Swivel Gloves

Swivel Gloves by The Feminine Touch Designs

What is Being Made

The Swivel Gloves are a pair of knitted gloves designed as an intermediate-level brioche knitting project. These gloves measure 6.5 inches long by 3 inches wide with stretch, making them a fitted accessory piece. The design features moving brioche cables on the back of the hand, which give the gloves their distinctive "swivel" characteristic and visual interest.

Project Overview and Skill Level

This pattern is intended for knitters who have already mastered two-color brioche knitting and are ready to advance their skills. The Swivel Gloves introduce a new challenge through the incorporation of moving brioche cables, taking foundational brioche techniques to a more sophisticated level. The pattern assumes solid knowledge of brioche knitting methods and standard abbreviations, though some basic information is included as a reference guide.

Knitting Techniques Used

The primary technique featured in this pattern is brioche knitting, a specialized method that creates a highly elastic, reversible fabric with a distinctive appearance. The gloves are knitted flat rather than in the round, which simplifies construction for this design. The most notable technique element is the introduction of moving brioche cables positioned on the back of the hand. These cables add dimensional texture and visual complexity to the finished piece.

Stitches and Stitch Abbreviations

The pattern utilizes brioche-specific stitches and cable work. Key stitch abbreviations include BC4FB, which stands for Brioche Cable 4 Back—a cable stitch that involves transferring stitches to a cable needle and manipulating them to create the characteristic twisted cable effect. The pattern assumes familiarity with brioche abbreviations and includes reference information for those working with this specialized technique.

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: Eden Cottage Yarns Whitefel DK, a 100% baby alpaca yarn in a DK weight. The project requires two colors:

• Main Color (MC): Laburnum (yellow) — 50g / 100 meters / 109 yards
• Contrast Color (CC): Dogwood (red) — 50g / 100 meters / 109 yards

Needles: 3.25 mm circular needles (UK size 10, USA size 3). Circular needles are used despite the flat knitting construction, which is common in brioche patterns.

Additional Notions: A cable needle is required for working the brioche cables.

Gauge: 24 stitches by 32 rows over 4 inches in the pattern stitch. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for proper fit in this glove pattern.

Pattern Format and Usage

This pattern is provided as a downloadable PDF file from The Feminine Touch Designs, an independent designer. The design is copyrighted, and the pattern is sold for non-commercial use only. Knitters may create the Swivel Gloves for personal wear but may not knit them for resale or commercial purposes.