So, when I was typing the title up there, I accidentally wrote “thyme” instead of “time.” I’m not sure what sort of spice-based sequel my subconscious was hoping for, but it ain’t gonna happen.
Anyway. I promised a pattern today, and I shall deliver! Typos and grammatical mistakes will not deter me from my goal. (So you typos can just go away now and stop making me delete so much, right?)
These are my Snowflake Fingerless Gloves. They’re my second colorwork project and I love them to death. There are seven colors, in KnitPicks Palette, knit on one long circular using the magic loop. I designed them in Excel which is so much easier than the old graph-paper-and-colored-pencils method. All hail the copy-paste! These gloves were so much fun to knit (even though there were a few too many ends to weave in.)
I should mention, I didn’t intend to use black as the center color. I had gotten another shade of blue, but it was too similar to the contrasting color. I had black left over from another project and I wasn’t about to wait for more yarn to arrive to finally knit these things! I think the black really adds something now, which just goes to show that serendipity is alive and well.
These gloves have always kept me nice and toasty. They go a fair way up my fingers, so even the tips of my fingers stay pretty warm. (And I don’t have to take them off to knit in the cold!)
I’ve written down the instructions and the charts in a PDF, including some tips and more information.
Edit 8/20/08: I’ve figured out how to publish chart better now, so I’m publishing the pattern on the blog, straight-up as it were. PDF is still floating around on my computer, if you’d like it, please email me.
Edit 10/22/08: Putting PDF back up for those that would like it. Easier to print and whatnot.
The pattern assumes some knowledge of knitting in the round, 2-color knitting, and general glove construction, but I’d like to think that it’s easily followed by a “newbie.” Of course, let me know if it’s not! Please tell me if you find any mistakes or typos in the pattern. And I’m happy to answer any questions; this is my first “published” pattern and I’d like everyone to be as happy with it as I am.
Well, that paragraph ended rather sappily. I don’t think sappily is a word. I knew I would have to end the post on a grammatical error since I started on a typo… the symmetry is nice, don’t you think?
Snowflake Fingerless Gloves
Download the PDF: Snowflake Fingerless Gloves
This pattern is written for 1 long circular needle (magic loop method) but is easily worked on 2 circulars or DPNs. I suggest DPNs for the thumb. There are separate charts for the right and left glove for easier knitting. To make finishing less painful, weave in ends as you go by twisting/wrapping the last yarn for 10-15 sts on the new row. I join a new color 10- 15 sts early (the row before it appears on the chart) and carry it along, twisting/wrapping it every other st. This helps eliminate holes at the sides. The exact yardage of yarn is unknown, but the all colors need less than 1 ball, the A colors less than 1/2.
I recommend marking the increases for the thumb with two stitch markers: place the first one before the first YO and the second one after the second YO on the first increase row. Slip the markers every row after this; it will make it easier to know which stitches to put on the scrap yarn.
You may notice that the diamond motif doesn’t quite match up at the sides- I loved the motif but couldn’t get it to fit perfectly, so I fudged. The break in the pattern is hardly noticeable on the finished glove. The gloves are meant to be snug, but not too tight, so be aware of the tension.
These gloves can mostly be knitted from the charts alone, but I have written out the instructions for rows with increases, decreases, or other things that need attention. If there are no written instructions for a row, follow the chart until the next written row. The charts are below the written instructions.
- Needles: Size 1 (2.25mm) long circular or DPNs
- Yarn: Knit Picks Palette: A1 Tidepool, A2 Pool, A3 Sky, A4 Mist; B1 Black, B2 Marine, B3 Blue Note
- Notions: Scrap yarn, stitch markers, tapestry needle
- Gauge: 9sts x 10rows = 1″
- Finished Size: Women’s medium, 8 1/2″ long (7 3/4″ when worn)
Special Stitches
YO Increase: YO where indicated on the chart, in the color on the chart. On the next row, knit the YO through the back loop to twist the stitch and eliminate the hole. You can use M1 if you prefer; personally, I couldn’t stand trying to M1 with floats in the way.
K1 P1 Rib: *K1, p1* repeat from * to * until the end of the round.
Hand
CO 56 sts loosely in B3 (Blue Note).
Work K1 P1 Rib for 12 rows.
Switch to A1 (Tidepool).
Round 1: K4, yo, *k7, yo* 7 times, k3. 8 sts increased. 64 sts
Divide sts so that “Needle 1″ has 33 sts and “Needle 2″ has 31 sts.
Work Left Chart until Round 28 is completed.
Round 29: Knit in pattern to the end of “Needle 1.” Place first marker and make YO increase in color on chart. On “Needle 2,” make YO increase in color on chart, place second marker and continue knitting in pattern.
Work Left Chart, making YO increases in colors shown on chart every third row, until 18 sts have been increased.
Round 54: Knit in pattern to first thumb marker. Slide thumb sts (careful with the 2 YOs) onto waste yarn or a stitch holder. CO 2 sts in the gap in B2 (Tidepool) using backwards loop method, one st on each needle, knit to end of “Needle 2″ in pattern. 2 sts increased. 66 sts
Round 57: Knit to 2 sts before the end of Needle 1 in pattern, ssk. On Needle 2, k2tog, knit to the end in pattern. 2 sts decreased. 62 sts
Work Left Chart until Round 72 is completed.
Round 73: K2tog, *k6, k2tog* 7 times, k6. 8 sts decreased. 56 sts
Switch to B3 (Blue Note.)
Work K1 P1 Rib for 5 rows.
Cast off with medium tension.
Thumb
Return held sts to needles. DPNs are recommended here.
Join B2 (Pool,) leaving a long tail, to the palm side of the thumb. Using working yarn and tail held together, pull up a loop in one st in the corner between needle and earlier cast on sts, pull up a loop in each of the 2 cast on sts across the gap and 1 more loop in the other corner. 4 sts increased. Knit across remaining sts, knitting the 2 YOs through the back loops. 22 sts
Row 2: *k4, k2tog, k3, k2tog* twice. 4 sts decreased. 18 sts
Work 8 rows K1 P1 Rib. Cast off loosely.
For the right glove: Work Right Chart, with 31 sts on Needle 1 and 33 sts on Needle 2. All instructions are the same.
Click on the charts to see them full size.
Please Note: I post my patterns as soon as I’ve completed them because I’m excited to share them with you. They have not been fully tested. But they are free. I’ve made every effort to make sure that the instructions are clear and error-free. There may be typos or pattern mistakes and if you find them or have any questions, please let me know by posting a comment or emailing me, dailyskein at gmail.com.
This work by Cailyn Meyer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
