Seaside Gloves
(Originally available in Magknits, September 2006)
**From the Pattern:**
“If you’re like many passionate knitters, the height of summer often has you eagerly anticipating the brisk, cozy days of fall and winter. The moment you can retrieve those beloved woollen items that you crafted during long hours of joyful labor feels rewarding. However, human nature is an interesting thing—during those cold and wintry months, even the most devoted knitters might find themselves reminiscing about lazy afternoons spent on the beach in July or August. Picture the sun-warmed sand, the dazzling glints of sunlight dancing off the water, and the refreshing sea spray from crashing waves. This is why these delightful fingerless gloves make an ideal anytime project: during the warmer months, they’ll spark anticipation for the frosty days to come, and when winter arrives, the intricate wavy stitches, deep ocean teal color, and crystal bead droplets will transport you back to those carefree seaside afternoons.
**Sizes Available**
Women’s S-M (M-L)
Circumference (unstretched): 7”/18 cm (8”/20.5 cm); designed to fit hand circumferences of 7-8”/18-20.5 cm (8-9”/20.5-23 cm)
Length: 10”/25.5 cm (11”/28 cm)
**Difficulty Level**
Designed for intermediate knitters or beginners eager to try beading; essential skills include reading charts and knitting in the round.
**Materials Required**
Alchemy Yarns Synchronicity (50% silk, 50% wool; 118 yds/108 m per 50 g skein); Color: 30W: Spruce; 2 (2) skeins needed.
- For Size S-M: 1 set of US #5/3.75 mm double-point needles or size needed to obtain gauge.
- For Size M-L: 1 set of US #7/4.5 mm double-point needles or size needed to achieve gauge.
- Tapestry needle and waste yarn or stitch holders.
- A bead needle for threading beads (I recommend The Big “Eye”).
- Clear glass beads, size 6/0 (4 mm), 52 beads required.
**Suggested Yarn Substitutes**
Consider using Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Superwash or Karabella Aurora 8 for similar results.
**Gauge Specifications**
Size S-M: 24 stitches and 32 rows measured over a 10 cm (4 inches) square in stockinette stitch (st st).
Size M-L: 21 stitches and 28 rows measured over a 10 cm (4 inches) square in stockinette stitch.
**Pattern Notes**
The original stitch pattern, “Seaweed” from Barbara Walker’s Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, is employed for the left glove only. The right glove features the mirror image of this pattern. Both gloves are fully charted to illustrate the placement of beads and the construction for the thumb gusset and fingers. Directions are uniform for both sizes, with variations in gauge accommodating the different needle sizes used. Ensure you consult both written instructions and charts! The stitches picked up for the upper hand and fingers are not indicated in the charts but will be worked following the adjacent stitch chart.
If you prefer more coverage for your fingertips, instead of binding off each glove finger, simply continue the stitch pattern until each finger is slightly longer than your own. Do not bind off; instead, cut the yarn, thread it through all remaining stitches, pull to close, and secure on the inside of the finger.
Be sure to thread the beads onto the yarn before casting on. Push the beads down along the yarn until they're needed. The beads should nestle between two purl stitches; to incorporate the bead, purl the first stitch, place the bead into position, and then purl the second stitch.
Description from MagKnits.com:
Feeling nostalgic for those last lazy days of summer? Although the season officially lingers into September, school and work commitments take precedence, twilight descends earlier each day, and a quiet reminder lingers in the back of your mind: winter is not far off.
These fingerless gloves make for a perfect fall knitting project. If you start now, not only will they be ready for the first frost, but while you’re scraping ice from your windshield, the wavy stitches, deep ocean teal hues, and crystal accents will evoke memories of carefree afternoons spent at the beach.
