I set out to make a pair of fitted fingerless gloves with a band of cabling going around the fingers. After searching for a good recipe and not finding any, I figured what the hell... I'll figure it out on my own.
Click pictures to embiggen them
I've written out a couple of patterns here and there but I'm not a pro so if anything is confusing, please ask and I'll explain the best I can. Knittinghelp.com and Knitty.com are also fantastic resources if you have questions about how to do something. I also did this to fit my hands, which are long, so take that into account when making yours and tweak as necessary.
I'm using a grey tweed Alpaca fingering weight yarn that I've doubled so if you're using a DK weight, you should get similar numbers to mine. On #4 dpn's, I swatched and got 5 1/2 sts and 7 rows per inch in stockinette. This pattern will also work just as well in a Sock or Sport weight all the way up to Worsted. In fact, I'll also be making a variation in Worsted that's more of a slouchy sleeve, a la Claire's, and posting soon.
Glossary:
k = knit
p = purl
sl = slip
cn = cable needle
m1 = make 1
st = stitch
ssk = slip, slip, knit (left leaning decrease)
k2t = knit two together (right leaning decrease)
sm = slip marker
The first thing to make is the cable piece that will go around your fingers. I figured a basic 4 Stitch Cable with a couple of stitches along the sides for edging would be good, but there's a pattern in Vogue Knitting's cable collection that has a great little addition I've used in the past and really liked. Instead of just 4 stitches that you cable back and forth, this adds a couple of extra knit stitches on each end to make the cables lay flatter and wider, which is great for around a hand.
So, adapting this pattern (Peek-a-boo, minus the peek-a-boo part) I came up with the following. Those two extra stitches I mentioned are highlighted in red so you can see where they are, and I slipped every first stitch but that's a personal preference and you don't have to.
Cast on 14
Row 1 (RS) K2, p10, k2
Row 2 P2, k10, p2
Then begin pattern:
*K2, p2, Sl 2 sts to cn and hold to front, k2, k2 from cn, k2, p2, k2
P2, k2, p6, k2, p2
K2, p2, k2, Sl 2 sts to cn and hold to back, k2, k2 from cn, p2, k2
P2, k2, p6, k2, p2 *
Repeat from * to * until you reach your desired length
Your length is what will fit comfortably around the base of your fingers. Mine worked well at 7".
Either cast off and sew the ends together or pick up stitches on your cast on edge and graft together.
My favorite guide to grafting and I pull it up EVERY time I do it:
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer04/FEATtheresasum04.html
I made the second one right away, while I was still in the cabling groove, and blocked them so they'd be flat and I could figure out the rest of the pattern more easily. You don't have to but I highly recommend blocking your cable work so you can see all of your beautiful work better. The rest of these gloves don't necessarily need to be blocked so just blocking that one part worked out really well.
So now you have a little cable circle and the next step is to pick up and knit stitches around one of the edges.
A couple of fantastic stitch picking up guides:
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/FEATwin04TT.html
http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/pick-up-and-knit-stitches
Another thing to take into consideration is where the seam is on your little circle. No matter how good you are at grafting, the cable pattern will be a little wonky in that one spot so you want to hide that on the underside of your fingers.
I then put a marker on the spot directly above my thumb and that was the beginning of my round so I started picking up from there. Because I had slipped my first stitches, I was picking up one stitch for every two rows and came out with 28th stitches.
Starting at the marker, you'll be knitting in the round and doing increases at the marker, above the thumb. So that first round should be:
*k1, m1, k around to 1 stitch before marker, m1, k1
next row: k*
Repeat those two rows three times or until it's the correct length to be hitting the base of your thumb.
At this point, you're going to stop knitting in the round and begin knitting back and forth and increasing, to create the thumb hole and the body of the hand. Again, I slip every first stitch to create a nice, clean edge.
Row 1: Sl1, m1, k to the end
Row 2: Sl1, m1, p to the end
Repeat those two rows until it's long enough to meet again at the bottom of your thumb. When I counted the number of stitches I had at that point, I had increased to 46.
Make sure you're ending with a knit row and you're going to rejoin and start knitting in the round again, while doing some decreases to shape the wrist.
The decreases will be done below the thumb and on the opposite outside point so I divided the stitches in half, 23 on two needles, with a stitch marker at the end and 23 on the other two, with a stitch marker at the end. I'll write it out but you might want to think about it this way:
On the first row, you'll be doing one decrease right before the outside halfway point and then another right after it, then you'll do one decrease right before the inside halfway point and then another right after it.
Row 1: K to 3 sts before marker, ssk, k1, sm, k1, k2t, k to 3 sts before second marker, ssk, k1, sm, k1, k2t
Row 2: K
Repeat those two rows two more times for a total of three times.
Now, that may be enough of a decrease for you. Try slipping it on and seeing how it looks. If you want to decrease a bit more, stop doing the decreases at the outside point but continue doing the decreases under the thumb. I did three more of those decreases and it was nice and snug.
I placed a marker at that point and then just knit in the round until I had gone 3 inches from that spot.
To finish at the wrist I wanted to echo the top border but, as they'd almost always be hidden up a coat sleeve, felt they didn't need the full cable.
So, once you get to a length you'd like, purl three rows and then knit one row. Then do six rows of a 2x2 Basket Weave stitch.
Row 1: K2, p2 around
Row 2: K2, p2 around
Row 3: P2, k2 around
Row 4: P2, k2 around
Row 5: K2, p2 around
Row 6: K2, p2 around
Then one knit row, three purl rows and a nice, loose cast off (I used Jeny's Super Stretchy Bind Off). Weave in your ends and you're done!
Again I am NOT a pro at writing these things out so I might be assuming things here and there so please ask me if you're confused! It helps me learn how to explain things more clearly. Good luck and please share your finished pieces here, on the Stitchanachs page or on the Ravelry page!
K2, p2, k2, Sl 2 sts to cn and hold to back, k2, k2 from cn, p2, k2
P2, k2, p6, k2, p2 *
Repeat from * to * until you reach your desired length
Your length is what will fit comfortably around the base of your fingers. Mine worked well at 7".
Either cast off and sew the ends together or pick up stitches on your cast on edge and graft together.
My favorite guide to grafting and I pull it up EVERY time I do it:
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer04/FEATtheresasum04.html
I made the second one right away, while I was still in the cabling groove, and blocked them so they'd be flat and I could figure out the rest of the pattern more easily. You don't have to but I highly recommend blocking your cable work so you can see all of your beautiful work better. The rest of these gloves don't necessarily need to be blocked so just blocking that one part worked out really well.
So now you have a little cable circle and the next step is to pick up and knit stitches around one of the edges.
A couple of fantastic stitch picking up guides:
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/FEATwin04TT.html
http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/pick-up-and-knit-stitches
Another thing to take into consideration is where the seam is on your little circle. No matter how good you are at grafting, the cable pattern will be a little wonky in that one spot so you want to hide that on the underside of your fingers.
I then put a marker on the spot directly above my thumb and that was the beginning of my round so I started picking up from there. Because I had slipped my first stitches, I was picking up one stitch for every two rows and came out with 28th stitches.
Starting at the marker, you'll be knitting in the round and doing increases at the marker, above the thumb. So that first round should be:
*k1, m1, k around to 1 stitch before marker, m1, k1
next row: k*
Repeat those two rows three times or until it's the correct length to be hitting the base of your thumb.
At this point, you're going to stop knitting in the round and begin knitting back and forth and increasing, to create the thumb hole and the body of the hand. Again, I slip every first stitch to create a nice, clean edge.
Row 1: Sl1, m1, k to the end
Row 2: Sl1, m1, p to the end
Repeat those two rows until it's long enough to meet again at the bottom of your thumb. When I counted the number of stitches I had at that point, I had increased to 46.
Make sure you're ending with a knit row and you're going to rejoin and start knitting in the round again, while doing some decreases to shape the wrist.
The decreases will be done below the thumb and on the opposite outside point so I divided the stitches in half, 23 on two needles, with a stitch marker at the end and 23 on the other two, with a stitch marker at the end. I'll write it out but you might want to think about it this way:
On the first row, you'll be doing one decrease right before the outside halfway point and then another right after it, then you'll do one decrease right before the inside halfway point and then another right after it.
Row 1: K to 3 sts before marker, ssk, k1, sm, k1, k2t, k to 3 sts before second marker, ssk, k1, sm, k1, k2t
Row 2: K
Repeat those two rows two more times for a total of three times.
Now, that may be enough of a decrease for you. Try slipping it on and seeing how it looks. If you want to decrease a bit more, stop doing the decreases at the outside point but continue doing the decreases under the thumb. I did three more of those decreases and it was nice and snug.
I placed a marker at that point and then just knit in the round until I had gone 3 inches from that spot.
To finish at the wrist I wanted to echo the top border but, as they'd almost always be hidden up a coat sleeve, felt they didn't need the full cable.
So, once you get to a length you'd like, purl three rows and then knit one row. Then do six rows of a 2x2 Basket Weave stitch.
Row 1: K2, p2 around
Row 2: K2, p2 around
Row 3: P2, k2 around
Row 4: P2, k2 around
Row 5: K2, p2 around
Row 6: K2, p2 around
Then one knit row, three purl rows and a nice, loose cast off (I used Jeny's Super Stretchy Bind Off). Weave in your ends and you're done!
Again I am NOT a pro at writing these things out so I might be assuming things here and there so please ask me if you're confused! It helps me learn how to explain things more clearly. Good luck and please share your finished pieces here, on the Stitchanachs page or on the Ravelry page!
1 comment:
Just wanted to let you know the Stitchenachs page on Facebook moved to https://www.facebook.com/OutlanderPatternCentral/?fref=ts I didn't know about it until I saw your post. I can't wait to try this out and see what other patterns there are on the Facebook group. Great work!
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