Colorblock Hand Warmers | Purl Soho

The sweet spot of knitting, for me, is when it starts to feel a lot like painting. When the form is fluid and mutable and when the palette is supple and free, then I feel that knitting really hits its creative stride. Creating these Colorblock Hand Warmers delivers just that kind of deeply satisfying experience.

Colorblock Hand Warmers | Purl Soho

The idea behind these simple mitts was to give free rein to the gorgeous colors of Madeline Tosh Merino Light, to allow the spectacularly hand dyed palette to speak its own story and to create its own beauty: from moonlight gray to buttery yellow to bronzed apricot to blazing tangerine.

Colorblock Hand Warmers | Purl Soho

Follow your own color whimsy or take a page from our book!  -Whitney

Update: October 2013

Colorblock Hand Warmers | Purl Soho

Here’s another idea! Try the Colorblock Hand Warmers in Purl Soho’s very own Line Weight merino. Incredibly soft and downy, Line Weight is our new go-to yarn for fall accessories, not too toasty or bulky, just perfectly cozy!

UPDATE: IN BEAUTIFUL QUARTZ

February 2022

Colorblock Hand Warmers | Purl Soho

More options for this lovely, simple knit! In stripes or colorblocks, try these hand warmers in our lovely Quartz yarn… a wonderful merino-suri alpaca blend that is light but warm and glows with the mystery and beauty of an unearthed gem. Oh-so-beautiful!

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoColorblockHandWarmers. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Colorblock Hand Warmers | Purl Soho

  • 4 skeins of Madeline Tosh’s Tosh Merino Light. Each skein is 420 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 420 yards total, or 105 yards per color, required. We used the colors Napoli, Alabaster, Milk and Luster.

NOTE: Just one skein would be enough to make a whole pair of hand warmers. Or use all four and switch the colors around to make four slightly different pairs!

OR

  • 4 skeins of Purl Soho’s Line Weight, 100% merino wool. Each skein is 494 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 420 yards total, or 105 yards per color, required. NOTE: This is enough yarn to make at least four pairs of Colorblock Hand Warmers.

We dipped into our palette of favorite Line Weight colors to create three gorgeous color combos

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  • Left: Yellow Yellow (Color A), Desert Blue (B), Oyster Gray (C), and Heirloom White (D)
  • Middle: Dragonfly Blue (Color A), Peacock Blue (B), Timeless Navy (C), and Toasted Charcoal (D)
  • Right: Super Pink (Color A), Ballet Pink (B), Storm Gray (C), and Heirloom White (D)

You will also need…

Gauge

8 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette stitch

Sizes

Small/Medium: 6 1/2 inches in circumference and 12 inches long

Medium/Large: 7 1/2 inches in circumference and 12 inches long. (Instructions for the Medium/Large size are shown in parantheses after the Small/Medium size.)

Pattern

With Color A (Luster) and the US 2 double pointed needles, cast on 52 (60) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Join for working in the round being careful to not twist your stitches.

Round 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 five more times.

Change to US 3 double pointed needles.

Knit until the piece measures 4 1/2 inches from the cast on edge.

With Color B (Milk), knit until the piece measures 8 inches from the cast on edge.

With Color C (Alabaster), knit 5 rounds.

The Thumb Hole

NOTE: For the thumb hole, you will work back and forth in rows, turning the work between each row, as you would a flat piece of knitting. Work the stitches on the double pointed needles just as they are, moving from one needle to the next.

*Turn the work so the purl side is facing you and purl all 52 (60) stitches.

Now turn the work so the knit side is facing you and knit the 52 (60) stitches.

Repeat from * until the thumb hole measures 1 1/2 inches, ending with a knit row.

The Hand

NOTE: For the hand section you will work in the round again with the outside of the hand warmer facing you. You will begin with a joining round that connects the two sides of the thumb hole. For the joining round, just continue to work from the last knit row with the outside facing you.

Colorblock Hand Warmers | Purl Soho

Knit 5 rounds.

With Color D (Napoli), knit for 1 inch.

Change to US #2 double pointed needles.

Next Round: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat the last round 3 more times.

Use a US #3 double pointed needle to bind off in the 1 x 1 rib pattern.

Finishing the Thumb Hole

With Color C and the US #2 double pointed needles, pick up 28 stitches around the thumb hole.

Colorblock Hand Warmers | Purl Soho

Round 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Round 1 one more time.

With a US #3 double pointed needle, bind off in the 1 x 1 rib pattern.

Colorblock Hand Warmers | Purl Soho

Weave in all the ends and then make another!