Rotten Seaweed
by Neta Wechsler I named this pattern after the ugly color of the yarn that a friend convinced me to buy... But I liked the texture that the Indian stitch produced. These hand warmers or fingerless mitts are knit back and forth and then grafted together. The diagonal construction creates a difference between the right and left hand, and a more comfortable and anatomically correct thumb gusset.
Barbara Walker whose name I forgot. The shaping is done with short rows.
SIZE
Skinny hand with expansion option.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Palm circumference: 8". Wrist circumference: $6.5^{\circ}$ (will stretch some). Length: 9".
MATERIALS
[MC] Classic elite yarn Alpaca Sox $[60\%$ alpaca, $20\%$ merino wool, $20\%$ nylon; 450 yd/m per $100\mathrm{g}$ skein]; color 1872: 1 skein makes 2 skinny pairs. 1 set(s) US #1/2.25 mm double-point needles
GAUGE
32 sts/32 rows $=4"$ in Indian stitch.
PATTERN NOTES
Indian stitch instructions: Wrap four row: knit the first st. Insert needle into next st as if to knit and wrap yarn around it 4 times. Pull all 4 wraps through. Repeat until end of row. Cross eight row: slip 8 st from left to right needle, unwrapping them as you slip. You willhave 8 large loops on the right needle. Slip left needle into first 4 st (rightmost ones) and pass them over the other four st without dropping them from left needle. Now you have 4 st left on the right needle that go through the other four from the left needle. Slip them back to the left needle and knit them, then knit the four slipped-over stitches. See pictures at end for help. You need to know how to knit short rows - w&t (wrap and turn) and pick up wrapped st. You will also need to know how to graft in garter st. I'm using the knitty abbreviation system.
PATTERN
Right Hand [left hand]
With MC and circular needles, co 88 stitches using your favorite provisional co. Row 1 (WS): knit. Row 2 (RS): Wrap four row (see Indian stitch instructions). Row 3: Cross eight row (ditto). Row 4: k2tog, k to last st, kfb [kfb, k to last 2 st, k2tog]. Row 5: kfb [k2tog], k35, w&t. Row 6: k to last st, kfb [kto last 2 st, k2tog]. Row 7: kfb, kto last 2 st, picking up wrapped st as you reach it, k2tog [k2tog, kto last st, picking up wrapped st, kfb]. Row 8: k2tog [kfb], k14, w&t. Row 9: k to last 2 st, k2tog [k to last st, kfb]. Row 10: k across, picking up wrapped st as you reach it (88 st). Row 1l: knit row 2. Row 12: knit row 3. Row 13: knit row 7. Row 14: knit row 8. Row 15: knit row 9. Row 16: knit row 4. Row 17: knit row 5. Row 18: knit row 6. Repeat rows 1-18 two more times for a skinny hand; add another repeat for larger hand (each repeat adds $2^{\circ}$ to the palm circumference). Repeat rows 1-13. Next row (RS): repeat row 4. Next row (Ws): repeat row 7. Move st from provisional co edge to a needle - this willbe the back needle [front needle for left hand]. The other needle is the front needle [back needle for left hand]. With wrong sides facing, graft together 50 st in garter stitch (knit purl knit purl),then knit 16 st from front needle and pass 16 st to holder for back needle. Graft remaining 22 st in the same way. You are left with 16 knitted st on the front needle and 16 unknitted st on the back needle. The thumb opening will slant to the right (like a Z) for the right hand, and to the left (like an S) for the left hand.
Thumb gusset
The thumb is knitted back and forth in garter st and then grafted to a tube. See picture for clarification. Left thumb: starting from bottom, knit across back needle, then pick up 5 st between front and back needles, on the upper gap, from back to front. Turn and knit, starting from back needle as follows: k19, k2tog. Pick up and k 2 st at bottom gap between front and back needles, k2tog, k14 from front needle (37 st). Turn. Right thumb: Pick up 5 st between front and back needles, on the upper gap, from front to back, then knit from the back needle as follows: k14, k2tog. Pick up and k 2 st at bottom gap between front and back needles, k2tog, k14 from front needle (37 st). Turn.
Both thumbs: Rearrange st on 2 or 3 needles, as is convenient for you. Next row (front to back): k15, k2tog twice, k to end. 35 st remaining. Next row (back to front): k18, k2tog, k to end. 34 st remaining. Next row (front to back): k15, k2tog twice, k to end. 32 st remaining. Next row (back to front): k14, k2tog twice, k to end. 30 st remaining. Redistribute st on 2 needles, 15 st on each. Next row (front to back): (front needle) k to last 3 st, k2tog, k1. (back needle) kl, k2tog, kto end. Repeat last row until 7 st are left on each needle (5 for a larger gusset). Graft the st together in garter. Edge: pick up and knit 16 st around thumb edge (18 for a larger gusset), starting from the inner part. Join to work in the round. Row 1: purl. Row 2:k1,\*k2tog, kl, yo, kl, yo, k1, ssk\* twice, k1. (start and end with $_{\mathrm{k}2}$ for the larger gusset). Row 3: knit. Repeat row 1-3 one more time, then bo in loosely purl.
Mitt Top edge
Pick up and knit 56 st evenly around upper mitt edge, starting from the front middle in the trough between rows (see picture). If you added more repetitions of rows 1-18, add 14 st for each rep. You will pick up 7 st for each little ridge. Join to work in the round.
Row I: purl. Row 2: \*k2tog, k1, yo, kl, yo, k1, ssk\* repeat from \*. Row 3: knit. Repeat row 1-3 one more time, then bo in purl.
FINISHING
Weave in all ends. $\copyright$ This pattern was invented by Neta Wechsler. You may use it, change it and print it for personal use. You may not use or distribute it for profit or sell it.
Tutorial for Indian stitch:
Step 1: slip 8 st frm left to right needle, unwrapping them as you slip. You will have 8 large loops on the right needle.
Step 2: Slip left needle into first 4 st (rightmost ones).
Step 3: Pass them over the other four st without dropping them from left needle. Now you have 4 st left on the right needle that go through the other four from the left needle.
Step 4: Slip them back to the left needle and knit them.
Step 5: Knit the four slipped-over stitches
$\copyright$ This pattern was invented by Neta Wechsler. You may use it, change it and print it for personal use. You may not use or distribute it for profit or sell it.
Bottom (wrist)
