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!
October 9, 2011
Reader Comments (39)
"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.
Totally! Thank you so much for pointing out that mistake. It's fixed now!
Whitney
You'll only need one skein to make a solid pair.
Thanks!
susina
Thanks for pointing that out! It's been changed.
- Molly
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
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
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!
The colors look like they are bringing warmth down to the fingers - a romantic view. Candy corn as well.
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
8 sts/inch on the #2 or #3 needles??
The gauge is given for the #3 needles.
Thank you for your question!
Molly
Thanks!
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
I'm a huge walker and these colors remind me of a cloudy dawn. My favourite time of day!
Got some creamy, lovely bamboo yarn in colors that are almost identical. I'm soooo excited to have these! Thank you!!!
Cantaloupe in Squishy would work well as would Koigu in color 1240:http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/410-Koigu-Wool-Designs-Koigu-Premium-Merino-KPM
Thanks for your question!
Molly
I will be looking for some good alternative yarn and I will give them a try since I always have cold hands in the winter (but everyone in the house always seem to find it warm so this would be great)
Again thank you so much.
Warm regards,
Helen Jones
Thank you for your kind words about this pattern! Just so you know, we ship all over the world and the yarn is available here: http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/7957-Madeline-Tosh-Tosh-Merino-Light
Also, you can make up to 4 pairs of handwarmers with the 4 skeins, or you can make a solid colored pair with just one skein.
Best-
Molly
everything goes great for these until i start knitting flat for the thumb hole. i somehow twist my stitches when i start with the purl stitches back and forth. i am able to knit through the back of the stitch on the RS, but it still looks a little different than when i knit in the round. i have no idea why this is happening and would appreciate any assistance in managing this so my stitches look consistent for the entire piece.
In the sizing section you say that the small/med is 6 1/2 inches and med/large is 7 1/2 inches; where is that circumference measuring at? The wrist, around the fingers only or around fingers including thumb?
I can't say for sure, but it sounds like you might twist either your knit or purl stitches. When you make a knit stitch you should insert the right needle through the front of the stitch in an away from you motion (i.e. from front to back). And when you purl, you should be bringing the right needle through the stitch from back to front in a toward you motion.
You may want to double check your technique with these helpful videos from Knitting Help: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knit-stitch and http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/purl-stitch .
If it turns out this isn't the problem, please let me know and we'll try to figure it out!
Whitney
The measurement is the same around the wrist as it is around the fingers, so both!
I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any more questions and thanks for this one!
Whitney
I don't know exactly how many yards I used, but I would guess around 250. I don't think 100 yards will get you there, but you could make a shorter version!
Thanks so much for question!
Whitney
I am brand new at this... I have followed your pttern and had no problem until I reached the thumb part... I knit 52 stiches then turn work - knit 52 stiches.. repeat for 1 1/2".. how does this create the thumb hole?? or am I ahead of myself? ( am I working on 2 needles or should I be working with 3??
You don't "knit 52 stitches then turn work - knit 52 stitches". You actually turn the work (so the inside of the hand warmer is facing you), PURL 52 stitches, then turn (so the outside of the hand warmer is facing you) and knit those same stitches.
I think it might help to review to the pattern Note which gives you an overview of how the Thumb Hole is formed: 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.
I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any more questions and good luck!
Whitney