I-Cord Gloves - 3rd Installment

In the 3rd installment of my I-Cord Glove pattern, we'll connect the thumb to the glove and shape the thumb gusset.  "Gusset" is one of my favorite words -- I like trying to use it in casual conversation -- and was pleased to see that gloves, like socks, have a gusset.

I-Cord Gloves: Serial Pattern: Installment 3

Previous installments of the I-Cord Glove pattern include:

• Installment 1 -- In which we kick started the gloves and knit the 10 fingers using Meg Swansen's I-Cord finger technique.
• Installment 2 -- In which we joined the 4 fingers together and worked the body of the glove down to the thumb.

As you work this pattern, please email me if you spot an error, have a problem, or would like to suggest a change.  Your feedback will help make this a better pattern for others -- Thanks!

As with installment 2, these directions assume you're knitting in the round using 2 circular needles -- needle #1 and needle #2 -- if you're more comfortable with double pointed needles simply adapt the directions accordingly. 

We'll join the thumb to the glove using the same join technique we used to join the fingers.  The thumb is not placed at the side of the hand, instead it is offset slightly toward the palm.  At this point in the pattern, we need to distinguish the right glove from the left glove -- and will knit the right glove first.

Right Glove

Joining the Thumb to the Right Glove
The first step is to redistribute the stitches, moving 3 of the palm stitches to the top of the hand .  For the right glove, the palm stitches are on needle #1 and the top of the hand stitches are on needle #2.

• Move the last 3 stitches at the end of needle #1 onto the beginning of needle #2.  Needle #1 should have 21 (22, 25) stitches and needle #2 should have 28 (29, 31) stitches.

Now join the thumb as follows:

• Round 1
  • Needle #1:  Slip 8 (8, 9) thumb stitches onto the end of the left needle -- these thumb stitches should be the last stitches you knit as follows:  k20 (21, 24), place a marker, k2tog, k7 (7, 8) ==> 28 (29, 33) stitches
  • Needle #2:  Slip the remaining 8 (8, 9) thumb stitches onto the beginning of the right needle -- these thumb stitches should be the first stitches you knit as follows:  k7 (7, 8), k2tog, place a marker, knit to the end ==> 35 (36, 39) stitches.
• Round 2
  • Needle #1:  Knit to the marker, slip marker, slip the next stitch onto a safety pin -- always hold the pin behind the needle and bring the yarn under the pin as you continue -- knit to end.
  • Needle #2:  Knit 7 (7, 8), slip the stitch from the safety pin onto the left needle and knit it, slip the next stitch onto a safety pin, slip marker, knit to end.
• Round 3
  • Needle #1:  Knit to the marker, slip marker, slip the stitch from the safety pin onto the left needle and knit it, knit to end.
  • Needle #2:  Knit all stitches.

Shaping the Right Glove's Thumb Gusset
There should be 16 (16, 18) stitches between the 2 markers.  These 16 (16, 18) stitches form the thumb gusset and will be decreased complete away over several decrease rounds, with each decrease round decreasing 2 stitches.  Here goes:

• Round 4
  • Needle #1:  Knit to marker, slip marker, ssk, knit to end
  • Needle #2:  Knit to 2 stitches before the marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit to end
• Round 5 & 6
  • Needle #1:  Knit all stitches
  • Needle #2:  Knit all stitches

Repeat these last 3 rounds until these are only 2 stitches between the markers.

• Next Round
  • Needle #1:  Knit to 1 stitch before marker, ssk removing marker ==> 20 (21, 24) stitches
  • Needle #2:  k2tog removing marker, knit to end ==> 27 (28, 30) stitches
• Next Round
  • Knit all stitches
• Next Round
  • Decrease 3 (1, 2) stitches evenly distributed across the round ==> 44 (48, 52) total stitches

Right glove with thumb attached and gusset shaped!

Left Glove
The left glove is worked as a mirror image of the right.

Joining the Thumb to the Left Glove
The first step is to redistribute the stitches, moving 3 of the palm stitches to the top of the hand . For the left glove, the palm stitches are on needle #2 and the top of the hand stitches are on needle #1.

• Move the first 3 stitches from the beginning of needle #2 onto the end of needle #1.  Needle #1 should have 28 (29, 31) stitches and needle #2 should have 21 (22, 25) stitches.

Now join the thumb as follows:

• Round 1
  • Needle #1:  Slip 8 (8, 9) thumb stitches onto the end of the left needle -- these thumb stitches should be the last stitches you knit as follows:  k27 (28, 30), place a marker, k2tog, k7 (7, 8) ==> 35 (36, 39) stitches
  • Needle #2:  Slip the remaining 8 (8, 9) thumb stitches onto the beginning of the right needle -- these thumb stitches should be the first stitches you knit as follows:  k7 (7, 8), k2tog, place a marker, knit to the end ==> 28 (29, 33) stitches.
• Round 2
  • Needle #1:  Knit to the marker, slip marker, slip the next stitch onto a safety pin -- always hold the pin behind the needle and bring the yarn under the pin as you continue -- knit to end.
  • Needle #2:  Knit 7 (7, 8), slip the stitch from the safety pin onto the left needle and knit it, slip the next stitch onto a safety pin, slip marker, knit to end.
• Round 3
  • Needle #1:  Knit to the marker, slip marker, slip the stitch from the safety pin onto the left needle and knit it, knit to end.
  • Needle #2:  Knit all stitches.

Shaping the Left Glove's Thumb Gusset
There should be 16 (16, 18) stitches between the 2 markers.  These 16 (16, 18) stitches form the thumb gusset and will be decreased complete away over several decrease rounds, with each decrease round decreasing 2 stitches.  Here goes:

• Round 4
  • Needle #1:  Knit to marker, slip marker, ssk, knit to end
  • Needle #2:  Knit to 2 stitches before the marker, k2tog, slip marker, knit to end
• Round 5 & 6
  • Needle #1:  Knit all stitches
  • Needle #2:  Knit all stitches

Repeat these last 3 rounds until these are only 2 stitches between the markers.

• Next Round
  • Needle #1:  Knit to 1 stitch before marker, ssk removing marker ==> 27 (28, 30) stitches
  • Needle #2:  k2tog removing marker, knit to end ==> 20 (21, 24) stitches
• Next Round
  • Knit all stitches
• Next Round
  • Decrease 3 (1, 2) stitches evenly distributed across the round ==> 44 (48, 52) total stitches

What's Next
In the next and final installment, we'll knit the glove's cuff.  But heck, don't feel like you have to wait for me -- pick a ribbing your like and perhaps add an embellishment or two.  Until next time, happy glove knitting!