path: root/source/hands/ultimate_gloves/index.rst

*****************
 Ultimate Gloves
*****************

.. only:: html

   .. contents::

This is a pair of convertible mittens / fingerless gloves designed for
warmth and freedom of movement.

.. figure:: gloves.jpg
    :align: center

Materials
=========

Yarn
----

Ideal materials for this is a superwash wool in fingering to dk weight;
for most adult hands each glove will require less than one 50 g ball
(100 g total).

Needles
-------

* Two sets of double-point needles in the same size: one to work and the
  other one to keep the live stitches of the various components as they
  are worked.

* A crochet hook in the same size or slightely bigger, and spare yarn
  for the temporary crochet cast on.

Measurements
============

.. figure:: measurements.svg
    :align: center

Prepare a gauge swatch and measure both horizontal and vertical gauge.

Measure the width of the hand, just below the finger (A).

Measure also the lenght of your fingers (B), the distance between the
fingers and start of thumb (C), between start of thumb and wrist (D) and
lenght of thumb (E)

Multiply A by your gauge, round to the nearest multiple of two; this is
a, the basic circumference of the glove.

Multiply B, C, D and E by the vertical gauge to get b, c, d and e.

To get the basic finger circunference, f, divide (a+12) by 4 and round up.

Directions
==========

The mitten, fingers and thumb are worked separately, then joined working
from the fingers towards the cuffs.

Mitten
------

The mitten part is worked like the toes of a sock; I used the short rows
method.

Divide a by 2, this is g.
Multiply g by 0.4; if f is even round to the nearest even integer,
otherwise to the nearest odd one; this is h.

| Crochet cast on g :term:`sts`; :term:`p` to the end of the row; turn work.
| :term:`k` to the last :term:`st`; :term:`w&t`.
| :term:`p` to the last :term:`st`; :term:`w&t`.
| :term:`k` to the last unwrapped :term:`st`; :term:`w&t`.
| :term:`p` to the last unwrapped :term:`st`; :term:`w&t`.
| Repeat the last two lines until you have h unwrapped :term:`sts` and
  you're ready to start a right side row.
| :term:`k` to the last unwrapped :term:`st`, pick up wrap, knit wrapped
  :term:`st`, :term:`w&t`.
| :term:`p` to the last unwrapped :term:`st`, pick up wrap, purl wrapped
  :term:`st`, :term:`w&t`.
| Repeat the last two lines until you have one wrapped :term:`st` per
  side.
| :term:`k` to the last unwrapped :term:`st`, pick up wrap, knit wrapped
  :term:`st`.

Pick up the g live :term:`sts` from the crochet chain and place them on
two double-point needles, add a marker for the start of round and knit
to the end of the two needles.

Pick up the last remaining wrap, knit the wrapped :term:`st` and
continue working in stockinette in the round for b - (g - h) + 4 rounds
(i.e. the mitten should be as long as your fingers + 4 rows).

Bind off g :term:`sts`, put the remaining ones on a spare double-point needle.

.. admonition:: Variant

   Instead of binding off you can work these g :term:`sts` flat for 2-3
   rows, either in stockinette or 2k2p ribbing, and then bind them off
   in pattern.

   You will then have to sew the sides to the main body of the glove.

Thumb
-----

.. figure:: thumb.jpg
    :align: center
    :width: 160 px
    :height: 120 px

Form a loop and knit (f+2)/2 :term:`sts` alternating between the front
and the back side of the loop, join the round.

:term:`k` the next two rounds spreading enough increases so that by the
end of them you have f+2 :term:`sts`.

Work in the round; after a few rows (e.g. 5) pull the tail tight to
close the hole and use a blunt needle to sew it in.

Continue working until you have done e / 4 * 3 complete (f+2
:term:`sts`) rounds.


:term:`k` (f+2)/4 :term:`sts`, then create the thumb hole: pass the yarn
to the front of the work; slip the first :term:`st` to the right needle
as if to knit;
slip the next :term:`st` to the right needle and then pass the first
slipped :term:`st` over the second, binding it off; continue until you
have bound off f/2+1 :term:`sts`, slip the last :term:`st` back to the
left needle.

At the edge where you started, cast on f/2+2 :term:`sts` using the
twisted purlwise cast on.

Slip the first regular :term:`st` to the right needle, slip the last
cast on :term:`st` above it, return the regular :term:`st` to the left
needle.  Continue knitting to the end of the round.

:term:`k` e / 4 other rows, place the live :term:`sts` on two spare
double-point needles.

Fingers
-------

For the ring and middle finger long tail cast on f :term:`sts`, join in
the round and work for about 2 cm, cut yarn and place on two spare
double-point needles, with the tails facing the same direction.

For the small finger, if a is divisible by four cast on f :term:`sts`,
otherwise f - 2, work as other fingers, place on the same double-point
needles as above, with the tail facing the ring finger.

Cast on f :term:`sts` for the index ring, work as above but don't cut
tail.

Joining
-------

With all the four the fingers on two spare needles, join them together,
decreasing one stitch at each edge of a finger; while doing so
distribute the stitches on two needles, but try to avoid placing a
change of needes between two fingers even if you have to have a
different number of stitches per needle..

:term:`k` half of the index finger except for two :term:`sts`,
:term:`sks`; continue with the middle finger: :term:`k2t`, :term:`k` all
:term:`sts` except for the last two, :term:`sks`; repeat the same for
the ring finger; :term:`k2t` the first two :term:`sts` of the small
finger, :term:`k` the remaining first half of the small finger.

Now work the other side of the hand: :term:`k` the remaining :term:`sts`
of the small finger except for the last two, :term:`sks`; on the ring
finger :term:`k2t`, :term:`k` until two :term:`sts` of the ring finger
remain, :term:`sks`; repeat for the middle finger; :term:`k2t` the first
two :term:`sts` of the index finger, :term:`k` the remaining :term:`sts`
of the index finger.

Leave the tails free, and use them later to sew the small holes between
fingers.

Add a marker for the start of round.

:term:`k` in the round for 3 more rounds.

Just for the left glove, knit g :term:`sts`.

Place the fingers inside the mitten, hold the needle from the mitten
parallel to the left one from the fingers.

Pick a stitch from the fingers, put it on the needle from the mitten,
knit two :term:`sts` together; repeat until the mitten is joined to the
main body.

Just for the right glove: :term:`k` g :term:`sts`.

:term:`k` c - 5 rounds; :term:`sks` the last two :term:`sts` and mark
end of glove.

Attach thumb so that the thumb-hole is facing the other fingers; knit
the first two :term:`sks` together, knit the other :term:`sts` of thumb
except two, :term:`sks`; knit first two :term:`sts` of glove together,
mark restart of glove, knit to the end of the round.

Work the next e rows; every 2-3 rows knit together the last 2
:term:`sts` of glove, work thumb, slip, knit passover the first
:term:`sts` of glove so that you arrive at the wrist with a - 2
:term:`sts`.  A few rounds before the end you may want to decrease also
near the small finger; knit together the third- and second-to-last
:term:`sts` of the needle, knit the last :term:`st`, knit the first
:term:`st` of the next needle, slip, knit, passover the second and third
:term:`st` of the needle.

Cuff
----

Work the cuff in 2k2p ribbing until it is long enought or you finish
your yarn :)
Bind off loosely in pattern.

Finishing
---------

.. figure:: button.jpg
    :align: center

Attach a button just above the cuff in the middle of the back; on the
corresponding part of the mitten insert some yarn around a stitch, work
a few crochet chain stitches with the yarn doubled, pass the ends to the
inside of the mitt and fix them.

Makes
=====

* 50% wool, 30% acrylic, 20% nylon
* 150 m per 50 g balls
* worked with 4 mm dpn, 22 sts × 36 rows = 10 cm × 10 cm
* 30 g per each glove

------

* Mafil Sport Wash 100% superwash wool
* worked with 3 mm dpn?
* 40 g per each glove

------

* Super Baby Decatiè superwash wool
* worked with 3 mm dpn, 30 sts × 40 rows = 10 cm × 10 cm in the round