Lady Lawyer Arm Warmers

Lady Lawyer Arm Warmers

Okay!  So much like the last hat I posted, these arm warmers are for a friend, by request.  And as you've probably guessed by now, she's a lady lawyer in Alaska, where the courtrooms are cold but the justice is hot (or so they say).  Either way, she wanted something delicate and eggplant-y, and I loved this stitch pattern too much to use any other (none of the pictures show it really well, but the basic pattern is a big hole in the center of a four-stitch rib, and then two little holes on the side two rows up, repeated over and over).  Or in other words, it's perfect for all your Alaskan justice-related needs.

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (50% Peruvian wool, 20% Super Fine Alpaca, 30% Nylon; 433 yards [400 meters]/100 grams); #12171 Berry Pie Mix - one skein

Needles: One set of double-pointed needles (dpns) in size 1

Notions: Tapestry needle

A little bit better view of the pattern, with a twist

Gauge: 30 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size 2 needles

Now, before we get started, let's talk about sizing for a moment.  To make these arm warmers, I cast on 72 stitches, and they're intended for a person whose forearms and base-of-thumb hand-parts measure roughly 9.5" around.  Each iteration of the pattern is 6 stitches and little under 1"; for that reason, you can change the size of these arm warmers by simply casting on more or less stitches.  If your forearms are smaller than 9.5" you can comfortably wear larger arm warmers, but they won't stretch and show the pattern off as well.  So if your forearms/base-of-thumb-hand-parts measure about 8.5", consider casting on 66 stitches, cast on 60 stitches if they measure 7.5", and even less if you're making these for a child (and conversely, cast on 78, 84, etc. stitches if your forearms and hands are larger).  Luckily, this is only something you have to think about once, when you do your initial cast-on!  So let's get started.

Cast on 72 (66, 60, 78, 84, whatever) stitches and divide between three dpns in groups of six stitches, join in round.  Knit 1/2 inch in k1, p1 ribbing.

Now it's time to move on to the main pattern, which is Italian Chain Ribbing from page 47 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, except adapted for the round.  So let's get started!

Row 1: * k4, p2; rep from *

Row 2: * k2tog, (yo) twice, ssk, p2 *

Row 3: * k1, k1 into front of first yo, k1 into back of second yo, k1, p2 *

Row 4: * yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, p2 *

Continue in pattern until piece measures somewhere between 8 and 8.5 inches and you're happy with the length, AND you have just finished Row 1.  Knit another 1/2 in k1, p1 ribbing and then bind off loosely in pattern.  Finally, make another one!