Sep 262011
 

The original design that sparked the Very Chic series, these handwarmers can be made as fingerless mitts or as gloves, each with scrunchy, sideways-cabled cuffs. Wear them with jeans or a little black dress; they’re kind of very chic!

Kind of Very Chic may be made as fingerless mitts or as gloves. Stitches are cast on provisionally for the cuff, which is worked back and forth in a pattern of alternating cables with select columns of dropped stitches between them. The cuff is grafted closed, or alternatively, a 3-needle bind off may be used. Stitches for the hand are then picked up along one edge of the cuff, and the hand is worked with the thumb stitches set aside on a holder. Variations are given to finish the fingertip opening of the mitts with a narrow band of ribbing, or to make a full-fingered version of the gloves. The thumb is worked last from the held stitches. The cuff may be worked from the chart or the full written instructions; a photo tutorial is also included for grafting the cabled cuff, with written instructions for grafting the cables included in the pattern instructions. Optionally, a 3-needle bind off may be used.

Techniques & Skills Used: Provisional CO, backwards loop CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, picking up stitches, cables, dropped stitches, knitting in the round, grafting or optional 3-needle bind off; this pattern includes both a chart for the cuff and full written instructions, a photo tutorial for grafting the cables, and a link to my basic grafting instructions.

Size: Women’s Small (Medium, Large), to fit approximately 7” (7.5”, 8”) palm circumference, measured around hand above thumb.

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted (100% merino wool; 210 yards/192m/100g); 1 skein, or approximately 150 – 190 yards of worsted weight yarn. Size M mitts shown in Polar Morn and gloves shown in Fucsia.

Other Materials: US 9 (5.5mm) 24” circular needle for cuff; US 8 (5mm) 32” circular needle if using Magic Loop, or dpns, for hand, or size to match gauge; Scrap yarn for provisional CO and stitch holder; Stitch markers (3); Yarn needle; Crochet hook (any size) to help with raveling stitches; 4 non-slippery US 8 (5mm) dpns, preferably two different colors, for grafting.

Gauge: 16 st and 18 rows/4” in cable pattern on larger needle; one cable is approximately 2” wide, unstretched, after stitches are dropped. 20 st and 28 rounds/4” in stockinette stitch on smaller needle, after gentle blocking.

See it on Ravelry or on PayHip, to read more and purchase the pattern.