How about a pattern in the form of a tutorial? I made some cute little hand warmers to go along with a scarf I created, but I found it difficult to actually write a pattern for them... But not because it was too hard to do! As I whipped up variations to use up scrap yarn, I realized that it's an easy-to-change design that doesn't need to follow gauge or use a specific yarn weight. All you need to do is make sure they fit, and make them as long as you want!
The simple top-down design was inspired by slave bracelets (or you might know them as hand-flowers). Although the open palm of the "glove" doesn't offer much warmth in cold weather, these are great for keeping the chill at bay while typing or texting. And the open mesh of the Love Knot stitch gives the fabric a little stretch, so it's easy to make a few pairs of "one-size-fits-all" for quick gifts.
The worsted weight yarn I used makes warm, bulky gloves, but a lighter weight would create a more delicate accessory. Just follow the instructions, no matter what material you're using. I'll explain in the tutorial how to adjust for size as needed, and simple ways you can customize your own pair! You'll see different examples of the variations I've made and how they fit, so you can pick and choose your own methods.
The worsted weight yarn I used makes warm, bulky gloves, but a lighter weight would create a more delicate accessory. Just follow the instructions, no matter what material you're using. I'll explain in the tutorial how to adjust for size as needed, and simple ways you can customize your own pair! You'll see different examples of the variations I've made and how they fit, so you can pick and choose your own methods.
Ready? We're going straight into the tutorial without the usual form of a pattern! You pick the yarn weight and hook size.
Don't know where to start? Try your yarn manufacturer's recommended hook size, usually listed on the label with gauge.
(I'm using a combination of Caron One Pound, Caron United, and Red Heart Super Saver, along with hook sizes H/8- 5.50 MM & J/10- 6 MM.)
New to the Love Knot stitch? You can learn it right here, right now. If you are experienced in the stitch, then I'm sure you'll find this project easy. But for beginners, this may be a bit of a challenge. No matter what your skill level, I encourage you to have a look over the tutorial before you begin.
Let's go!
Beginning Love Knot (Disregard if using alternate beginning)
Step 1: Chain 2.
Step 2: Insert hook in the farthest chain from the hook.
Step 3: Make a single crochet (American terms)
Love Knot (Needed throughout pattern)
Step 1: Pull up a long loop to desired height. (Mine are a little over 1/2" / closer to 1.5 cm)
Step 2: Hold the long loop secure! Yarn over and pull a loop through.
Step 3: Insert hook in the bottom bar (strand to the left) of the long loop.
Step 4: Make a single crochet.
Love Knot beginning
Step 1: Make desired number of Love Knot stitches to go around middle finger.*
Step 2: Insert hook in the farthest single crochet stitch from the hook.
Step 3: Slip stitch to close.
(*) In worsted weight yarn with a size J/10 - 6 MM, my pattern requires 3 Love Knots.
Long single crochet/Beginning the back of the hand
First, make 2 Love Knots (first stitch counts as long single crochet; second counts as horizontal stitch of mesh). Now, to make the long single crochet to close the mesh:
Step 1: Insert hook in loop made by joining. Yarn over and pull up a long loop.
Step 2: Holding long loop secure, yarn over and pull through the loop. (2 loops on hook)
Step 3: Yarn over and pull through both loops to complete the single crochet.
Choosing fit
Top/ "wide" beginning: Covers most of the back of the hand, joining at the base of the wrist.
Bottom/ "extra wide" beginning: Covers more of the back of the hand, and joins above the wrist. The fabric can be stretched around the thumb... If your mesh spaces are wide enough to fit a thumb in! This won't work as a thumb hole on more delicate designs, and honestly, it isn't very comfortable. I only took the photo that way to show that the "extra wide" design joins above the wrist.
Choose your beginning
Example 1: "Delicate", two methods - Instead of beginning with Love Knot stitches for the finger hole, begin with chain stitches and join into a loop. (I made 10.)
Can be used with Love Knot beginning - Begin with only one mesh* in the beginning loop.
Example 2: "Wide" - With either beginning loop, make 2 mesh inside loop.
Example 3: "Extra wide" - With either beginning loop, make 3 mesh inside loop.
(*) Mesh = Love Knot, long single crochet. Beginning mesh of row is made with 2 Love Knots, then one long single crochet. The first Love Knot made counts as the first long single crochet of the row.
Increasing
To begin a new row, make 2 Love Knots and turn.
For "delicate" beginning: Make 2 or 3 mesh inside the space of the mesh below.
For "wide" and "extra wide" beginnings (and all following rows, regardless of beginning): Make 1 mesh inside the first available mesh, and one mesh inside each following mesh. Make 1 more mesh in the same space as the last.
I made 3 mesh total to begin both the "delicate" and "wide" designs. For "extra wide" (not pictured), you will have 4 mesh in this row.
Working rows
The pattern stays the same: Make 2 Love Knots to begin the row; turn. Make 1 mesh inside the first available mesh, and one mesh inside each following mesh. Make 1 more mesh in the same space as the last. The number of mesh will increase by one with each row. Continue working rows until the pattern can be joined around the widest part of your wrist/hand, below the thumb.
Joining
Bring the opposite side (beginning of row) around. Slip stitch in the top of the first Love Knot in the row.
Increase again, or not?
From here, the pattern will be worked in rounds. The beginning and end of this first round is critical for fit. If you would like the wrist to flare out some (looks great on shorter gloves), then you can make the first 2 Love Knots right now (as shown). Work the round as you did the rows before, with the last long single crochet made in the mesh before the first 2 Love Knots.
See next step for "no increase" beginning/how to begin and end all following rounds.
Beginning and ending the rounds
If you want a form-fitting glove, do not increase on the first round. Slip stitch into the first available mesh space before making the first 2 Love Knots of the round (as shown here in step 2).
Step 1: Ending the round - Instead of finishing the last mesh of the round with a Love Knot and joining with a slip stitch, make a long single crochet in the first Love Knot of the round.
Step 2: That long single crochet puts you close to the middle of the mesh to start, but it can cause a jog if you begin from there. Slip stitch inside the long single crochet joining space before beginning the round.
Step 3: Make 2 Love Knots to begin; make a long single crochet in the next mesh space.
*You can also switch to a square mesh by beginning with 2 Love Knots from the join, and working all long single crochet stitches into the long single crochet below it. (See the black pair of gloves in the display photos)
Work how ever many rounds you need to reach the length of glove you want!
Choices, choices, choices!
Border
I make each pair of these a little differently! Personally, I prefer them without a border. The black pair in the displays has a border of solid single crochet stitches, and the example above was finished with a (chain 3, slip stitch) border. They look lovely with a shell stitch border, but my kid took that pair already (sorry, no pics). If you choose to work a border to finish, you'll need to figure how many stitches you can work into a mesh. The endless combinations of yarn weights, hook sizes, stitch heights and border options makes it difficult for me to provide instructions. Play and have fun, or bind off with no border! (See the green pair in displays)
Binding off and weaving in ends
Long, lacy stitches make it difficult to weave in ends, right? Wrong! You may want to use some matching sewing thread to secure your ends, but you don't have to. On the long runs of yarn inside stitches, simply split the ply of the yarn as you would for a Russian Join, and weave your ends through the yarn itself.
I can't stop trying different variations! I love them all!
Can you believe how fast these go together with worsted weight yarn? And a short pair doesn't take much material, so this is a great scrap-busting pattern! I started whipping up a ton of them to sell, but my kid already requisitioned half the pairs I made. I know I'm not giving up the pair I made to go with my scarf. So I guess this pattern has been Mom-tested, teen-approved. ;)
Use variegated yarn for an interesting effect, add beads for some sparkle, or attach anything from appliques to buttons... Not only does the pattern have a bunch of variations you could use, there's even more endless ways you could customize them! I hope I've made the instructions clear enough for you to have fun playing with designs and creating your own.
Don't know where to start? Try your yarn manufacturer's recommended hook size, usually listed on the label with gauge.
(I'm using a combination of Caron One Pound, Caron United, and Red Heart Super Saver, along with hook sizes H/8- 5.50 MM & J/10- 6 MM.)
New to the Love Knot stitch? You can learn it right here, right now. If you are experienced in the stitch, then I'm sure you'll find this project easy. But for beginners, this may be a bit of a challenge. No matter what your skill level, I encourage you to have a look over the tutorial before you begin.
Let's go!
Step 1: Chain 2.
Step 2: Insert hook in the farthest chain from the hook.
Step 3: Make a single crochet (American terms)
Step 1: Pull up a long loop to desired height. (Mine are a little over 1/2" / closer to 1.5 cm)
Step 2: Hold the long loop secure! Yarn over and pull a loop through.
Step 3: Insert hook in the bottom bar (strand to the left) of the long loop.
Step 4: Make a single crochet.
Step 1: Make desired number of Love Knot stitches to go around middle finger.*
Step 2: Insert hook in the farthest single crochet stitch from the hook.
Step 3: Slip stitch to close.
(*) In worsted weight yarn with a size J/10 - 6 MM, my pattern requires 3 Love Knots.
First, make 2 Love Knots (first stitch counts as long single crochet; second counts as horizontal stitch of mesh). Now, to make the long single crochet to close the mesh:
Step 1: Insert hook in loop made by joining. Yarn over and pull up a long loop.
Step 2: Holding long loop secure, yarn over and pull through the loop. (2 loops on hook)
Step 3: Yarn over and pull through both loops to complete the single crochet.
Top/ "wide" beginning: Covers most of the back of the hand, joining at the base of the wrist.
Bottom/ "extra wide" beginning: Covers more of the back of the hand, and joins above the wrist. The fabric can be stretched around the thumb... If your mesh spaces are wide enough to fit a thumb in! This won't work as a thumb hole on more delicate designs, and honestly, it isn't very comfortable. I only took the photo that way to show that the "extra wide" design joins above the wrist.
Example 1: "Delicate", two methods - Instead of beginning with Love Knot stitches for the finger hole, begin with chain stitches and join into a loop. (I made 10.)
Can be used with Love Knot beginning - Begin with only one mesh* in the beginning loop.
Example 2: "Wide" - With either beginning loop, make 2 mesh inside loop.
Example 3: "Extra wide" - With either beginning loop, make 3 mesh inside loop.
(*) Mesh = Love Knot, long single crochet. Beginning mesh of row is made with 2 Love Knots, then one long single crochet. The first Love Knot made counts as the first long single crochet of the row.
To begin a new row, make 2 Love Knots and turn.
For "delicate" beginning: Make 2 or 3 mesh inside the space of the mesh below.
For "wide" and "extra wide" beginnings (and all following rows, regardless of beginning): Make 1 mesh inside the first available mesh, and one mesh inside each following mesh. Make 1 more mesh in the same space as the last.
I made 3 mesh total to begin both the "delicate" and "wide" designs. For "extra wide" (not pictured), you will have 4 mesh in this row.
The pattern stays the same: Make 2 Love Knots to begin the row; turn. Make 1 mesh inside the first available mesh, and one mesh inside each following mesh. Make 1 more mesh in the same space as the last. The number of mesh will increase by one with each row. Continue working rows until the pattern can be joined around the widest part of your wrist/hand, below the thumb.
Bring the opposite side (beginning of row) around. Slip stitch in the top of the first Love Knot in the row.
From here, the pattern will be worked in rounds. The beginning and end of this first round is critical for fit. If you would like the wrist to flare out some (looks great on shorter gloves), then you can make the first 2 Love Knots right now (as shown). Work the round as you did the rows before, with the last long single crochet made in the mesh before the first 2 Love Knots.
See next step for "no increase" beginning/how to begin and end all following rounds.
If you want a form-fitting glove, do not increase on the first round. Slip stitch into the first available mesh space before making the first 2 Love Knots of the round (as shown here in step 2).
Step 1: Ending the round - Instead of finishing the last mesh of the round with a Love Knot and joining with a slip stitch, make a long single crochet in the first Love Knot of the round.
Step 2: That long single crochet puts you close to the middle of the mesh to start, but it can cause a jog if you begin from there. Slip stitch inside the long single crochet joining space before beginning the round.
Step 3: Make 2 Love Knots to begin; make a long single crochet in the next mesh space.
*You can also switch to a square mesh by beginning with 2 Love Knots from the join, and working all long single crochet stitches into the long single crochet below it. (See the black pair of gloves in the display photos)
Work how ever many rounds you need to reach the length of glove you want!
Choices, choices, choices!
I make each pair of these a little differently! Personally, I prefer them without a border. The black pair in the displays has a border of solid single crochet stitches, and the example above was finished with a (chain 3, slip stitch) border. They look lovely with a shell stitch border, but my kid took that pair already (sorry, no pics). If you choose to work a border to finish, you'll need to figure how many stitches you can work into a mesh. The endless combinations of yarn weights, hook sizes, stitch heights and border options makes it difficult for me to provide instructions. Play and have fun, or bind off with no border! (See the green pair in displays)
Long, lacy stitches make it difficult to weave in ends, right? Wrong! You may want to use some matching sewing thread to secure your ends, but you don't have to. On the long runs of yarn inside stitches, simply split the ply of the yarn as you would for a Russian Join, and weave your ends through the yarn itself.
I can't stop trying different variations! I love them all!
Can you believe how fast these go together with worsted weight yarn? And a short pair doesn't take much material, so this is a great scrap-busting pattern! I started whipping up a ton of them to sell, but my kid already requisitioned half the pairs I made. I know I'm not giving up the pair I made to go with my scarf. So I guess this pattern has been Mom-tested, teen-approved. ;)
Use variegated yarn for an interesting effect, add beads for some sparkle, or attach anything from appliques to buttons... Not only does the pattern have a bunch of variations you could use, there's even more endless ways you could customize them! I hope I've made the instructions clear enough for you to have fun playing with designs and creating your own.
Happy Crocheting!
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