Knitterly Ever After

Hugo & Louis getting down dirty in the sand pit.

As the rain falls here finally in Hawkes Bay after one of the warmest, driest Autumns on memory, I am taking the time to catch up on some knitty paper work. Progress on Knit August Nights has been steady, with only a handful of places available, if you haven't registered you might want to get a wriggle on. The traders market, now coined 'Don't get your knitters in a twist', is also starting gather some nice momentum, so if you can't attend KAN, you can at least indulge in some fibre follies at the end of the weekend.

Hugo Sporting Milo #2

I have also been keeping myself busy with my own knitting. I have now completed two Milo's for the boys with number three 50% complete. I have also cast on another project for myself in a fresh green Merino Possum that had been lurking in the stash for some time & recently saw the light of day. The latter looks like it is going to be the project that will keep me going through most of the Winter, punctuated by smaller gift & sock projects.

One of those smaller projects has been a pair of fingerless gloves, well gauntlets really, which I made for my mother in law as a Mothers day gift & then re devised in a decadent Ruby Red 10ply yarn that arrived in store at Skeinz. It's a neat little project that's quick, takes just one ball of yarn & is ideal as a stash buster or knock up an emergency gift for a special someone.

Ever After Gauntlets You will Need:
5mm needles, one ball of 8 or 10ply yarn (10ply is pictured), yarn needle to sew up.

Cast on 36 stitches
Knit three rows
Row 1 of pattern: k2tog twice (“yo, k1” 4 times, k2tog 4 times) repeat until last 8 sts, "yo, k1" four times, k2tog twice
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl

Continue working 9 sets of the pattern (or until you have reached the length desired)
Work row 1 of the pattern
Knit 3 rows then cast off.

(edited Feb 2011 for correction to pattern row)

Make up
Using mattress stitch, join the side seam from the cast off edge & sew 3cm. Bind off & rejoin the yarn 5cm from bound off point & sew to bottom (in effect leaving a 5cm thumb hole). You should have a straight edge at the top of the gauntlet & a scalloped edge at the bottom. Weave in ends & steam block if desired.

Abbreviations: K1 = Knit one stitch. K2tog = Knit 2 stitches together. yo = Yarn over (take the yarn from the back of your work through to the front & over the needle to knit.)

The pattern is written to fit an average sized ladies hand. My hands are quite large, & they still fit me well. If you wish to down size, just use 8ply yarn on a 4.5mm or 4mm needle – do not reduce the number of cast on stitches.
If you wish to make longer gauntlets, it is advised you purchase two balls of yarn.

Time to get back to more knitting, planning & insanity. Well maybe not knitting, Hugo & Louis are reinacting the WWF in the living room, it might be time to referee - ah rainy days!