Razor Shell Fingerless Gloves

Razor Shell Fingerless Gloves

I've worked with this yarn before, and enjoyed it (with the Lady Lawyer Arm Warmers and the Oopsie Daisy Diagonal Hat). Therefore, when I saw it in this delicious brand-new-leaf green, I knew I had to bring it home. And the Razor Shell Fingerless Gloves have a nice open pattern that's great for spring, with the added benefit that the yarn overs give them a ribbing-like quality which makes them conform nicely to the hands. So, you know, the yarn is nice, the shape is good, and the pattern looks decent, to boot. And what more can you look for in a fingerless glove?

My husband calls this pose the "claw."
Apparently, I don't have a future in hand modeling.

Sizes: smaller (for a hand roughly 7 1/2" - 8" in circumference at the base of the thumb) and larger (for a hand roughly 8 1/2" - 9" in circumference at the base of the thumb) - directions for larger size will follow those for the smaller size in parentheses

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (50% Superwash Wool, 20% Super Fine Alpaca, 30% Nylon; 433 yards [400 meters]/100 grams); #12177 Kaffir Mix - one skein

Needles: One set of double pointed needles (dpns) in size 2, one set of dpns in size 1

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 30 stitches = 4 inches

Using your size 1 needles, cast on 55 (65) stitches loosely, and distribute between your three double pointed needles as follows: 20 stitches on your first needle, 15 stitches on your second needle, and 20 stitches on your third needle (for larger size: 20 stitches on your first needle, 25 stitches on your second needle, and 20 stitches on your third needle). Join in round. Then, we'll knit the following ribbing row:

Ribbing Row: * (k1, p1) twice, k1; rep from *

Knit this row 6 times, at which point we'll switch to our size 2 needles and our main pattern, which is a slight adaptation of the four-stitch Razor Shell rib from page 206 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and goes as follows (both sizes):

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: * k1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k1 *

Knit rows 1 & 2 until piece measures roughly 4", and you've just finished row 2 of the pattern (I'm going to be anal and count my repeats, so my gloves turn out exactly the same. You're welcome to do the same. I've knit these rows 17 times at this point). And now, it's time to begin gusseting in the thumb. So let's proceed as follows (both sizes):

Row 1: knit until you have 20 stitches left on your first needle, m1r, knit across remainder of first and second needles. K20 on your third needle, m1l, knit across remaining stitches (and yes, that means that you won't knit at all before your very first increase)

Row 2: knit until you have 20 stitches left on your first needle, * k1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k1 * until you reach your third needle. (k1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k1) four times, knit until end of round

Work rows 1 - 2 nine times (ten times for larger size). At this point, you should have 29 (30) stitches on your first and last needles. Knit across first 9 (10) stitches on your first needle and then transfer these 9 (10) stitches and the final 9 (10) stitches on your third needle to a scrap piece of yarn, to hold for working later as the thumb. And now, we'll resume our original pattern, joining the mitt back in the round at the thumb break. I've copied the pattern below again even though there are no changes. Naturally, that means it's still the same for both sizes.

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: * k1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k1 *

Knit rows 1 - 2 until piece measures roughly 1.5" from thumb gusset (I worked them 6 times). Knit row 1 one more time, switch to your size 1 needles, and then work the original ribbing row 6 times. Bind off loosely in ribbing pattern. And then, using your size 2 dpns, pick up your thumb stitches again, taking care not to put a seam where the break in the stitches occurs (where you rejoined your glove in the round after removing the thumb stitches from your dpns). Knit around, picking up two extra stitches at the break, and completing 5 knit rows in total. Switch to your size 1 needles and knit two rows in a * k1, p1 * ribbing. Bind off loosely, and tuck in ends. Make another glove, if desired.

This is what they look like off. As you can see, they get all
shrinky without some nice hands to fill them out.