pulled out some pencil roving from Custom Woolen Mills, and after he had spun up some singles, we set the twist and wound it into a ball. Ian started knitting.



He knit until bedtime, and I said, "Time to put it away," and he replied,
"Just one more row? Please?"



At which point I broke out in an evil cackle (which freaked everyone out, even the dog), knowing above all that he has now become... my only begotten knitter.