Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Fingerless Gloves, Wristlets or gauntlets - Take Your Pick

These are my latest knitting addiction. I can usually make a pair in about 3 hours - depending on what's on the tube. They are a lot of fun to make and just as much fun to wear. The three styles I have pictured I used a chunky weight yarn. I also like to make the thumb hole horizontal, not vertical - don't ask me why - I think it's just a personal prefernce thing. The one disadvantage to the thumb hole being horizontal is that you will have a slight gap next to the bound offf stitches - I still haven't figured out how to alleviate that, but from all the directions I've read, neither has anyone else. Below are my directions - as basic as they are. If you see a mistake, please let me know so I can change them as needed. Thanks and enjoy making these.

Basic Beginner Fingerless Gloves
Size 10.5 DPN's
1 skein Bulky (#5) yarn - I used Yarn Bee Mosiac twist in the first picture; Lion's Brand Wool-Ease Chunky in the 2nd picture and Deborah Norville Serenity Chunky in the last picture.
Tapestry needle to hide ends

On your needles cast on 25 stitches (8,8,9). Join the stitches being careful that you do not twist your yarn before the joining. The best method I've found for joining on is the cross over method. For directions how to do the cross over go here: http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/closeup/e-twocircular.html
Knit in the round for 30 rows. On the next row, k1, bind off 5 stitches (you should have 3 stitches left on your needle). Continue knitting that row. *** (See errata below for additional directions) On the next row, k1, cast on 5 stitches, continue knitting that row. Knit 10 rows, bind off. If you have a hard time getting a flexible binding, try using the suspended cast/bind-off. It's pretty flexible.

These will fit a small to med. size hand - If you need to go bigger, try moving up 5 stitches at a time. Good luck and enjoy!

*** Errata - To alleviate the problem with the thumb hole knit as follows: After you have bound off your 5 stitches and finished that row, on the next row, k1, cast on 5 stitches, continue knitting until you get to the last stitch. Knit the last stitch of this row and the first stitch of the next, together (k2tog), finish the row. On the next row, at the last two stitches, the second to last stitch k1fb and then knit the last stitch. You should then have 8,8, and 9 stitches again on your needles.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

this are exactly the fingerless gloves i want, exact lenght, but can't find them to buy anywere (at least not black) you have an idea where i can find them since I'll never be able to knit? thanks!

sally

LaDonna said...

Sally, contact me again and maybe I can help you out.