Snowball Gloves

Snowball Gloves by Rebecca Blair

What Is Being Made

Snowball Gloves are a pair of cozy knitted gloves designed by Rebecca Blair. These gloves feature a distinctive stranded colorwork cuff inspired by the traditional snowball quilt block pattern, followed by plain stockinette stitch for the hand and fingers. The gloves are available in three finished sizes with hand circumference measurements of 7, 8, and 9 inches above the thumb, making them suitable for various hand sizes. Hand and finger lengths are easily adjustable to customize the fit.

Design Inspiration and Pattern Details

The colorwork design draws inspiration from the snowball quilt block, which is traditionally assembled from an octagon and four quarter-square triangles. When arranged in a grid, individual snowball blocks create a visual effect that appears much rounder than the blocks do in isolation. The knitted version of this pattern is enhanced with small fleur-de-lis motifs positioned at the centre of each snowball and at the intersections between "blocks." These decorative motifs serve a practical purpose by preventing excessively long stretches of a single color, which helps maintain even tension and visual interest throughout the colorwork section.

Techniques Used

• Stranded Colorwork: The cuff features stranded colorwork, a technique where multiple yarn colors are carried across the back of the work to create the pattern on the front
• Stockinette Stitch: The main body of the gloves is worked in stockinette stitch in a single color, providing a smooth, classic fabric that knits relatively quickly
• Seamless Knitting: The gloves are constructed in the round, creating seamless pieces that require minimal finishing

Stitches and Construction

The primary stitch used throughout Snowball Gloves is stockinette stitch, which creates the smooth, V-patterned fabric characteristic of classic knitted garments. The colorwork cuff employs stranded knitting techniques to integrate the snowball and fleur-de-lis motifs. The gauge for this project is 28 stitches and 36 rounds per 4 inches when worked in stockinette with a single color, which is typical for DK weight yarn and helps determine the appropriate needle size and final garment dimensions.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Snowball Gloves are designed to be knitted with Knit Picks City Tweed DK yarn, a blend of 55% Merino wool, 25% superfine alpaca, and 20% Donegal tweed. This yarn is available in 123-yard (112-meter) skeins per 50-gram ball, and the pattern requires 2 skeins to complete the gloves. The DK weight classification makes this yarn ideal for creating gloves with good stitch definition and a comfortable fabric weight. While specific needle size recommendations are not included in the provided content, DK weight yarn typically pairs well with US size 4–6 (3.5–4mm) needles, though the exact size should be determined by achieving the stated gauge of 28 stitches and 36 rounds per 4 inches.

Difficulty Level

Snowball Gloves are rated as an intermediate knitting project. While the stockinette sections are straightforward and suitable for knitters with basic skills, the stranded colorwork cuff introduces moderate complexity. Knitters should be comfortable managing multiple yarn colors, maintaining even tension across color changes, and reading colorwork charts. The combination of quick, easy stockinette knitting with the more technical colorwork section makes this an excellent project for knitters looking to build or practice their stranded colorwork skills without committing to an entire garment of complex patterning.

Designer Support

Snowball Gloves are designed by Rebecca Blair. For technical support or questions about the pattern, knitters can contact the designer at doilyblog@gmail.com.