Happy to say that I’ve achieved my goal to complete all my Christmas presents by the 15th! Woohoo!
This is also a milestone post for me, as I’ve attempted to write out my very first knitting pattern. I wanted to make some arm warmers/gauntlets that had both cables and bobbles, but found none that I liked, so I took a stab at designing my own — and I think they came out alright. I’m a little bit nervous about sharing my first pattern, but here goes. Please do tell me if there are any errors.
Note: I tried, at first, to knit them in the round with double pointed needles so I wouldn’t have to seam, but it wasn’t fun making the bobbles and cables while contending with all those needles, so I switched to straights. If you absolutely hate sewing and you’re more adept at DPNs than me, then they’d definitely be the better choice.
Bobbles and Twists Arm Warmer
US Size 9 (5.5 mm) straight needles
Gauge: 4 stitches in stockinette = 1”
Worsted weight yarn of your choice.
MB = Make bobble. [k1, yo, k1, yo, k1] all in one stitch (you have turned one stitch into 5), turn and p5, turn and sl 2, k3 together, pass 2 stitches over the first stitch. For video instructions on how to make a bobble, click here and see “Creating Basic Bobbles” under Decorative Stitches.
(Bobbles and Vines panel from Reader’s Digest Ultimate Sourcebook for Knitting and Crochet Stitches.)
Right arm warmer:
CO 34
Rows 1 and 3: *k2, p2, repeat * to the end
Rows 2 and 4: *p2, k2, repeat * to the end
–Start Bobble/Cable pattern between stitch markers with reverse St st on either side of markers–
Row 5 (RS): p6, pm, k16, pm, p12
Row 6 (WS): k12, p16, k6.
Rows 7 & 8: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches
Row 9 (RS): p6, slip 4 stitches on CN and place in front of work, k4, k4 from CN, k3, MB, k4, p12
Rows 10 – 14: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches
Row 15 (RS): p6, k4, MB, k3, slip 4 stitches on CN and place in back of work, k4, k4 from CN, p12
Repeat Rows 5 – 15 until the arm warmer is the desired length (not including the lower ribbed edge). Mine have three full bobble/cable pattern repeats before beginning the ribbing.
Next row (RS): *k2, p2, repeat * to the end of the row
Continue in k2, p2 rib for 9 more rows
Cast off in pattern.
Left arm warmer:
CO 34
Rows 1 and 3: *k2, p2, repeat from * to the end
Rows 2 and 4: *p2, k2, repeat from * to the end
–Start Bobble/Cable pattern between stitch markers with reverse St st on either side of markers–
Row 5 (RS): p12, pm, k16, pm, p6
Row 6 (WS): k6, p16, k12.
Rows 7 & 8: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches
Row 9 (RS): p12, k4, MB, k3, slip 4 stitches on CN and place in back of work, k4, k4 from CN, p6
Rows 10 – 14: Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches
Row 15 (RS): p12, slip 4 stitches on CN and place in front of work, k4, k4 from CN, k3, MB, k4, p6
Next row (RS): *k2, p2, repeat * to the end of the row
Continue in k2, p2 rib for 9 more rows
Cast off.
Finishing:
Sew the side seams to make a tube, leaving a gap approximately 2.5 inches long for a thumb opening. If desired, you can pick up stitches around thumb opening to create a thumb gusset in the round with DPNs—but I’m lazy and never bother. 🙂
Please let me know if you make them yourself. I’d love to see!
THE INCURABLE HOMEBODY 
Did you read my mind this week? I’ve been on the look out for a wrist warmer pattern the didn’t involve DPs or a circular needle (I have the DP fear!). I will definitely be adding these to my To Do list. I just need to get all my Christmas presents finished first!! Unlike you, I’m not that organised. LOL.
xMx
Ack! Confused now! Should row 7&8 and 10-14 say “Knit the purl stitchs and purl the knit stitches”???
xMx
glad to be of help, marie! please report back if you make them.
hi marie! you would be doing a simple k2 p2 rib, so you knit the knits and purl the purls as they FACE you (not what you did on the previous row). i just did a google search on this instruction, and it seems that this phrase has been used to describe BOTH ways ( that is, to do both ribbing AND seed stitch which would require you knit the purls and purl the knits)– which is very confusing indeed. anyway, just knit as the stitches present themselves to you (knit a v, purl a bump) for a straighforward k2 p2 rib. hope this makes sense!
woops — scratch what i just said about the ribbing! i realized that you were talking about the cable pattern part, not the ribbed ends. anyway, everything else i wrote should make sense. sorry about that! i’m a newbie pattern writer, so please forgive the mixup. 🙂
one more comment that may be helpful (and perhaps clear up confusion) — your entire right side is going to be REVERSE stockinette stitch, except for the cable pattern portion. hope that helps as well.
Thanks Maya. I started these last night – then the kids interrupted me and I somehow managed to drop a stitch and had to unravel what I’d done! I hate it when that happens! I’ve brought them to knit in my lunch hour at work though. Should I ever manage to get them finished I will let you know when I post on my blog. xMx
I started the cable/bobble stitch part over for the second time from row 5. I moved the markers to where it says but now the pattern is opposite of what it should be. So frustrated!
Hi Whitney! Thanks for visiting and I’m so sorry about the frustration you’ve experienced! Not exactly sure what you mean by the pattern being the “opposite” — but if it helps, the right and the left arm warmers, when knit flat, should look like mirror images of each other and not be exactly the same.
So, for the right arm warmer, there should only be 6 stitches on the left edge of the flat knitted piece BEFORE the 1st marker (this is the edge where your thumb hole will be), and 12 stitches on the right side of the 2nd marker on the right edge of the piece. For the left arm warmer, there should be 12 stitches on the left side before the marker, and 6 stitches to the right of the marker (again, the side where your thumbhole will be). These edge stitches outside of the markers will be in REVERSE stockinette stitch.
Not sure if this helps? If not, can you please explain what you mean by opposite and I’ll try to figure out what’s going wrong. Thanks!
Hi Maya
I finished these! and finally got around to blogging them. Thanks for the pattern, it worked great.
xMx