Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Because there was a time when ladies didn’t leave the house without them, gloves have always suggested to me the elegance of horse-drawn carriages, drawing rooms and balls. I have long imagined knitting a fine pair of gloves that would be as appropriate for that life as this one.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

A simple cuff that can be worn long or folded, a thumb gusset and fingers that fit your own, the result is a classic pair of gloves. Perhaps they’re the sort that could have been worn by the tragic Lily Bart or even by Edith Wharton herself.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

To knit for such a heroines, I chose Blue Sky’s Royal Alpaca. One hundred percent of the finest alpaca around, this yarn is as soft, light and warm as cashmere and as gorgeous as anything. It truly is fit for a lady, and for the rest of us too!

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Since, like turn-of-the-century Washington Square, whopping sapphires mostly just reside in my imagination, I stitched my own pretty jewel onto one finger. An impressive gem, but a simple embellishment, this little touch really makes me feel like my dance card is full! -Whitney

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

UPDATE: NOW IN CYGNET + THE OPTION FOR FINGERLESS GLOVES, TOO!

SEPTEMBER 2023

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Knitting our Very Classic Gloves is uniquely gratifying because they’re made in our incredibly beautiful Cygnet. Completely undyed, Cygnet is a mix of 70% white cashmere and 30% baby alpaca, whose range of natural shades contribute all the color to this yarn, giving each hue an earthy complexity and a gentle beauty. Exceptionally soft and naturally beautiful, cast on with Cygnet and enjoy this deeply satisfying knit!

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.

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

Materials

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

  • 1 skein of Blue Sky’s Royal Alpaca, 100% Royal Alapaca. Each skein is 288 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 288 yards required. This color is Alabaster.
  • 4 skeins of Brown Paper Package’s Trio, 50% wool and 50% silk. These colors, from the left, are Beryl, Aquamaine, Turquoise, and Mustard. (Please Note: Trio is currently discontinued. For pretty duplicate stitch alternatives, we recommend bright and lovely Posy!)
  • A set of US 2 (3 mm) double pointed needles
  • A small stitch holder (optional)

Gauge

34 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette

Finished Size

  • Circumference of Palm: 6¾ inches (stretching to 8 inches), to fit most women
  • Length: custom measurements, adjustments given in pattern

Pattern

Cuff

Cast 64 stitches onto three double pointed needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

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

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

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

Gusset

Round 1: *K6, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (56 stitches)

Round 2: Knit.

Round 3: K27, place a marker, make 1 right, k2, make 1 left, place a marker, knit to end of round. (58 stitches)

Rounds 4 and 5: Knit.

Round 6: Knit to first marker, slip marker, make 1 right, knit to next marker, make 1 left, slip marker, knit to end of round. (2 stitches increased)

*Repeat Round 4-6 seven more times. (74 stitches total, 20 stitches between the markers)

Knit 1 round.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Next Round: Knit to first marker, remove marker, slip next 20 stitches onto a stitch holder or scrap yarn, remove next marker…

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

…then, with the wrong side facing you, cable cast on 4 stitches.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Now with the right side facing you, join to left side of thumb gusset and continue to knit to the end of the round. (58 stitches)

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Knit evenly until glove fits to the base of your pinky.

Pinky

Dividing Round: K6, slip next 46 stitches onto scrap yarn. (6 stitches remain to the end of the round, with 12 total working stitches.)

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Next Round: With the wrong side facing you, cable cast on 3 stitches. (15 working stitches)

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Distribute the 15 stitches evenly onto three double pointed needles, making sure the working yarn remains accessible at the end of a needle.

With right side facing you, join for working in the round.

Knit evenly until Pinky reaches to right below the tip of your actual pinky finger. Make sure when you try on the glove that the base of the pinky is snug inside the crook between your pinky and your ring finger.

Next Round: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (10 stitches)

Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (5 stitches)

Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Ring Finger

Cut the scrap yarn that is holding the remaining stitches, and carefully slip 6 stitches from each end of the stitches onto two double pointed needles. (6 stitches on each needle, 12 stitches total)

Retie the scrap yarn.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Hold the glove so that the Pinky is on the right and the thumb hole is on the left, and join yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail.

Knit 6 stiches from the front needle.

With the wrong side facing you, cable cast on 3 stitches. Slip those 3 stitches to another double pointed needle.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

With the right side facing you, use the same needle to knit 3 stitches from the back needle.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

With another double pointed needle, knit the last 3 stitches and then pick up 3 stitches from the base of the Pinky.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Join for working in the round. (18 stitches)

Knit evenly until the Ring Finger fits to right below the tip of your actual ring finger.

Next Round: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (12 stitches)

Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (6 stitches)

Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches.

Middle Finger

Cut the scrap yarn, and slip 8 stitches from each end of the remaining stitches onto 2 double pointed needles. (8 stitches on each needle, 16 stitches total)

Retie the scrap yarn.

Hold the glove so that the Pinky and Ring Finger are on the right and the thumb hole is on the left, and join yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail.

Knit 8 stiches from the front needle.

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

With the wrong side facing you, cable cast on 3 stitches. Slip those 3 stitches to another double pointed needle.

With the right side facing you, use the same needle to knit 4 stitches from the back needle.

With another double pointed needle, knit the last 4 stitches and then pick up 3 stitches from the base of the Ring Finger.

Join for working in the round. (22 stitches)

Knit evenly until the Middle Finger fits to right below the tip of your actual middle finger.

Next Round: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to last stitch, k1. (15 stitches)

Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to last stitch, k1. (8 stitches)

Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches.

Index Finger

Cut the scrap yarn and slip the remaining 18 stitches onto 2 double pointed needles, 9 stitches each.

Remove the scrap yarn.

Hold the glove so that the Pinky, Ring and Middle Fingers are on the right and the thumb hole is on the left, and join yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail.

Knit 7 stiches from the front needle.

With another double pointed needle, knit remaining 2 stitches from front needle and use same needle to knit 5 stitches from back needle.

With another double pointed needle, knit remaining 4 stitches and pick up 3 stitches from the base of the Middle Finger.

Join for working in the round. (21 stitches)

Knit evenly until the Index Finger fits to right below the tip of your actual index finger.

Next Round: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (14 stitches)

Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (7 stitches)

Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches.

Thumb

Slip the 20 stitches on hold for the thumb onto 2 double pointed needles, 10 stitches each.

Hold the glove so that the fingers are on the right, and join yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail.

Knit 8 stiches from the front needle.

With another double pointed needle, knit remaining 2 stitches from front needle and use same needle to knit 6 stitches from back needle.

With another double pointed needle, knit remaining 4 stitches and pick up 3 stitches from the base of the Thumb.

Join for working in the round. (23 stitches)

Knit evenly until the Thumb fits to right below the tip of your actual thumb.

Next Round: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2. (16 stitches)

Next Round: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (8 stitches)

Cut the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches.

Finishing

Weave in the cast on tail and the tails at the ends of each finger. Then use the tails at the bases of the fingers to carefully sew up the gapes and holes.

Make another identical glove.

The Gem

If you’re using Trio thread, separate out one two-plied strand of each color.

Centering the gem on whichever finger you’d like, use this chart to duplicate stitch your ring into place (if you picked a finger other than the Middle Finger, the number of stitches required to make the band reach around the finger will vary, but the concept will remain the same.) :

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

And here’s how mine looked each step of the way!

Gem Gloves | Purl Soho
Gem Gloves | Purl Soho
Gem Gloves | Purl Soho
Gem Gloves | Purl Soho

Weave in these ends, block your gloves, and you’re done!