Fade Fingerless Gloves

Unisex Fingerless Gloves in Two Tones by Susan Letourneau (GoSuzyGo) After scouring the web in vain for fingerless glove patterns in a size mens small, I decided to write my own. These gloves have a brown cuff, alternating rows of brown and green for the hand, and green fingers. This uses approximately equal amounts of each color, and gives a pleasing transition from one color to the other. Use two subtly different colors for a sleek look, or two bold, contrasting colors for a more psychedelic fade. They would be great for using up remnants of sport-weight or DK wool about 80-85 yards of each color are needed. The tight gauge keeps out the wind and the cold and makes them feel quite sturdy, but not too thick. Yarn: Any sportweight or DK weight wool. Shown in Jaeger Matchmaker DK, Main Color (MC): Brown, 1 ball (131yds/120m). Contrast Color (CC): Forest green, 1 ball (131yds/120m). Needles: US 2 double pointed needles Gauge: 26sts = 4 inches Other supplies: 2 stitch markers, scrap yarn One Size: Mens small/womens large Abbreviations: K = knit, P=purl K2tog = Knit two together SSK = Slip, slip, knit M1 = Make one PM = Place marker Sl.M = Slip marker

Instructions (Make two. The right and left gloves will be identical.): With MC, cast on 40sts using long tail cast on. Place marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist stitches. Cuff: Round 1: * K2, P2 * around. Repeat Round 1 24 more times. Hand: Round 25: Switch to CC. K all sts. Round 26: Switch to MC.K20, M1, PM, K2, M1, K to end. [Continue alternating between MC and CC each row. When changing to the next color, bring the new yarn behind the strand of the previous color, so that the previous color is trapped between the working yarn and the first stitch. Basically youre just twisting the two yarns together at the end of each round to make sure there are no gaps. Carry both yarns up as you knit, twisting them at the end of each round.] Round 27: K. Round 28: Knit to marker, Sl.M, M1, K2, M1, K to end. Round 29&30: Repeat rounds 27 & 28 once more. Round 31 & 32: K. Round 33: Knit to marker, Sl.M, M1, K2, M1, K to end. Round 34-48: Repeat rounds 31-33 five more times. Round 49: K22, Slip next 15 stitches onto scrap yarn for thumb, cast on 1 st, K to end. Rounds 50-55: Knit 6 rounds, ending with a CC round. Round 56: With MC, K 5sts, weaving CC yarn behind the stitches (*see below for a note on this technique). Drop CC yarn, and finish round. Slip last 5sts from previous round, and first 5sts of next round onto scrap yarn for pinky. Cut MC yarn. The remainder of the glove will be worked in CC. Round 57: With CC, K to end of round, cast on 2sts in gap, and rejoin round. Rounds 58-61: K. Fingers: Ring Finger: K5, place next 24 stitches on holders or scrap yarn, cast on 2sts in gap, K7. Knit 8 rounds (14 rows from the last MC stripe). Bind off in K1, P1 rib.

Middle Finger: Pick up and K 4 sts from the bottom edge of the ring finger, K6, cast on 2sts, leave next 13 stitches on holder, K5. Next round: K2tog, SSK, K13. K 8 more rounds (15 rows from the last MC stripe), and bind off in K1, P1 rib. Index Finger: Pick up and K 4 sts from the bottom edge of the middle finger, K13. Next round: K2tog, SSK, K13. K 7 more rounds (14 rows from the last MC stripe), and bind off in K1, P1 rib. Pinky Finger: Pick up and K 4sts from the bottom edge of the ring finger, K 10sts (held on scrap yarn from before). Next round: K2tog, SSK, K10. K 7 more rounds (9 rows from last MC stripe), and bind off in K1, P1 rib. Thumb: Pick up and K 4sts in the gap between the palm and the thumb stitches, K15. Next round: K2tog, SSK, K15. K 5 more rounds (7 rows from the last MC stripe), and bind off in K1, P1 rib.

* By weaving I mean what fair-isle knitters call catching the floats. Hold the CC on top of the needle as you knit every other stitch. For a tutorial on this technique visit this link: http://www.sheeweknits.com/fair_isle_101%20d.htm Note: This is also extremely handy for weaving in the ends as you make the fingers. Anytime you have a loose end of yarn (as you start each finger, for example), you can weave it in using this method on your next round, pretending that the loose end is the contrasting color yarn. This really minimizes the work weaving ends in later on.

Susan Letourneau, 1/2009