Whit's Knits: Colorblock Hand Warmers

The sweet spot of knitting, for me, is when it starts to feel a lot like painting. When the form is fluid and mutable and when the palette is supple and free, then I feel that knitting really hits its creative stride. Creating these Colorblock Hand Warmers delivers just that kind of deeply satisfying experience.

The idea behind these simple mitts was to give free rein to the gorgeous colors of Madeline Tosh Merino Light, to allow the spectacularly hand dyed palette to speak its own story and to create its own beauty: from moonlight gray to buttery yellow to bronzed apricot to blazing tangerine.

Follow your own color whimsy or take a page from our book!  -Whitney

The Materials

 

• 4 skeins of Madeline Tosh's Tosh Merino Light. These colors, from the left, are Napoli, Alabaster, Milk and Luster (Antler would be a very close alternative to the Luster). Just one skein would be enough to make a whole pair of hand warmers. Or use all four and switch the colors around to make four slightly different pairs! (UPDATE: The color Napoli has been discontinued. Cameo would be a great substitute!)

• A set of US #2 double pointed needles.

• A set of US #3 double pointed needles.

The Pattern

Gauge

8 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette stitch

Finished Sizes

Small/Medium: 6 1/2 inches in circumference and 12 inches long

Medium/Large: 7 1/2 inches in circumference and 12 inches long. (Instructions for the Medium/Large size are shown in parantheses after the Small/Medium size.)

Begin

With Color A (Luster) and the US #2 double pointed needles, cast on 52 (60) stitches.

Join for working in the round being careful to not twist your stitches.

Round 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 five more times.

Change to US #3 double pointed needles.

Knit until the piece measures 4 1/2 inches from the cast on edge.

With Color B (Milk), knit until the piece measures 8 inches from the cast on edge.

With Color C (Alabaster), knit 5 rounds.

The Thumb Hole

NOTE: For the thumb hole, you will work back and forth in rows, turning the work between each row, as you would a flat piece of knitting. Work the stitches on the double pointed needles just as they are, moving from one needle to the next.

*Turn the work so the purl side is facing you and purl all 52 (60) stitches.

Now turn the work so the knit side is facing you and knit the 52 (60) stitches.

Repeat from * until the thumb hole measures 1 1/2 inches, ending with a knit row.

The Hand

NOTE: For the hand section you will work in the round again with the outside of the hand warmer facing you. You will begin with a joining round that connects the two sides of the thumb hole. For the joining round, just continue to work from the last knit row with the outside facing you.

Knit 5 rounds.

With Color D (Napoli), knit for 1 inch.

Change to US #2 double pointed needles.

Next Round: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat the last round 3 more times.

Use a US #3 double pointed needle to bind off in the 1 x 1 rib pattern.

Finishing the Thumb Hole

With Color C and the US #2 double pointed needles, pick up 28 stitches around the thumb hole.

Round 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 one more time.

With a US #3 double pointed needle, bind off in the 1 x 1 rib pattern.

Weave in all the ends and then make another!

Comments

[Casey]

these are beautiful! I wish I could knit better

[Laura]

These are simple, beautiful, and cozy, and they sort of look like candy corn (which is a good thing!) I have a pattern question though. You say:

"NOTE: For the thumb hole, you will work back and forth in rows, turning the work between each row, as you would a flat piece of knitting. Work the stitches on the double pointed needles just as they are, moving from one needle to the next.

*Turn the work so the purl side is facing you and knit all 52 (60) stitches."

If these are stockinette, shouldn't that read: "Turn the work so the purl side is facing you and PURL all 52 (60) stitches?"

Thanks.

[purl bee]

Hi Laura,

Totally! Thank you so much for pointing out that mistake. It's fixed now!

Whitney

[Grace]

Love these and the yarn looks yummy. If I only want a single solid color how many skeins do I need for a pair?

[Leah]

Is it just me, or does this selection of colors remind anyone else of candy corn? Also, love it!

[purl bee]

Hi Grace-

You'll only need one skein to make a solid pair.

Thanks!

[Zaz]

hello whitney, i wish you'd give the yarn weight as in lace/fingering, etc, and also the needle size in metric on top of the american sizes, thank you for your lovely projects and for sharing ox

[susina]

I MUST do it! they are perfect for me. thank you very much for pattern :-)
susina

[zvega]

Would love to see you tube video for how to put this together.

[Sara]

Just another little correction: I'm guessing that "Knit until the piece measures 4 1/2 stitches from cast on edge" should be "4 1/2 inches".

[purl bee]

Hi Sara-

Thanks for pointing that out! It's been changed.

- Molly

[Elaine]

could these be done with circular needles as well? Or are they generally too long?

[purl bee]

Hi Elaine-

You could try them on an 8-inch circular needle. We have them available here: http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/8-Skacel-Addi-Turbo-Circular-Needles

Or you could give the magic loop method a try.

Thank you for your question!

- Molly

[Chantelle]

I'm sorry if this is a dense question (I am new to double-pointed needles), but when you say to cast on 52 stitches, is that 52 total (~17 per needle), or 52 on each of 3 needles? Using 52 total seems too small? Thanks!

[purl bee]

Hi Chantelle-

It is 52 stitches total which will make them 6.5-inches around, which is smaller than the diameter of most hands. However, they will stretch to fit a small/ medium hand. You can also make the larger size if you're making it for a medium/ large hand.

Thank you for your question!

Molly

[Sparkle]

These look wonderful but I also would love a you tube video. If your new to knitting is this something that can be done as a beginner project?

[Ingrid]

Love your site! I have a question about the gauge listed. Is it 8 st/in in stockinette using the #2 needles or using the #3 needles? I am a loose "picker" style knitter and I usually just bump down a couple sizes to obtain the right gauge, but I am juuuust barely squeaking out 8 stitches/inch on size 0 needles right now! So if it is 8 stitches on the #2s I think it will work...otherwise I have been eyeing up the Susan Bates sock needle set in your online store. Or I suppose I could cast on less stitches, but that is not as fun as new needles!

[Kydel]

These mitts are so simple but absolutely stunning! I love the colour choice. Gotta make me some of them!

[Helen Marshall]

I love your patterns, but I wish you could print them on a full
page rather than a skinny column. When I print them out it
takes several pages of paper which is a huge waste. Maybe
you could create a printout option that would be a full page
width.

Thank you!

[Alice]

I love these and hope to make them.
The colors look like they are bringing warmth down to the fingers - a romantic view. Candy corn as well.

[purl bee]

Hi Helen-

We totally understand your frustration and it's something we are committed to resolving in the future. In the meantime we recommend that you copy and paste the text or the pattern into a Text or Word document and print it that way. It's not ideal but it does cut down on the waste.

Thank you so much for your comment!

Molly

[Laura]

Such lovely mittens. How to make simplicity look best! Thanks!

[Karen]

I, too, would like clarification for gauge??
8 sts/inch on the #2 or #3 needles??

[purl bee]

Hi Karen-

The gauge is given for the #3 needles.

Thank you for your question!

Molly

[theresa]

Napoli AND Cameo seem to be discontinued... could you suggest another sub? Chamomile? Caravan?

Thanks!

[purl bee]

Hi Theresa-

It's such a shame that those colors were discontinued! Right now we are low on all of the colors but are waiting for a shipment. If you drop us a line at customerservice AT purlsoho DOT com we can email you when it come in and let you know what colors would be the best match.

Thank you!

Molly