Arm Warmers
Since I know everyone is going to ask, yes I am pregnant again. Due May 6th. Yippee!
I got some cute shirts this summer and wanted to be able to wear them through the winter. Since temps can reach -42F here in the frozen tundra of North Dakota (that's actual temp not with the wind chill), short sleeves are out of the question. My simple solution... arm warmers!
The med size will fit someone with an upper arm measurement of about 11" and a wrist measurement of 6". The large will fit an upper arm of 12" and a wrist of 7". If you need more room, just add a few more stitches to your cast on row. Customizing instructions will follow (maybe tomorrow). It's made with 10% negative ease for a tight fit.
Materials:
Noro Silk Garden Lite or any sport weight wool.
US #3 and #6 needles or size needed to obtain gauge. Dpn's or 42" circulars for Magic Looping
Gauge: with larger needle 5.5 sts per 1"
Abbreviations:
KLL: Knit left loop. Use any increase method you prefer.
KRL: Knit right loop. Again, any increase you prefer.
Directions
With smaller needles loosely cast on 28 (32) I prefer this tubular cast on, video by Ysolda Teague, for a neat and stretchy edge.
Switch to larger needles. Join in a round place a stitch marker to mark beginning and work k1, p1 ribbing for 1.5". If you prefer a k2, p2 ribbing, any ribbing works fine. Choose your favorite.
Row 1: Knit even.
Row 2: KRL, knit to end, KLL.
Rows 3-7: Knit even.
Row 8: Repeat row 2.
Repeat 2-8, increasing at the beginning and the end of every 6th round until you have 54 (58) sts. You can try your arm warmer on as you go and stop increasing or add more increases for a perfect fit.
Knit even until piece measures 16.5" from the cast on edge. You can adjust the length here, just knit even until the piece is 1.5" shorter than the length you would like.
Switch to smaller needles and work k1, p1 ribbing for 1.5" (or whatever ribbing you did at the beginning).
Bind off as loosely as possible. The best I've found is a tubular bind off: 1x1 grafted bind off. It matches the tubular cast on.
To help keep the arm warmers up, I like to duplicate stitch elastic thread into the inside of the upper arm ribbing.
Oh big congratulations on the pregnancy Melanie! I'll keep good, positive thoughts for you! Does this mean a whole new crop of baby patterns, she asked wistfully? LOL
Posted by: Elaine | October 21, 2009 at 02:13 PM
Congratulations! I just bought the turtle butt pattern; this is my first time at your site.
Last time I was pregnant I intended to knit a fair isle "belly mitten" that would zip into my normal winter coat. Never happened, but it's just a thought...
Love your patterns!
Blueknittindog
Posted by: Blue | October 31, 2009 at 11:02 PM
That is a great idea! My last 4 pregnancies were all over the summer so I never had to think about a coat. My coat is already getting tight and it's not even that cold yet. I might have to do a felted fair isle since it gets very cold here (maybe even double layered). Thanks for the brilliant idea! If I do it, I'll be sure to post what I did.
Posted by: Melanie | November 01, 2009 at 08:04 AM