Woolike yarn - I love it!

I usually work with natural fibers because I love the feel of those. I find most acrylic yarn feeling either harsh or cheap. I can't even describe it adequately. Most of the acrylic yarns I have in my stash were inherited from my mother's or sister-in-law's stash, and they just sit on the shelves in my craft room. (Yes, I have a craft room --- room!)  I even admit that rarely purchase yarn from the craft box stores, preferring to haunt my LYS (local yarn store).

But I have to admit I have fallen in love with one of the bad boys of the yarn world in Loops and Threads Woolike. I think it is only available at Michaels. My mother would not approve! But Mama, it feels so good. (Okay, this is getting weird).

So for the time being, I will play on the dark side of cheap yarn until it breaks my heart. I have a feeling that it will pill up on me and lose its beautiful clean lines. I made the two hats in blue and navy, and red and black. I am working on writing up the pattern for the hats, so check back to find another pattern. The fingerless are in lavender and purple.

I just started a shawl using the pure white and it is turning out lovely. I'll keep you appraised of its progress over the next few days.

Free pattern - Rose's Fingerless Gloves.

I have written about my love of fingerless gloves a few times before. This is one of my own designs after knitting dozens of these. Whether you call them fingerless gloves, texting gloves, piano gloves or computer gloves, this one is quite dramatic.

I always knit with double pointed needles, but if you have ever tried to knitting in two colors with strands, you know it doesn't work very well. The end of the color is always on the opposite side unless you carry the yarn through the entire round. I solved this by turning my work to accommodate the stranding and sewing up the hole. It can be a challenge because you are also increasing for the thumb at the same time you are stranding for the rose. But it does work and looks great. The glove on the left was sewed while the one of the right was the knitted edge.

Rose’s Fingerless Gloves

MATERIALS
1 skein each Loops and Threads Woolike in Black and Red

(85% Acrylic; 15% Nylon, 620m/678yds)
Size US 1 (2.25 mm) Double Pointed Needles
Yarn needle

Stitch markers

Gauge: 16 stitches per 2 inches.

Cast on 56 sts. Place marker and join.

Work in stockinette (knit every round) for 1½”.

Next round (fold line): Purl every stitch.

Next rnds: Knit two rounds in black.

Next rnd: Join red yarn and knit one round.

Begin Border design: Work Chart A (7 repeats) once.

Next rnd: Knit one round in red. Cut red yarn.

Switch back to the black yarn and work in stockinette for 3 inches or the desired length for the wrist of the glove.

Next round:

Right hand: Knit 10; pm, k17 (for rose motif), pm, k 5, pm, k2 (beginning of the thumb inset), k to the end of the round.

Left hand: Knit 10; pm, k2 (beginning of the thumb inset), pm, k5, k17 (for rose motif), k to the end of the round.

Next Round A: Knit to the marker for the thumb inset (slip the markers for the rose motif for now). Sm, m1, knit to next marker, m1, sm.

Next Round B: Knit.

Repeat these two rounds until you have 10 stitches between the thumb inset markers, ending with the Round B.

Begin Rose Motif:

Right Hand

Knit to Rose Motif marker. Begin Chart B. Continue round to Thumb Inset marker. Sm, m1, K to next marker, m1. Without removing marker, turn your work.

Next round:  Purl to the first Thumb Inset marker, working the next row of Chart B. Turn your work.

Left Hand

Knit round to Thumb Inset marker. Sm, m1, K to next marker, m1. Without removing marker, turn your work. Knit to Rose Motif marker. Begin Chart B. SM, knit to where you turned your work. Turn again

Next round:  Purl to mark beginning the Rose Motif and work next row of Chart B. Knit to the Thumb Inset marker. Continuing the increases in pattern, work to end of the thumb inset. Turn your work.

Continue working the Thumb Inset (marking two stitches every other row) and Chart B until the number of stitches between the Thumb Inset mark is 24 stitches. 

Continue working on the Rose Motif until complete, working the 24 stitches of the Thumb Inset, ending with a purl row. Turn work. 

Knit to the Thumb Inset. Instead of turning your work, start knitting in the round again by joining the two sides.

Knit four rounds.

Next round: Knit to the Thumb Inset. Place the 24 stitches on a stitch holder. Cast on 7 stitches over the gap using the e-stitch method. and continue knitting to the end of the round.

Knit one round.

Knit to the beginning of the cast on stitches (the gap stitch). K2, ssk, k2tog, k to end of round.

Next round: Knit

Knit to the gap stitches. K1, ssk, k2tog, k to end of round.

Next round: Knit

Knit to the gap stitches. Ssk, k to end of round. (56 sts)

Continue knitting in the round for 1½” from the beginning of the gap.

Next Round: Add red yarn and knit one round.

Next Round: Begin Chart A.

Next rnd: Knit one round in red.

Next rnds: Knit two rounds in black.

Next round (fold line): Purl every stitch.

Work in stockinette (knit every round) for 1½”.

Cast off, leaving a tail long enough for sewing.

Thumb:

Put the 24 stitches from the holder on the double pointed needles. Join black knit and knit the 24 stitches. Place marker. Pick up 6 stitches from the cast on edge of the hand. (30 stitches)

Join to the first stitch and knit one round.

Next rnd: Knit to the marker which is the picked-up stitches. K2tog three times. (27 stitches)

Next rnd: Knit one round.

Next rnd: Knit to the marker which is the picked-up stitches. K2tog three times. (24 stitches)

Next rnd: Knit one round.

Next rnd: Join red and knit one round.

Begin Border design: Work Chart A (3 repeats) once.

Next rnd: Knit one round in red. Cut red yarn.

Next rnd: Knit one round in black.

Next round (fold line): Purl every stitch.

Work in stockinette (knit every round) for 1”.

Bind off. Cut yarn, leaving a tail.

Finishing:

Turn the glove inside out. Thread the tail with a yarn needle.

Sew the gap of the thumb inset using a whip stitch.

Fold the hem to the inside of the glove on the fold line.  A couple of pins can help keep the hem even. Using a whip stitch, tack the hem to the glove. Finish by weaving in the ends.  Turn glove outside in and block lightly.

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