Rosebud Gloves

Rosebud Gloves by Cilla Webb

What is Being Made

The Rosebud Gloves are a pair of adult-sized knitted gloves designed by Cilla Webb. These gloves are crafted using an intermediate-level knitting technique and are suitable for knitters with some experience in garment construction and shaping.

Yarn and Materials

The Rosebud Gloves are made using 100g of Rico Luxury Alpaca Superfine Aran yarn in colorway 003. This premium yarn blend consists of 63% alpaca and 37% polyamide, providing a luxurious feel with added durability and elasticity. The aran weight classification makes this an accessible yarn choice for creating gloves with good stitch definition and comfortable wear.

In addition to yarn, the project requires 5.5mm double-pointed needles (DPNs) and 5.5mm straight needles for different stages of construction. Essential notions include a tapestry needle for finishing, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping points, and stitch holders or waste yarn for securing stitches during glove construction.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked to a gauge of 18 stitches and 24 rows over 10cm (4 inches) in stocking stitch. This gauge is essential for achieving the correct adult glove fit and should be verified before beginning the project.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches Used

The Rosebud Gloves employ several fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques:

• Stocking Stitch (St st): The primary fabric structure, created by alternating knit rows with purl rows to produce a smooth, classic knitted surface
• Garter Stitch (G st): Created by knitting every row, often used for ribbing, cuffs, or textured sections
• Knit and Purl Stitches: Basic stitches that form the foundation of the design
• Decreases: K2tog (knit two stitches together knitwise) and P2tog (purl two stitches together purlwise) are used for shaping the glove fingers and creating fitted sections
• Increases: Kfb (knit in the front and back of the stitch) and Pfb (purl in the front and back of the stitch) create additional stitches for expanding the glove width and accommodating the hand shape
• Wrap and Turn (W&T): An advanced short-row technique that allows for three-dimensional shaping without visible holes, commonly used in glove construction for creating contoured finger sections and hand shaping
• Make 1 Right (M1R): A decorative increase technique that creates a nearly invisible new stitch, often used in pattern repeats
• Repeat Instructions: The pattern uses bracketed sections and repeat markers to efficiently communicate stitch sequences across multiple stitches and rows

Construction Method

The gloves are constructed using double-pointed needles, a traditional method for creating seamless, tubular garments like gloves. This technique allows the knitter to work in the round, eliminating the need for seaming and ensuring a comfortable, fitted glove. The combination of DPNs for the main construction and straight needles indicates that certain sections may be worked flat or that the pattern offers flexible construction options.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate difficulty, the Rosebud Gloves are suitable for knitters who have mastered basic stitches and simple garment shaping. The inclusion of wrap-and-turn short rows and multiple increase and decrease techniques requires familiarity with intermediate shaping methods. This project offers an excellent opportunity to develop skills in fitted garment construction and three-dimensional knitting techniques.