A friend had some little crochet fingerless
gloves, or "hobo gloves" as she called them. I told her I had been
making arm warmers for friends and she asked if I would make her some.
I didn't tell her the ones I have made so far have been fairly long up
the arm because the shorter they are the quicker I could make them.
Then more people asked for them so I made a lot.
I chose a rib pattern because it is stretchy to fit multiple size hands without changing the pattern. I made them to end close to the knuckles and not high up on the fingers because everyone wanted to wear them while working and we use our fingers a lot. The garter rib gives a squishy/cozy feeling to the mitt while hugging the hand. Use your favorite luxurious sock yarn for really soft and cozy mitt.
Mitts pictured are in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock "Mother Lode" and Brown Sheep Wildfoote "Mums".
MATERIALS
Fingering weight/Sock yarn
I don't guarantee you can get two pairs of gloves, out of one skein of 215yd sock yarn, but it was close, maybe try making the mitts with 56sts instead of 60.
US 2 / 2.75mm set of 4 double pointed needles
2 stitch markers
Stitch holder or safety pins
GAUGE
Approx. 20sts = 2in in Garter Rib pattern unstretched.
SIZE
The rib makes them fit a variety of hand sizes, to make longer add more rows before and after thumb gusset, to change circumference add/subtract in multiples of four.
GARTER RIB PATTERN
Round 1 K all sts
Round 2 [K2 P2] to end of rnd
MITTS
Cast on 60sts on 3 needles, 20sts on each needle. Join being careful not to twist.
Work 6 rounds in K1, P1 rib. Switch to Garter Rib pattern. Work in pattern until piece measures 1.75 inches from beginning.
THUMB GUSSET
Thumb gusset is worked in pattern, because of the increases the pattern is built as a mirror image from the center.
On knit round of garter rib pattern Knit to last 4sts PM, M1, K2, M1, PM, K2.
We are starting with 2 knit stitches as the base of the thumb gusset, so on the next K2, P2 round you are taking the the stitches just inside the markers and purling them, this is how you build the K2 P2 pattern in the thumb guesset. In the thumb gusset on the K2 P2 rounds work established sts in pattern work the sts right on the inside of the markers in K or P whichever continues the K2 P2 pattern. Purl last two stitch after marker.
On the K rounds you SM M1 K to marker M1 SM, Knit last two sts
If my explanation is too confusing just don't do the thumb gusset in pattern, knit all sts for every row inside the markers, increasing every other row.
Regular Thumb Gusset
Work until you have 22sts inside markers. Then work 4 rounds in pattern without thumb gusset increases. (Pattern inside the markers is P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2)
Larger Thumb Guesset
Work until you have 28sts inside markers. Then work 2 rounds in pattern without thumb gusset increases. (Pattern inside markers is P1, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P1)
ABOVE THE THUMB
On the Knit round, knit to marker, remove marker, place thumb sts on a stitch holder, CO 2sts, knit last two sts.
Continue in Garter rib until the piece measures 1" from "above thumb" COsts.
Knit one round
Knit 6 rounds in K1 P1 rib.
Bind off
WORKING THE THUMB
Divide and knit the 22(28) thumb sts on two needles. With third needle pick up and knit 4sts along cast on edge (2 cast on sts plus one at either end) 26(32)sts
Regular Thumb Gusset
Work next round in established rib pattern on the third needle (the one with the 4 picked up stitches) K2 tog, K2 tog. 24sts. (This decrease makes sure the rib pattern 2x2 and uninterrupted
Work 4 more garter rib pattern repeats
Bind off
Large Thumb Gusset
Work next round in established rib pattern
Work 4 more garter rib pattern repeats
Bind off
FINISHING
Weave in all loose ends
Today I will be giving a lesson in fashion history, but first I must talk about the new show Pushing Daisies. I really enjoy this show and I must like it a lot because usually I don't talk about things even if I do like them. Anyway, the reason I like this show is NOT because one of the characters knits. I like it because it is fun and fanciful, silly and smart and incredibly visually interesting, it is just gorgeous, the colors are brilliant especially on our "Glorious HD" TV. How does this relate to fashion history? I have heard people talk about the costumes, specifically the costumes of the main female character Chuck. I found one of Chuck's outfits to be particularly interesting in this week's episode "The Fun in Funeral". And while the people that I heard talking liked the costume, they didn't find in interesting in the way that I did, which made me mad. I am hoping that my historical insight might interest someone else.
Here is the costume I will be discussing:
This is an iconic image of Dior's "New Look". This image went along side information on "The New Look" in two of my three fashion history books. This is an important moment in fashion history and while we look at this style and think "50's" it actually started in 1947. You see, in the 1940's the world was at war, WWII to be exact. There were restrictions on everything and that included how much fabric you could use to make clothes. Men were at war and the women took up the "man's work" at home. Fashion took on a utilitarian, even militaristic feel. This included boxy square cut jackets worn by women. In 1947 after the war, the men came home and everyone wanted to "get back to normal", where women did women's work. This was a return to femininity, the perfect "50's family", men bringing home the bacon and women taking care of the home. The New Look emphasized this return to femininity. In the picture above you can see a slim, defined waist that expands into a wide full skirt. The shoulders are soft, not boxy like early 40's style, these elements are what defined the New Look. It also seems very luxurious, because a skirt that full requires lots of fabric, so it breaks away from the early 40's ideals of conserving fabric.
While Chuck is wearing a dress and not a jacket and skirt there are similarities that make me think her costume specifically references this Dior image, instead of just evoking a more general "New Look style". It must be the hat.
I don't have anything to say about why the costume designer chose to reference the Dior image, I just think it is interesting. Interesting to reference an iconic image and all the history that goes along with it. I hope you learned something and that someone found it interesting too.
Future lessons in fashion history may include
The origin of the word sabotage
How Cinderella's shoes may have originally been squirrel fur
Humm...both those are shoe related, so also something not shoe related?
The toga...not what you think it is.
I have a lot of time on my hands, and my mom said she wanted arm warmers, so I made some more.
I started by casting on 60 sts and worked several rounds in rib stitch. On the next round I increased 5sts (65sts total or 5 pattern repeats). I worked in pattern until the thumb gusset. I suppose I could have made the thumb gusset in between two of the pattern repeats, but I sacrificed one repeat for the gusset. I worked 4 pattern repeats and for one hand K2, PM, K4, PM, K7 for the other hand K7, PM, K4, PM, K2. Another silly thing I did was increase the thumb gusset sts (SM, M1, knit to marker, M1, SM) on every third rnd. This makes a nice thumb gusset in the fingering weight yarn, but the stitch pattern is over 2 rnds. So I couldn't work it like "every time I do row 1 of the pattern I am doing the gusset increase". I worked until I had 22sts between markers. Next round I worked 4 pattern repeats knit to marker, put gusset sts on a holder, cast on 4 sts, knit to end of the round. I continued working, for the first few rounds I didn't work the last 13sts in pattern, but on the 3rd or 4th rnd I did. I continued for the desired hand/palm length then worked several rnds in rib sts (k2tog on one sts to get an even number for the ribbing). Cast Off. For the thumb I put the gusset sts on needles, worked the 22sts then picked up 6sts along the cast on edge. Work 9 more rnds. Cast off. Voila! I love stripes!
I am finally done with my Tempting II from Knitty. I made size S, but I probably could have gone larger, not that it really matters because it is built to be stretchy. I used six balls of Peru Luxury DK and pretty much followed the pattern. I made the body 1" longer and I used a twisted rib stitch because I felt like it. I put the underarm stitches on a holder on the same round as attaching the sleeves to the body, instead of doing it on the next round because that seemed to make sense. However, I didn't figure that out until I had already done it the way the pattern said. So I had to undo some of my work and if you look you can see a line where I didn't twist the stitches correctly when I put the stitches back on the needle. That is the one thing that annoys me. I don't know if other people can tell, but I can. I'll just have to distract them with my charm! So they don't notice the flaw. I attached the band three times before I got it the way I liked. (But I new I was going to try so this time I had a "lifeline" so I wouldn't screw up my stitches). I had read that people attached the band at every row instead of only on the right side row. So I tried that without doing any of the decreasing neck stitches on the body. The band was a little floppy, but looking at the picture now, it was probably just about right, but I didn't like it so I tried again. I had also read that the neck decreases on the body people had done K2tog all the way around instead of K2tog, K1. So I tried that, still attaching the band on every row. This made the neck very tight, almost like a crew neck, so I tried one more time. This time I followed the instructions for the neck decreases on the body K2tog, K1 and still attached the band every row. This time I got what I wanted, while the neckline isn't as open as it is in the pattern. It is still a little open and because it covers the shoulders a bit more I don't have to worry about the bra I wear, which is important to me! For a more open neckline I probably could have gotten away with K2tog, K2 for the decreases (with adding the band every row) or even K2tog, K3, or K2tog, K4. Like I said my first try was just a teeny-tiny bit floppy.
I had a hard time finding a buckle, but then realized with this whole blogging thing I should be looking for people who have made this and see if they mention their sources, since googling buckles wasn't working. So for anyone else who wants to know I got the buckle from Les Bon Ribbon they have some nice cheap ones. I also found that mjtrim has some, but they appeared to be more expensive.
I was informed one of my "arts and craft" entries was selected. So please vote for me! This wasn't my favorite entry, I make some pretty cool stuff and take a look at my family, but still really cool!
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
These fingerless gloves are patterned to be mirror images of each other, giving them their unique "twist". Knit with self-striping/self patterning yarn it creates and interesting design. Make one with the right twist pattern and make the second with the left twist.
MATERIALS
Knit Picks Felici 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon
Fingering weight
1 ball Arugula, 218 yds/50 gram ball (I estimate I used 190yds for the pair)
OR other fingering weight/sock yarn
US 2 / 2.75mm set of 4 double pointed needles
Stitch markers
Yarn needle
GUAGE
Approx. 48sts = 4" in pattern unstretched/untouched
This is how the pattern knit up, but it gets stretched even after you put the glove on once.
24sts = 4" in pattern completely stretched
SIZE
Fits snuggly on my 7 1/2" hand (Measure around palm excluding thumb)
To make bigger or smaller add/subtract in multiples of 6 (Adding 6 sts to pattern would still fit my hand)
Twisted Rib Left Twist Pattern Right Twist Pattern
[K1tbl, p1] to end of rnd [SSK K2 YO K2] to end of rnd [K2 YO K2 K2tog] to end of rnd
MITTS
Cast on 60sts, 24sts on needle 1, 18sts on needles 2 & 3.
Note: This way you can always identify Needle 1 because it has the most sts. Normally I don't mark the beginning of a round when using DPN's, but because the knitting "twists" the cast on tail does not indicate the beginning of a round.
Join being careful not to twist. Work 6 rnds in twisted rib. Switch to left or right twist pattern. Work in pattern until piece measures 4 inches from beginning.
Thumb Gusset
Thumb gusset is on needle 3
For Right Twist pattern
Work 48sts in pattern (to last 12sts) K2, PM, K4, PM, work last 6sts in pattern
Note: The two sts before the 1st marker are always knit
Next Rnd (inc rnd): Work in pattern to marker SM, M1, K to marker, M1, SM, work last 6sts in pattern
Continue, knitting the sts inside the markers and working the inc rnd every other rnd. Once you have 20sts between the markers work 4 rounds without inc.
For Left Twist Pattern
Work 54sts in pattern (to last 6sts) PM, K4, PM, K2
Next Rnd (inc rnd): Work in pattern to marker SM, M1 K to marker, M1, SM, K2
Continue, knitting the sts inside the markers and working the inc rnd every other rnd. Once you have 20sts between the markers work 4 rounds without inc.
Above the Thumb
Work in pattern to marker, remove marker, place thumb sts on waste yarn or holder. CO 4sts (backward loop cast on) work last 6sts (for right twist) or last 2sts (for left twist).
Continue in pattern for the first two rows knit the 6sts in the CO pattern repeat. On the third round work all sts in pattern.
Work until piece measures 1 3/4 inches from "above thumb" CO.
Work 6 rnds in twisted rib. Cast off loosely.
Working the Thumb
Divide the 20 thumb gusset sts on two needles. Knit. With the third needle pick up 6 sts along cast on edge (4 cast on sts plus one on either end). Work 9 more rnds. Cast off loosely.
Finishing
Weave in loose ends.
I ordered some self-striping yarn and Harmony needles to make some more arm warmers and socks for my mom. The needles are fun because they are colorful and the points are nice. They have a little too much grip for what I was doing. I didn't really know that I had "favorite needles", but I guess I do and they are the crystal palace DPN's.
Anyway, before my yarn arrived I had a really bad day. So I went to my LYS to buy some yarn. I ended up with Regia Kaffe Fassett sock yarn and Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. But I haven't really made anything with them I started off with little test samples because in the October MagKnits there was a really cool sock pattern. And while some people found it too buzy and crazy I absolutely loved it. The problem that I can tell is it calls for self-striping yarn, but to get all the tiny little lines pictured in the pattern it looks like the yarn should have really thin stripes. And the yarn I had created thicker stripes. Still an interesting effect, but not like the picture and I really like the picture. So basically I knit up the pattern (not the whole sock, just enough to visually see what the yarn would do) and then frogged the whole thing. I even started a different sock pattern with the Lorna's laces, but now I think I might frog that and just make everything, the Kaffe Fasset, Lorna's Laces and the yarn the pattern calls for all in this pattern. I hope I won't get totally bored! I still have the Knit Picks yarn to make arm warmers.
Below are my test samples, all done in the MagKnits Rainbow Sock short row pattern
Show us the website or store where you buy your art or handcrafted goods.
Well, I don't really buy handcrafted goods. At least not enough to have a "place I go to". I do enjoy Portland Saturday Market. I don't really buy anything, but you get to walk around, look at people's stuff and chat if you want to. The atmosphere is fun and it is one city tradition that creates community.
I try to buy my supplies at locally owned stores. For one thing being a creative person I like to see and feel before I buy. I also feel it is important to support the community and you can find interesting and unique things you couldn't at a chain store. Something you didn't know you wanted/needed until you saw it. However, a lot of the time I am looking for somewhat obscure items and then it comes down to who has the item that I want. In that situation google and the internet are my best friends.
Show us something that looks like junk to everyone else, but looks like raw materials to you.
You would look at this and think "junk" because it is junk. It is also a source of raw materials and this particular project was to make a mask from all this junk. My favorites are the balloons, water bottle caps...I always wonder what can be done with plastic bottle caps, there are so many of them and they don't want them in the recycling. Of course I also love the weird black thing that seemed to be something photographic and all the interesting little parts that came when I tried to disassemble it.
Show us the best creative artist or crafter that you know personally.
