Seaside Gloves

(Originally available in Magknits, September 2006)
From pattern:

“If you’re like many knitters, during the height of summer you may find yourself impatient for the brisk days of fall and even winter, when you can pull out those woollen items created with long hours of pleasant labor. And yet– human nature being what it is– during those wintry periods, even knitters may find themselves remembering with longing those lazy hours on the beach in July or August: the penetrating heat of the sand, the glints of light off the water, the cooling salt spray flying off the crests of the waves. That’s why these gloves are a perfect anytime project: during the warmer months, they’ll augur frosty days to come, and once those days arrive, the wavy stitches, deep ocean teal and crystal bead droplets will remind you of those carefree seaside afternoons."

Sizes
Women’s S-M (M-L)
Circumference (unstretched): 7”/18 cm (8”/20.5 cm); to fit hand circumference of 7-8”/18-20.5 cm (8-9”/20.5-23 cm)
Length: 10”/25.5 cm (11”/28 cm)

Difficulty
Intermediate knitter/beginning beader; skills required include reading chart and working in the round.

Materials
Alchemy Yarns Synchronicity (50% silk, 50% wool; 118 yds/108 m per 50 g skein); 30W: Spruce; 2 (2) skeins.
Size S-M: 1 set US #5/3.75 mm double-point needles OR size to obtain gauge
Size M-L: 1 set US #7/4.5 mm double-point needles OR size to obtain gauge
tapestry needle; waste yarn or stitch holders
bead needle for threading beads (I used The Big “Eye”)
Clear glass beads, size 6/0 (4 mm), 52

Suggested Yarn Substitutes
Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Superwash or Karabella Aurora 8

Gauge
Size S-M: 24 sts/ 32 rows measured over 10cm (4 inches) in stockinette stitch (st st)
Size M-L: 21 sts/ 28 rows measured over 10cm (4 inches) in st st

Pattern Notes
The original stitch pattern (“Seaweed” from Barbara Walker’s Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns) is used for the left glove only, while the pattern for the right glove is its mirror image.

Both left and right gloves are fully charted to show the position of beads and construction of thumb gusset and fingers. Directions are the same for S-M and M-L; altering gauge by using different size needles results in two finished sizes.

Follow written directions as well as charts! Picked up and knit on stitches for upper hand and fingers are not shown on charts, but are worked following chart for stitches adjacent to each part.

By the way, if your fingertips prefer to be covered, instead of binding off each glove finger, just continue the stitch pattern as established until each finger is slightly longer than your own, and then do not bind off: instead break the yarn, thread it through all stitches, pull to close, and then fasten on the inside of the finger.

Thread beads onto yarn before casting on, pushing beads down along yarn until they are needed. Beads actually sit between 2 purl stitches; to place bead, purl first stitch, push bead into place, and purl second stitch.

Description from MagKnits.com:

Thinking with longing of those last halcyon days of summer? True, the season officially extends into September—but school and work intrude, twilight comes earlier every day, and in the back of your mind, you know that winter is not so far away.

That’s why these fingerless gloves are a perfect fall project: If started now, not only will they be ready for the first frost, but while you’re scraping the ice off your windshield, the wavy stitches, deep ocean teal and crystal droplets will remind you of those carefree seaside afternoons.