Lumikukka Knitted Gloves in Novita - 0070010 - Downloadable PDF

Lumikukka Knitted Gloves by Lea Petäjä – Free Downloadable Knitting Pattern in Novita Nalle

The Lumikukka Knitted Gloves are a beautifully detailed pair of women's hand-knitted gloves featuring a delicate lace pattern on the back of the hand. Designed by Lea Petäjä and published by Novita, this pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF and is rated as an intermediate level knitting project. The name "Lumikukka" means snowflower in Finnish, which is reflected in the elegant lace motif adorning the back of each glove.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a pair of fitted women's knitted gloves worked to full finger length, complete with a ribbed cuff, a lace panel on the back of the hand, and individually worked fingers. The gloves are designed as a matched left and right pair, each with mirror-image construction to ensure a proper fit. The finished gloves are a refined accessory suitable for cooler weather, combining functional warmth with a decorative lace detail.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: Novita Nalle in shade 061 Linen – a DK weight yarn from the Novita brand
• Yarn quantity: Less than 100 g required for the pair
• Needles: Novita 3 mm double-pointed needles (equivalent to UK size 11 / US size 2½), or the size needed to achieve gauge

Novita Nalle is a soft, durable DK weight yarn well suited to accessories and garments that require stitch definition. Its smooth texture makes it an excellent choice for lace knitting, as the individual stitches and yarn-overs in the lace chart remain crisp and readable in the finished fabric.

Gauge

The pattern specifies a gauge of 23 stitches and 33 rows in stockinette stitch over 10 cm / 4 inches. Achieving the correct gauge is particularly important for gloves, as even small variations can significantly affect the fit across the hand and fingers. Knitters are encouraged to swatch and adjust needle size as needed before beginning.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round on double-pointed needles – the gloves are worked entirely in the round from the cast-on edge, which eliminates seams and creates a smooth, comfortable interior
• Thumb gusset construction – stitches are increased to form the thumb gusset and later placed on hold while the hand is continued
• Picking up stitches – stitches are picked up at the base of the thumb opening and at the base of each finger to close gaps and join sections neatly
• Decreasing at picked-up stitches – on the 2nd and 3rd rounds after picking up, a k2tog decrease is worked to reduce to 18 stitches and shape each finger neatly
• Top decreases – each finger is closed with shaping decreases once the fabric nearly covers the fingernail, giving a tidy, fitted finish
• Lace pattern from a chart – the decorative snowflower motif on the back of the hand is worked following a lace chart with accompanying written instructions
• Mirror-image construction – the left and right gloves are worked separately with adjusted stitch placement to ensure the lace panel and thumb gusset are correctly positioned on each hand

Stitches Used

• Ribbing in the round: *k2, p2* repeat – used for the cuff on the right glove; *p2, k2* repeat – used for the cuff on the left glove, creating the mirror-image rib alignment
• Stockinette stitch in the round: all stitches knitted every round – used for the palm of the hand and the fingers
• Lace pattern: worked from a chart on the back of the hand (needles III and IV for the right glove; needles I and II for the left glove), incorporating yarn-overs and decreases to form the Lumikukka snowflower motif