June 26, 2006
And another weekend is over. We need more of them, I say!
It was another busy one, I missed Stitch n Bitch due to yet another dancing event.
I couldn't take the gloves to the dancing event, but I did get a bit more done on them, and am now partway through the fingers. A few people expressed interest in the fingers, so I thought I'd document the process for you.
Some Fair Isle gloves have patterned fingers, but luckily for me, not these ones.
I finished the palm of the first glove.
I'm now up to the fingers, and we start with the pinky finger. The end of round is at the side of the hand, and pattern says "K8, place next 48 stitches on a holder, then use the backwards loop method to CO 2 sts over the gap, K8"
This gives you 18 finger stitches, and the 48 stitches on the holder are left aside for the other fingers later on.
Rather than use a holder or waste yarn, I leave the stitches on the needles, and just use a new set for the fingers. So my finger stitches are on the green needles, and the set aside stitches are on teh bamboo needles.
Using those stitches, complete the finger by knitting around.
Because your little finger sits a little lower than the rest of your fingers, rejoin the yarn to the 48 held stitches to lengthen the palm for the remaining fingers.
The pattern says "Rejoin the working yarn, and beginning at the base of the little finger, work one round, picking up and knitting 2 sts at base of cast on for little finger to eliminate any gap"
Basically, you should pick up stitches where you cast on to cover the gap on the previous finger.
The blue circle is where I rejoined the yarn, the red oval is where you will pick up stitches.
I find that just because you have cast on 2 sts on the previous finger, picking up 2 sts is not enough. If I only pick up 2 stitches, I end up with gaps at the base of the finger.
So I pick up however many I think I need to prevent holes. For this glove, I found I needed to pick up 5.
Then, on the next round, I reduced it to 3 by knitting 2 stitches together twice.
Then on the next round again, I reduce it to the 2 required. (I have begun the ring finger at this stage, and have 16 stitches on my green finger needles)
As you can see, this eliminates any holes, and still looks nice and neat.
That's as far as I've gotten. If anyone has any questions that I haven't covered, let me know and I'll put up more info.
Now it's back to more fingers!
Comments
Beautiful gloves!
Posted by: Wendy G at June 26, 2006 11:49 PMGreat show and tell!!! I love your gloves. I made Harry Potter stripy gloves a few years ago but yours are fantastic!! I love the whole making the fingers thing!!!
Posted by: 2paw at June 27, 2006 12:25 AMI've never made gloves before. Your post really helps me understand how it works now. The part about picking up more stitches than recommended to make sure there are no gaps will help me a lot if I decide to attempt a pair. Thanks!
Posted by: wool winder at June 27, 2006 01:20 AMYou make it look so easy!! I will be doing some gloves this year, you have inspired me.
We are in a heat wave!! It was 101 F yesterday, will be the same today and probably tomorrow. I don't like the heat at all!! I'd rather it be 75 F or so.
Hope you guys have a good week!!
Posted by: Tammy at June 27, 2006 01:37 AMThey are looking lovely. I have only ever knitted fingerless gloves before, but you still have to do all the picking up of stitches thing!!
Tell me are they Pony dpns you are using there?? If they are where did you get them? If you are wondering why I am so interested, check out the latest post on my blog :)
Posted by: Sharon at June 27, 2006 09:56 AMThose gloves are so beautiful. I always wondered how to do the fingers -- thank you for the great photos and instructions!
Posted by: Debby at June 27, 2006 10:02 AMWow - my fear of gloves has instantly evaporated!! You legend Donna!!
Posted by: the stripey tiger at June 27, 2006 10:03 AMDonna, I think you have inspired me to make a pair of gloves, and my mum is always asking if anyone I know makes them. I will be able to show her your tutorial now. I will have to find a plain pattern though, I dont really like knitting colorwork, but yours look fantastic.
Posted by: Sue at June 27, 2006 12:19 PMHa! knitting gloves is one of the several ways to madness - specially ones with demonic patterns in them, AND they reckon that mittens re warmer anyway. Although yours will be basically double layer, with all the fairisle. I have found when knitting socks and having to leave stitches (heel stuff), that putting the held stitches on a circular is often a good idea - firstly the circs are easier to get out of the way, as they hang down, and you can bunch up your stitches on the cable part, and secondly, it is far less easy with a circ to not grab the end of the wrong needle and pull it out by mistake, leaving all those tiny stitches threatening to escape into the wild blue yonder... Whatever, anything has to be better than leaving stitches on a piece of yarn - leaving them there is OK, it's the getting them back which leads to new words and phrases usually reserved for the sewing room!!
Posted by: Karen in Melbourne at June 27, 2006 04:35 PMWow! Beautiful ... you are so talented. I don't even think I could begin to comprehend how you did all that (even after reading about it!) ...
Posted by: Samantha at June 28, 2006 02:26 AMI just love the colors you're using for your glove. I am not sure it is possible to be cuter than Twinkie. What a doll!
Posted by: Nanette at June 28, 2006 03:37 PMI love your faux cable beaded anklets, they are really beautiful! Great job!
Posted by: michele at June 29, 2006 05:29 AM
Beautiful glove! Can you tell me what size beads you are using on your beaded sock? I fell in love with it and am now making it as well. Thank you! Sharon from Burnt Hills, NY
Posted by: Sharon at June 26, 2006 09:16 PM