Free Knitting Pattern for Adult Sized Gloves

How to Knit Gloves in Single Rib Stitch Using Lamb's Pride Yarn

Aug 13, 2008
Kristen O'Hara

Gloves Knit in Lamb's Pride Blue Skyways Yarn - Matthew O'Hara

These gloves are a quick knit with the Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn and size 10½ needles. The single rib stitch and wool yarn together create a very warm glove for winter.

Create the single rib stitch using a knit one, purl one repetition throughout the entire pattern. All knit stitches are knit on subsequent rows. All purl stitches are purled. The result is a stockinette look with an eye-catching depth and an adjustable stretch.

Materials

1-2 skeins Lamb’s Pride Bulky (85% wool/15% mohair), shown in Blue Skyways M-230 Note: When making the matching hat and gloves, 3 skeins total should be sufficient.
5 US size 10 ½ double pointed needles
1-3 stitch holders
Stitch Markers, if desired

Gauge

4 ½ stitches per inch; 4 rows per inch

How to Knit the Gloves Using Single Rib Stitch

Make two alike:

Cast on 20 stitches. Divide stitches between four needles. Knit in the rib stitch for 10 rounds. Begin increase, using m1 option 1:

M1, k10, m1, k10 (22 stitches)
M1, k11, m1, k11 (24 stitches)
Knit two straight rounds.
M1, k12, m1, k12 (26 stitches)
M1, k13, m1, k13 (28 stitches)
Knit two straight rounds.
M1, k14, m1, k14 (30 stitches)
M1, k15, m1, k15 (32 stitches)
Knit two rounds straight
M1, k16, m1, k16 (34 stitches)
M1, k17, m1, k13 (36 stitches)

Separate last 4 stitches of the last needle and the first 4 stitches of the first needle for the thumb. Join remaining stitches together. Knit 5 rounds. Shift all stitches onto 2 needles (or stitch holders). Separate evenly as if for the palm and top of the hand. Begin fingers, using m1 option 2 :

Pointer finger

Work with stitches closest to thumb opening. Place 4 stitches from the front needle and 3 stitches from the back needle onto 2 separate working needles. Use third needle to knit. K4, M1, K3 (8 stitches). Knit 12 more rounds in pattern.

Cast off by either:

Removing stitches from the needle and lacing yarn through the middle of each stitch
Lacing the yarn through the stitches on the needle and pulling them off one by one.

Middle Finger

Place 3 stitches from the front needle and 4 stitches from the back needle onto 2 separate working needles. Pick up one stitch in the side of the pointer finger (to close the gap). Knit remaining stitches in pattern (8 stitches). Knit 12 more rounds. Cast off as directed above.

Ring Finger

Place 4 stitches from the front needle and 3 stitches from the back needle onto 2 separate working needles. K4, m1, k3 (8 stitches). Knit 12 more rounds in pattern. Cast off as directed above.

Pinky

Use remaining stitches. Pick up 1 stitch from the side of the ring finger, k3, k4 (8 stitches). Knit 8 more rounds. Cast off as directed above.

Thumb

Place stitches from the stitch holder onto 2 separate working needles. Pick up 2 stitches from the side of the glove, knit around in pattern (10 stitches). Knit 9 more rounds. Cast off as directed above.

Sew in all loose ends. Sew together the opening between the middle and ring fingers.

Abbreviations and Explanations for Knitting Gloves

K: Though k generally refers to knit, in this pattern it represents both knit and purl stitches. Knit the knit stitches. Purl the purl stitches.

M1: Make one. This pattern uses two methods for increasing.

Option 1: Place the left hand needle under the horizontal bar between the 2 stitches (from front to back). Use the right hand needle to pick up the back side of the new stitch and knit. Option 1 is used on the hand of the glove.
Option 2: Increase into the stitch on the back needle. Knit as normal, but do not drop the stitch. Instead, knit the back of the stitch, as well. Then, drop the stitch as usual. There should be two new stitches on the right needle instead of one. Option 2 is used on the fingers of the glove.

Kristen O'Hara - I graduated from college with a B.S. in elementary education. After teaching third grade for two years, I chose to stay home with my ...

16 Comments

Comments

Oct 14, 2008 7:14 PM

Guest :

I do not understand this patter at all in the beginning it says to cast on 20 stitches. My question is on how many needles. 20 does not seem to be enough stitches. And then the increases do not make sense to me either. Please let me know what to do. Thank you.

Oct 14, 2008 9:37 PM

Kristen O'Hara :

1) Twenty stitches should be enough if the gauge is correct. This is the cuff of the glove. It should fit snuggly. The knit/purl rib makes it a little elastic, so it will stretch over the hand.

2) I have edited the article to include a step. Divide the initial twenty stitches between four needles (five stitches per needle). If this is uncomfortable (because of your needle length . . .which varies), you can start out on three needles and increase to four needles, as needed. The number of needles you use will not affect the look.

3) Have you clicked on the link I provided for the increases? It should take you to a video demonstration of each type of increase. The knitter varies slightly in option one, but the look is basically the same.

Thank you for your comment. I hope this helps and the gloves turn out nicely for you!
Kristen

Oct 26, 2008 3:11 PM

Guest :

thankyou very much that helps a lot.
Debbie

Oct 26, 2008 3:15 PM

Guest :

Hi if I were to use a differant kind of yarn like 100% wool 4ply what size needles would you recommend

Oct 27, 2008 7:56 PM

Kristen O'Hara :

The main idea is to choose a needle size that gets you to the correct gauge. Your gauge will vary depending on how tightly you naturally hold the yarn as you knit. The thickness of the yarn is also important. Lamb's Pride Bulky is a pretty thick yarn. Some 4-ply yarns are much thinner.

You don't want to use a larger needle size with thin yarn for these gloves, because the material will turn out too loose. However, if the yarn you have chosen is thin, you can knit with two (or three)strands at once to increase it's bulk.

You will have to make practice swatches until you find the correct needle size. Start out with a needle size between nine and eleven. Cast on 18 stitches. Knit 16 rows in single rib stitch. Cast off. If the swatch turns out too big, decrease the needle size to make the stitches smaller. If the swatch turns out too small, increase the needle size to make the stitches bigger.

I hope this helps! If you want to give me the specific yarn brand and the gauge that is listed on the package, I can try to help you choose more specifically.

Dec 23, 2008 4:28 AM

Guest :

I don't understand about K (K:Though k generally refers to knit, in this pattern it represents both knit and purl stitches. Knit the knit stitches. Purl the purl stitches)
What does it mean. I start with ribbing and when I knit increase what pattern should I do and afterward eg. increase(K and K) then P K P K?

Dec 23, 2008 7:26 AM

Kristen O'Hara :

When you come to the increase, be sure to follow "Option 1" for the hand of the glove. (If you do not understand the increase directions, click on the link for a video demonstration of both techniques.) Increase into the stitch, and then knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.

The main point is to keep the look of the single rib consistent. If you click on the picture provided, you will see (in the larger, more detailed picture) that you can follow the knit stitches in a vertical line from the bottom to the top of the glove. You don't want a purl stitch in a knit line. The purl lines are to the back (in between the knit lines), and in the single rib, you don't typically see them (until you stretch the material).

You will notice at the increase, that I provide two consecutive rows of increase. It is essential to have two new stitches together to keep in the K P pattern. (If I only increased by one stitch, there would be a section of the pattern that would be KKP or PPK.)

I hope this information helps. Please let me know if you have any more questions. Happy knitting!

Jan 15, 2010 12:37 PM

Guest :

This is the first set of gloves I'm trying to make, and I do not understand this section, "Separate last 4 stitches of the last needle and the first 4 stitches of the first needle for the thumb. Join remaining stitches together. Knit 5 rounds. Shift all stitches onto 2 needles (or stitch holders). Separate evenly as if for the palm and top of the hand."
When I take four stitches from the right of my stitch marker and four from the left side of my stitch marker it leaves my "working yarn" in the middle of the thumb portion. Is the hand section the remaining stitches I'm joining? Also, when I knit 5 rounds, is that the thumb or hand of the glove?
Any assistance is appreciated.

Jan 17, 2010 6:52 PM

Kristen O'Hara :

In this portion of the pattern, you are skipping over 8 stitches (leaving an opening) and reserving them for the thumb (which you will work later in the pattern). The 5 rounds are for the hand of the glove.

Step 11 says to M1 K17, M1, K13. This should leave you 4 stitches from the end of the round. Separate these stitches plus 4 more (from the beginning of the next round) for the thumb. Rejoin the yarn 8 stitches away.

I hope that helps!

Mar 12, 2010 1:03 PM

Guest :

I am knitting my first pair of "tipless" gloves for my daughter. They are long opera style, with cables and chunky yarn. I learned how to make thumb gussets watching youtube, but this is the first explination on how to make the fingers on gloves. I kind of knew what i needed to do, but you confirmed my theory. Thank you soooo much.

Mar 22, 2010 9:35 PM

Guest :

I wanted to make a pair of gloves like these for my dad. Will this pattern fit a grown man's hand?

Mar 23, 2010 6:49 PM

Kristen O'Hara :

To Guest Comment March 12, 2010:

Thanks for sharing! It's nice to hear that the pattern worked well for you. I appreciate the encouragement.

Mar 23, 2010 6:49 PM

Kristen O'Hara :

To Guest on March 22, 2010:

It depends on his size. These are made to fit approximately 5 in. x 9 in. hand size. They have a bit of stretch, since they are made in rib stitch. However, too much stretch shows the spaces in between stitches pretty severely.

If his hands don't exceed the size too much, it should work.

May 27, 2010 11:34 PM

Guest :

Hello!! thank you for this pattern but is it possibly if i could make it for a 10 month old baby please... help me!!!! do you have any advice? mittens are easy but babies can easily remove them and they can't move their fingers thanx.. ^_^

May 28, 2010 6:55 AM

Kristen O'Hara :

You could use the same basic pattern, but you will want to use much smaller needles and skinnier yarns (think cotton yarns or even sock yarns and something like size 1 or 2 needles). It will take a lot of trial and error to get them just right (adding or subtracting stitches here and there), but it sounds like a fun challenge.

Oct 25, 2010 2:02 PM

Guest :

Dear Kristen,

To modify the amount of stitches and rounds for small sized hands, what is the best method of calculating the stitches/rounds for the mittens? Thank you in advance.

16 Comments