BASIC GLOVE RECIPE

v1.2

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www.nimble-needles.com
Introduction
Dear Knitter,
Gloves are one of the
most popular knitting
patterns. Yet, they are
also one of the most
difficult projects. Even
intermediate knitters of-
ten report problems with
the most simple patterns
and it's quite difficult to
achieve perfect results.
That's why I compiled this detailed step-by-step
tutorial. I want to take away the fear glove knit-
ting instills in many a knitter and help you create
a finished project you can be proud of.
It took me quite a while to figure out a method
for picking up stitches and knitting the thumbs
that really satisfied me. It's just so easy to end
up with holes in that spot.
Admittedly, it is the most difficult section when
knitting a glove. So, for many years I kind of ac-
cepted that's the way it is and thought there was
no way to create a seamless transitions.
In preparation for this pattern, I knitted a lot of
samples and swatches and finally found a
© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved
technique that satisfied me. While not 100 per-
cent perfect either, it does create a transition I
can live with.
In that process I noticed that the reason this por-
tion cannot be perfect is related to handknitting.
It's close to impossible to not stress those stitch-
es as you knit them. And that's when I realized I
need to accept a certain degree of hand-knitted
charm and I urge you to do the same.
Either way, this is a basic recipe and I hope you
understand you can adjust and embellish it as
you see fit. Add different stitch patterns, knit
them in multiple colors, or maybe add some ca-
bles on the back of the hands.
Happy knitting,
Norman
PS: I recorded a video where you can see me
knitting these gloves step-by-step.
PPS: Remember to comment on the correspond-
ing blog post in case you have any questions.
That way, other knitters can see my answers as
well. I do not answer questions via email.
Page 2
Materials: Size & Gauge:
• 100 grams (200 - 220m/220 - 240 yds) of DK My sample size is a men's size S/XS with a cir-
weight yarn. I used one skein of the DK weight cumference of the hands of 24 centimeters (9.5
superwash merino yarn by Samelin Dyeworks*. in) at the widest point. For more sizing informa-
If you'd like to use fingering weight yarn, you tion, see further down below.
should get away with around 70g, with lace
possible around 50g.
Gauge for a blocked 5 x 5 cm ( 2x2
• Double-pointed knitting needles relatively
in) swatch in stockinette stitch: 14
small compared to the recommended size for
stitches x 17 rows
your yarn. I used the Knitter's Pride Karbonz* in
size 3. Consider getting a set of short 10cm/4in
dpns for the fingers.
• Scissors & a tapestry needle*
• a measuring tape*
• some stitch markers*
• pins for blocking
• crochet hook (optional; for picking up stit-
ches)

In terms of yarn and needle size, you can get creative. This pattern will work with almost
any yarn between lace and dk weight yarn. I wouldn't pick a heavier yarn as this will often make
the gloves look a bit clumsy, but also warmer of course. Also, gloves look best when knitted with a
very tight gauge. As you move your hands, you will stretch out the fabric. With a loose gauge, holes
will be visible whenever you do that, and this also means they will offer less insulation as cold air
can flow through these little holes.

*affiliate link

© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved Page 3

Knitting techniques used:
You don't need to know many very difficult stitches for this pattern. Most of it is plain stockinette
stitch. What makes knitting gloves so difficult is the pick-up techique for the fingers. If you don't pay
attention, you will overstress the stitches and that will be very visible in the finished project.

K = knit These gloves are knit in the round on dou-

P = purl ble-pointed knitting needles. You might also
K2tog = knit two together check out my guide on 10 tips for better results
SSK = Slip, slip, knit with dpns.
KLL = knit left loop
KRL = knit right loop Please understand that due to the small di-
SM = slip stitch marker ameter of the fingers, it's quite a bit harder to
PM = place marker knit gloves with circular needles. But you can
certainly knit the cuff/palm using magic loop, if
Instructions between two asterisk (*) indicate you that's your preference. Some people also finish
have to repeat that section over and over again the fingers using two circular needles with short
until the end of a round or the indicated spot. cords but I personally find it way too fiddly.

Check this tutorial in case you don’t know how
to read knitting patterns yet. And here’s a help-
ful and very detailed glossary of knitting terms
with the most common (and uncommon) abbre-
viations, terms, etc.
Feel free to comment on the corresponding blog
post case you have any further questions (that
way, everyone can see your questions and my
answers.)

If you still require help with these and other knitting techniques, please visit my website where
you‘ll find step by step tutorials and videos for almost all important knitting techniques.

© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved Page 4

Sizing Part I - Measuring
Hands have both a very complex shape and are typically not very uniform (unlike e.g. the circumfe-
rence of the human head). Your fingers may be longer or thicker or both, your wrists might be very
muscular or super slim, etc. That's why I personally don't believe following a pattern that works with
standard sizes brings a lot of joy. You will have to make your own adjustments. Consider reading
the full pattern before you start calculating as things will probably make more sense
then. Other than the cast-on, you can calculate most other things as you go.

Step 1: Knit a swatch Step 3: Measure your hands

You need to knit a simple swatch in plain sto-
ckinette stitch that is big enough so you can
measure 5x5 cm (2x2 in) comfortably in the
middle. Here's a post that shows you how to
knit a swatch the right way and what you need
to consider.
Step 2: Measure your swatch
Using a tape or a ruler, find out your gauge.
Note how many stitches in a row you need to
cover 5 cm/2 in = your stitch gauge. (e.g. 14 st).
Note how many rows you need to cover the
same 5 cm/2 in = your row gauge. (e.g. 17 r).
Using a tape, measure your hands and find out
the following three numbers:
• Circumference of your hand at the knuckle of
your thumb (i.e widest point)
• Distance from your wrist to the crook of your
thumb
• Circumference of your hand above the crook
of your thumb
E.g. In my case that's 17, 24 and 7 centimeters.
You may use a piece of paper to outline your
hand to vizualize things (see fig.1).

fig. 1

© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved Page 5

Sizing part II - Cast-on and thumb gusset
Step 4: Calculate your size
Next, you have to do a very simple calculation You will also have to calculate how to distribute
to find out your cast-on requirements. these increases. So, starting from your wrist,
your glove needs to get wider to accommodate
Find out your relative stitch gauge: Divide
the thumb but you only have a small distance
the number of stitches you counted by the length
to squeeze in the increases.
you measured. E.g 14 st ÷ 5 cm = 2.8 st/cm
Height of the thumb gusset = Multiply your
Find out your relative row gauge: Divide
row gauge with the distance from your wrist to
the number of rows you counted by the length
the crook of your thumb.
you measured. E.g. 17 st ÷ 5 cm = 3.4 st/cm
Using these numbers, you can easily calcula- E.g. 7cm * 3.4 rows/cm = 23.8 rows
te the cast-on requirements and your thumb
Round up that number. E.g. 24. rows.
gusset.
Substract the thumb gusset stitches from your
Step 5: Calculate your cast on
cast-on.
The cast-on = circumference of your hand
above the crook of your thumb multiplied with E.g. 68 st – 48 st = 20 st
your stitch gauge.
And the rest is simple: In this case, you have 24
E.g. 2.8 st/cm * 17 cm = 47.8 stitches. rows to increase by 20 stitches. Now you simply
have to distribute the increases evenly.
As you will start the cuff in a 2x2 rib, you need
Calculate in 4-5 rows as buffer (2 before and 3
to round to the nearest number divisible by 4
after the increases rows).
stitches. E.g. 48 st.
fig. 2
E.g. 24 r - 4 r = 20 rows.
Step 6: Calculate your thumb gusset
You can increase by two stitches (one on each
Thumb gusset = Multiply the circumference
side) per row. So in this example, I have 20
of your hand at the knuckle of your thumb with
rows to distribute 10 (20 st ÷2) increase rows.
your stitch gauge.
This means I need to increase by 2 stitches
E.g. 2.8 st/cm * 24 cm =67.2 st.
every two rows.
Round that number up to the next number divi-
Depending on your row gauge, this could also
sible by 2. E.g. 68 st.
be 5 times every second rows and 5 times
That's how many stitches you need to have on
every third row, etc. You can use graph paper
your needles at the widest point of your hand.
to chart things out.

© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved Page 6

 Sizing part III - The fingers
The last thing you need to calculate are the fin-
gers, and this is typically the most difficult part.
Step 1: Use a tape to measure the circumfe-
rence of each finger at its base and multiply the
number times your stitch gauge per cm or inch.
That’s the number of stitches you need for each
finger.
In my case that's the following calculation:
Pinky finger: 5.5 cm * 2.8 st = 15.4 st
Ring finger: 6 cm * 2.8 st = 16.8 st
Middle finger: 6.5 cm * 2.8 st = 18.2 st
Index finger: 6 cm * 2.8 st = 16.8 st
Step 2: Measure the width of each finger right
at the base. For the outer digits, you have to
add the distance to the center of the side of the
hand (as you cannot pick up or cast on stitches
here) and divide that with the total width of
your hands right at the base.
fig. 3 In my case:
Pinky finger: 2 cm ÷ 8.7 cm = 23%
Ring finger: 2 cm ÷ 8.7 cm = 23%
Middle finger: 2.2 cm ÷ 8.7 cm = 25%
Index finger: 2.5 cm ÷ 8.7 cm = 28%
Use a simple cross-multiplication to distribute
the stitches you already have on your needle
evenly according to the portion each finger uses.
© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved
Pinky finger: 23% * 50 st = 11.5 st
Ring finger: 23% * 50 st = 11.5 st
Middle finger: 25% * 50 st = 12.6 st
Index finger: 28% * 50 st = 14.4 st
Next, substract these stitch portions from the
numbers you need for each finger.
Pinky finger: 15.4 st - 11.5 st = 3.9 st
Ring finger: 16.8 - 11.5 st = 5.3 st
Middle finger: 18.2 -12.6 st = 5.5 st
Index finger: 16.8 14.4 st = 2.4 st
That's how many stitches you have to pick up/
cast-on between the gaps of the fingers. Of cour-
se you will have to round these numbers liberally
before you can work with them - you cannot knit
half stitches, after all. That's how I did it:
Pinky finger: 12 st; cast on 3
Ring finger: 11 st; cast on 3; pick up 3
Middle finger: 13 st; cast on 3; pick up 3
Index finger: 14 st; pick up 3;
I know this sounds very complicated but the
effort will be very rewarding - especially if you
have hands beyond standard sizes & configura-
tions.
Page 7
 The knitting pattern: cuff & gusset
The cuff:
Cast on the required number of stitches using
the stretchy cast-on of your choice. There really
is no right or wrong here. Here are three popu-
lar options:
• longtail cast-on around two needles
• tubular cast-on
• alternating a German twisted cast-on with a
German twisted cast-on purlwise
I always cast-on one additional stitch and use
that to join things in the round by passing this
last stitch over the first one. You can read how I
join in the round without a gap here.
Round 1: *k2, p2*
Round 2: *k2, p2*
Continue knitting in the 2x2 rib stitch for at
least 5 cm/2 in. For a folded cuff, you would
need at least 12 cm/5 in. Do consider, that your
cuff shouldn't go higher than the point where
your arm is wider than the circumference of
your hand. If you want to go up to the ellbow,
you would have to start with more stitches and
fig. 3 gradually decrease as you work towards the
wrist.
The thumb gusset (right hand):
Once you are satisfied with the length of your
cuff, it’s time to start knitting the thumb gus-
set. Consider trying on your project to check if
things seem to fit so far.
Round 1 +2: knit across in stockinette stitch.
Round 3: k2/3/4*, place a stitch marker, KLL,
k1, KRL, place a stitch marker, knit across the
rest of the round (you may use any other left-
© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved
and right leaning increase of your choice ins-
tead).
Round 4: knit across.
Round 5: k2/3/4*, slip marker, KLL, knit un-
til you reach the second marker, remove the
marker, KRL, place the stitch marker anew, knit
across the rest of the round.
Round 6: knit across.
Round 7 – x: continue increasing evenly in
that manner and according to your thumb gus-
set calculations. You can also increase in every
second row until you reach the required width
and then continue knitting in plain stockinette
until your knitting reaches the crook of your
thumb.
The thumb gusset (left hand):
Most people have a different left- and right
hand. So, you do need to place the base of your
thumb gusset a bit differently for the left hand
like this:
Round 3L: Knit across until you are 3/4/5*
stitches before the end of the round, place a
stitch marker, KLL, k1, KRL, place a stitch mar-
ker, k2/3/4*.
From here, continue increasing according to
your calculations after and before these two
stitch markers as before.
Important: Do not shuffle stitches around
from one needle to another as you knit the
thumb gusset or place a stitch marker at the
exact middle of your first round (i.e. after the
second needle).
*cast on of 40-50st/51-60st/60st+
Page 8
Palm & pinky finger
Remember that you can try your project on at any time. And you should definitely check if your
glove in the making reaches the crook of your thumb once you are finished with your thumb gusset.
If it doesn’t, knit across until it does. Also, check if the glove fits around your hand without stret-
ching the fabric overly much but without puckering or excess fabric hanging loosely around.

The palm: The pinky finger:

Once you are satsified, you can start knitting
the palm of your hand like this:
Preparation: Secure all stitches between the
two stitch markers using a bit of scrap yarn, stitch
holders, a bit of wire, or a spare circular needle.
Keep the rest of the stitches on the needles.
Preparation: The end of the second needle
should mark the center of your original cast-on.
Divide the stitches required for your pinky finger
(e.g. 12 st) into two equal parts and slip these
stitches to either side of the center to two sepa-
rate needles. If your number is not divisiable by
two, the back needle gets one more stitch.

Round 1: Knit across until you come to the
gap. Then, turn your project around and use a
knitted cast-on purlwise to bridge the gap. Cast
on 3 stitches in that manner, turn around again,
and knit across the rest of the round. You may
also use a backward loop/single cast-on but I
find it creates an edge that is too loose.
Round 2: Knit across.
Continue in stockinette stitch until the glove re-
aches the crook between pinky and ring finger.
Tip: Depending on your personal preferences,
you may consider casting on more than just
three stitches to bridge the gap.
In this case, keep the stitch markers before and
after the gap. Then decrease with SKK after the
first marker and K2tog before the second mar-
ker in every second or third round until there
are only three stitches left. This will create a
little mini gusset and may lend your gloves a bit
more flexibility. You would have to decrease in
as similar manner as you start the thumb.
Secure the rest of stitches on a piece of scrap
yarn, stitch holders, or a bit of wire.
Round 1: Knit across, start a new needle two
stitches before the gap, and bridge the gap by
turning the work to the wrong side and casting
on 3/4/5* stitches with a knitted cast-on purlwise,
turn around again, and continue knitting across.
*cast on of 40-50st/51-60st/60st+
Round 2: Knit across.
Continue in stockinette stitch until the fabric
almost covers your pinky finger and there’s not
much more than two or three milimeters of
skin/nail peeking out at the top (see fig. 2).
fig. 2

© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved

Page 9
Pinky finger part II & other fingers
Pinky finger continued...
Once the fabric almost reaches the tip of your
pinky finger, begin decreasing like this:
Decrease round 1: *k2tog* (if you have an un-
even number of stitches, only knit the last stitch).
Decrease round 2: Knit across.
Finish by breaking the yarn leaving a tail of 24
cm /10 in, thread it on a tapestry needle, and
pull the tail through all remaining stitches on
your needles. Remove the knitting needle as
you go. Pull tight and sew over once.
Fit adjustments: I recommend trying the
glove/finger on before you weave in. That way,
you can easily re-do the tip if it's still a bit too
tight or too loose. I found that often just one
round too much can feel too roomy and one
round too little a bit tight.
If you notice that the whole finger needs more
room, then unravel and cast-on more stitches to
bridge the gap.
The ring finger:
Preparation: Transfer all stitches for the fin-
gers from the stitch holder back to the knitting
needles.
Round 1: Pick up the working yarn again & use
a crochet hook (or your knitting needles) to pick
up one stitch for every knit stitch V on the edge
you cast on to bridge the gap. There will be one
more stitch than you cast on! To avoid a gap or
a visible transition, I actually recommend star-
ting in the middle of the edge and picking up
© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved
the last 1- 2 stitches at the end of the round.
Next, pick up one more stitch from the gap. Eit-
her through the second knit stitch of the gap or
by knitting a KLL into the stitch adjacent to the
next full knit stitch on the next needle.
Then, knit a full round across the whole hand.
Last, pick up one more stitch from the gap (I
typically do a K1tog LL instead) and pick up the
remaining stitch(es) from the edge (see details
on the next page).
Round 2: Knit across the first set of picked-up
stitches but consider decreasing the last stitch
you picked up from the cast-on edge and the
extra stitch you picked up from the gap using
a k2tog. Then, continue knitting across. If you
picked up an additional stitch on that side, con-
sider knitting decreasing it with an SSK.
(Round 3+4): Depending on the configuration of
your hand and the yarn you are using, you may
have to knit across one or two full rounds. In
my experience 3 are needed for fingering and 4
for light fingering yarn. Typically, the crook bet-
ween pinky and ring finger is a bit lower than
the crooks between the rest of your fingers and
this is to accommodate this.
Round 3/4/5: Slip the stitches not required
for the ring finger back to the scrap yarn/stitch
holder/wire. Then knit across and bridge the
gap by casting on 3/4/5* stitches with a knitted
cast-on purlwise from the wrong side - or ho-
wever many your calculations said.
Continue knitting in stockinette stitch until your
knitting almost covers the tip, and finish the tip
exactly like the pinky finger (r1: *k2tog, r2: k)
Page 10
My pick-up technique for the fingers
AD

Step 1: Step 2:

Identify the Vs along the gap. There should Use a crochet hook to pick up one stitch
be one more than the stitches you cast on to through the second stitch (or the middle stitch
bridge the gap. if you cast on more stitches).
Step 3: Step 4:

Pick up another stitch through the adjacent sti- Lift the left leg of the stitch next to the first
tch (and continue until you used up all Vs along stitch on the next needle back to the needle
the edge in that manner if there are more). and carefully knit a KLL into that stitch.
Step 5: Result:

On the other side, lift the right leg of the adja- This will create a super smooth transition. You
cent stitch back to a spare needle and knit it can either work with the extra stitches or decrea-
together through back loop with the last stitch. se them with k2tog...SSK in the next round.

Note: I developed the following pick-up technique over many hours of meticulous swatching. It is not the
standard textbook method. Kindly reference it in a fair manner if you want to use it for your own patterns.

© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved

Page 11
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Other fingers & thumb
Middle finger & index finger:
The middle and index finger are knit in the ex-
act same way as the ring finger. The only diffe-
rence is that you don't need to knit across the
full round anymore as typically the rest of the
crooks are on the same level.
Round 1: Slip the required stitches from the
stitch holder to your knitting needles (e.g. 13),
and begin by picking up one stitch for every V
of the edge starting in the middle, pick up one
more stitch from the gap, knit across, cast on
3/4/5 stitches, knit across, pick up one more sti-
tch from the gap (or knit a K1tog LL), and then
pick up a stitch for each of the remaining Vs.
Round 2: Knit across and decrease additional
gap stitches with SSK and k2tog on either side.
From here, continue in stockinette stitch as befo-
re, start with the decreases once the fabric almost
covers the top, and secure the tail as before.
Next, use the remaining stitches to knit the index
finger. Obviously, you can't/don't have to cast on
any extra stitches as there is no gap to bridge.
You just have to pick up stitches from the edge
and that's why the index finger typically gets the
most stitches from the original cast-on.
The thumb:
The traditional last step of knitting a glove is
the thumb. The technique is the exact same
as for the fingers, so you won't face any new
problems here.
Round 1: Begin by picking up one stitch for
every V of the edge starting in the middle, pick up
© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved
one more stitch from the gap, knit across, pick up
one stitch from the gap, and pick up the remai-
ning stitches from the edge to close the round.
Round 2: Knit across
Continue knitting across in stockinette stitch
until you reach the joint of the thumb.
Most thumbs get gradually narrower towards
the tips and this will leave a bit of spare fabric
that might be a bit annoying when you try to
actually use your thumb (like picking something
up, etc). To combat that, you can knit a little
gusset for the thumb pad like this:
Preparation: Put your gloves on and identify
the middle of your thumb pad. Then place stitch
markers 3/4/5* stitches before and after the
middle stitch.
Round 1: Knit across, slip marker, SSK, knit
across until 2 stitches before next marker,
k2tog, slip marker, finish round.
Round 2: knit across
Continue decreasing after and before the mar-
ker until there are only 3 stitches between the
stitch marker left.
From here, you can continue knitting across in
stockinette stitch until the fabric almost covers
the tip of your thumb and you can finish the
way you did before with a k2tog round, follo-
wed by one last knit round.
Note: A lot of older patterns will stop the tips
right after the k2tog round. I found this often
creates an unattractive tip, that's why I knit
across one more round. Try both and pick wha-
tever you prefer.
Page 13
Finishing, weaving in end & blocking
Last, but certainly not least, you need to finish Another thing you may consider is manually
your gloves. There will be quite a lot of tails on adjusting your stitch definition. You often end
the inside of your glove and you need to weave up stressing the stitches around the gaps a lot.
them in. I always weave in the tails on the So, use a tapestry needle and gently redistribu-
inside using a sharp tapestry needle. And te the slack back to the adjacent stitches. Use
then I go diagonally piercing right through the good lighting and be careful - but it will make a
purl bumps in two direcitons. I have a full tuto- big difference (the video will show you how)
rial on weaving in ends on my blog in case you
As a means of last resort, you can use the tails
need to catch up.
where you joined in the yarn again for the fin-
Another thing you should definitely consider is gers to sew over any holes that might be visib-
blocking your finished gloves. This will typically le. Knowing how to graft stitches (or duplicate
improve your overall stitch definition. So, stitch) will be a bonus here.
soak them gently in lukewarm water adding
a bit of mild soap for about 30 minutes. Then
wring them out equally gently between a to-
wel and pin the dry-to-the-touch gloves to a
soft surface without overstretching. Let them
dry overnight, remove the pins and enjoy your
gloves!

© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved Page 14

© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved
Page 15
Final notes
And that's it. That's how to knit gloves no matter your size, age, gender, or preferences. I hope this
recipe was able to help you. I trust you understand that it's important to take notes. Document your
choices so that the next time you knit gloves (or you need to redo your first one), you don't have to
start from scratch all over again.
Also, make sure to share your finished work with long at the same thing, you stop seeing the
me. Simply add me on social media or add them most blatant blunders. Especially since I am not
as a project on Ravelry. I‘d be delighted to see a native speaker (but from Germany).
what other knitters create with my instructions.
Last, but not least, make sure to follow me on
And while we are at it, feel free to contact me if social media and bookmark my blog.
you found a typo or think there‘s a little mistake
in this pattern. I tried to check it diligently mul-
tiple times, and of course there was a test-knit
for this pattern.
But you know how things are. If you look too

happy knitting
Norman

© Copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved. No part of this pat-
tern may be reproduced, copied, or forwarded in any form. This pattern is supplied for your perso-
nal and non-commercial use only. This pattern was first published in January 2022. As long as you
link to my website and give credits, small business owners are welcome to sell finished objects
based on this pattern.

© copyright Norman Schwarze, www.nimble-needles.com, all rights reserved

Page 16