A Glove/Mitten/Handwarmer related thread!!!

PHOENIXMOON · 01-26-2009, 05:01 AM

Hey All,
I am thinking of making gloves/mittens/handwarmers/possibly a combination of these as my next project after the lace scarf.

My questions are:
Any patterns that you recommend personally?
What size of needles do I need?
Do I need a circular needle, or can I knit them on straight needles?
What type of yarn can use for gloves/mittens that give the best results?
Can you recommend: Any waterproof yarns? Any windproof yarns? Very warm yarns when knitted?

~*Phoenix*~

dustinac · 01-26-2009, 02:10 PM

My questions are:
Any patterns that you recommend personally? For fingerless I like the Snowflake fingerless gloves as for my favorite mitten/glove pattern, I like mostly colorwork or a cabled design.
What size of needles do I need? It depends on the yarn you use...sometimes I uses 4 &5s with a heavier weight yarn, but then just finished a pair on 1s
Do I need a circular needle, or can I knit them on straight needles? You can knit some patterns flat, but knitting them in the round is very simple, fast, and easy to do
What type of yarn can use for gloves/mittens that give the best results? As long as you get gauge it can vary in weight
Can you recommend: Any waterproof yarns? Any windproof yarns? Very warm yarns when knitted? Animal fiber keeps you the warmest. Acrylic yarns will not keep you warm or keep out the mositure.

PHOENIXMOON · 01-26-2009, 03:22 PM

Hey All,
Dustinac -Thankyou for your swift (meaning quick, not wool windy thing) response. The snowflake pattern looks gorgeous with a capital mwah ! So, needle size is below 4.00mm... That means I can go get some more knitting needles!

Some NEWB questions:
How do you gauge the needles and yarn?
Can someone send me a link for a beginners guide to circular needles thread?

~*Phoenix*~

sue in canada · 01-26-2009, 03:43 PM

For a warm, windproof mitten, try this felted mitten pattern.
http://www.spinderellas.com/patterns/mittens.html

outdoordrea · 01-26-2009, 07:53 PM

I love this pattern - Knucks - I've made two pairs already. Super easy, knitted from the fingers to the cuff.

TrishL1975 · 01-27-2009, 03:44 AM

Look at the second project OTN in my sig - it's a lot of fun, I think. I'm making it out of worsted wool/silk, and they're so cushy and pretty. I had to go get DPNs - something that small in diameter was killing me trying to Magic Loop since I had never knitted in the round and I'm still pretty shaky during the first 3-5 rows. I went even further down in size on the needles - I'm knitting them on a 5, and they're really plush without being stiff, but that might be the yarn.

TrishL1975 · 01-27-2009, 05:21 AM

I'm so excited, I had to tell someone.

For some reason, I end up knitting until late at night, when I'm so brain-fogged that I'm staring at my hands going, "pointy things... string, what is this called again?"

So I'm coming up on the part in "Fetching" where you leave space for the thumb. The instructions read:

" Using waste yarn, k7; slip these sts back to left needle and k them again using working yarn; work in 4x1 Rib as set to end."

I was all confused. Then I figured it out! Without help! Tired!

But I'm setting them aside for the night, before I drop a stitch and it ladders all the way to the hem.

Happy glove knitting!

PHOENIXMOON · 01-27-2009, 10:07 AM

Hey All,
Trish -Thats great! What is the translation? Lifeline it! ! ~*Phoenix*~

TrishL1975 · 01-27-2009, 12:29 PM

Close - you're making a circular hole rather than an edge, so you knit with the waste yarn (which seems to be an efficient way to run a lifeline, now that I think of it - just "drop" the waste stitches) put 'em back on the left needle and knit over those, and once you're on your main body continue with the pattern.

Of course, I hear that there are better gussets than that, but I want to follow the pattern at least once.

kfitzy · 01-28-2009, 07:23 PM

Thanks for making this thread! I just decided to try my very first pair of real gloves, and I'm using a very basic pattern. So I don't have a lot of insight, but I'm enjoying reading everyone else's ideas!

I did try an idea from a Knitty Gritty episode to knit a rectangle on straight needles that would fold over your hand/wrist, and then seam it leaving a hole for your thumb. It worked OK, but left half my palm exposed. Also, I used an acrylic yarn which I don't recommend, it was pretty yarn but not comfortable.

Kathleen