Fingerless Gloves

Sometimes, you can jump off without a pattern. Sometimes, you need to learn the benefits of a pattern the hard way - while you're making one up.

I have an awesome pair of fingerless gloves. It took a bit to get the pattern right to make them for my hands. The idea jumped off from when my husband put one of my cup cozies on his wrist. How much more difficult can making a pair of gloves be? Well, the hardest part was coming up with a pattern. My first one started as a cup cozy, then I started increasing for the hand. I pulled off a few stitches for the thumb, and went on my way. The result was a "glove" that was too big in the wrist and had a weird shape in the hand, and a hole for the thumb that was too small.

Back to the Drawing Board.

Glove number two reduced the number of stitches I cast on, only shaped for the thumb, and came out much better, but it was not long enough and the thumb was still too tight. I was much closer this time.

Third time's a Charm.

My Fingerless Gloves go like this:

Cast on 32 stitches and join to knit in the round.
Knit 1 row, purl, one row
Knit many rows until the glove is about 4 inches long

Start increasing for the thumb.
Knit 1, make 1, knit 30, make 1, knit 1 - you should have 34 stitches now increasing after the first stitch and right before the last stitch.
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 32, make 1, knit 1 - for 36 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 34, make 1, knit 1 for 38 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 36, make 1, knit 1 for 40 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 38, make 1, knit 1 for 42 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 40, make 1, knit 1, for 44 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit most of 1 row - pull off the last 6 stitches and set aside (I put them on a safety pin so they don't go anywhere), Cast on 4 stitches
Pull off the first 6 stitches and set aside (on a safety pin), cast on 4 stitches, knit the rest of the row - there should be 40 stitches
Knit 2 more rows

I decrease for the hand just slightly
Knit 1, Knit 2 together, Knit 34, knit 2 together, Knit 1 for 38 stitches
Knit a row
Knit 1, Knit 2 together, Knit 32, knit 2 together, Knit 1 for 36 stitches
Knit until the space above the thumb is about 2 inches
Purl 1 row, knit 1 row, cast off.

Now to make the thumb.
I pick up 8 stitches from the top half o the glove on one needle (Needle 1), Slide the 6 stitches from one safety pin on Needle 2, and slide 6 stitches from the second safety pin on Needle 3.
Knit all until the thumb is about 1 inch.
Purl 1 row, Knit 1 row, cast off.

Until next time, keep being creative!