***These dragon fingerless gloves are a combination of crochet and knit
techniques. ***
If you don't crochet, I will be developing a different kind of finger-edge
embellishment for the next pair of gloves.
I would strongly urge you to either watch a YouTube how-to or to take a
class in crochet at your Local Yarn Shop, Michaels or Joanne's if/when they
offer them. Crochet gives the option of
adding extra finishing techniques (like the scales) to knitted items.
If you don't knit, you can complete the gloves with single crochet,
half-double, or double crochet or even a shell stitch... all up to you. Just remember to leave space for a
thumb. Again, I would suggest either a
class or YouTube.
I've also added links to YouTube videos that explain parts of the project that would be confusing if I tried to explain them without pictures. Be nice to the ladies who have spent their time explaining the ins and outs of the various techniques these gloves depend upon.
Materials:
Vanna's Glamour (or any Size 2 acrylic fingering/sport weight yarn with
sparklies)
Cascade North Shore (or any size 2 acrylic fingering/sport weight yarn)
1 crochet hook size F
Straight knitting needles size 4 (I use the 10" as they're easier to
handle.)
Note on the Yarn:
Two balls of fingering/light sport-weight yarn will make two pair of
gloves. One color will supply the 1st
and 3rd row of scales and the other the 2nd middle row of scales and the body
of the glove. Vanna's Glamour is used to
outline the scales and thumbhole to give them more structural and visual
definition. You could get away with just
using 1 ball of plain fingering and 1 of the Glamour, but note that glamour can
be scratchy and doesn't full and can catch on softer yarns because of the
sparklies.
If you'll be wearing these Dragon Gloves as UberMits over a pair of leather
or one-season $2 Chinese gloves, then that scratchiness and lack of warmth in
the Glamour is unimportant.
For the Dragon Scales:
You'll be crocheting it in the round, but it's very very very similar. I'll explain the small differences after you
get the gist of it. Here's the URL to a
quick YouTube on How to Crochet: Crocodile Stitch, by Tamara Kelly....
For the first row of Scales you will:
Chain 28 stitches.
Join the last chain to the first chain with a slip-stitch creating a
circle.
Chain 3 for your first double-crochet-plus-chain.
Skip a chain stitch.
Double Crochet TWICE in the next chain stitch, chain 1.
***You're adding a chain stitch at the top of the work to make up for the
chain being skipped on the bottom of the grid you're creating. **
Continue around the 28-chain circle, with 1 double-crochet+chain, skip
chain, 2 double-crochet+chain, skip chain.
You should end with a 2 double-crochet+chain and an empty chain between it
and the first double-crochet.
To finish, slip stitch in the top of the first double-crochet.
Chain 3 and begin the scale stitch described in the YouTube.
**When you finish the first row of scales you could stop there and jump
to the knitting or body crochet part. Just leave yourself a nice tail of yarn
for a safety line. If you want to
continue and add more rows of scales do not turn your work. **
Second and Third row of Scales:
You want to stagger your scales, as they are staggered in nature. Since the scales are built on an 'armature’
of the 2 double crochet, your first stitch which will lie between two finished
scales below should be that 2 double crochet set-up for a scale.
**You will build your armature using the same yarn as you used for the
first row, throughout. In that way, it
will be right there for your 3rd row.
Your second color yarn will cover the double crochets on the second row
when you create the 3D scales. The tips
of the 3rd row of scales will cover any other sins. **
You will follow that by anchoring your 1 double-crochet in the hole in the
center of the Scale below. Continue
crocheting your armature grid and join as before and complete the scales as
before.
Your 3rd row will be a breeze. Just
remember 2 Double Crochets in the space between scales, 1 Double Crochet in the
slot at the middle of the scale.
**When you finish the 3rd row cut yarn and leave a nice tail. This is a good opportunity to slip the scales
over your hand and admire your work. It
also gives you an idea of how long you'll want the body of the glove to
be. I like mine to come well over the
wrist and up into the sleeve of my coat. **
Embelishing the Scales
Using a contrasting color of the same weight of yarn, pull slip stitches up around the edge of each scale. I added an additional chain, unattached to the scale, at the tip. This little picot gives the scales a much more reptilian look.
Skip to the crochet body instructions or, cut yarn and pick up your
knitting needles.
Knitted Glove
If you're going to sew the seam (which is an excellent way to deal with it)
cast on 40 stitches for a long glove body.
If you want to do something more dramatic, pick up your crochet hook and
some waste yarn and create a Provisional Cast-On of 40 stitches. The technique is shown marvelously by
KnitFreedom.com....
Then, using your body yarn, knit a row.
Stick your free needle through a stitch at the bottom of your scales ...
... and then knit back.
Knit back towards the scales and at the last knit stitch, knit it together
with the Crochet Stitch, joining them.
Pick up the next crochet stitch and knit back. Continue until you have your Garter Stitch
body attached to all (or almost all) of the crochet stitches. And yes, this looks ugly because it's on size 8 needles and black acrylic joined to white craft cotton so that you can see the joins.
*** At the end, I like to pick up the first stitch attached to the first scale, and attach it again to the last row.
That seals it up for me. ***
It you chose NOT to use a provisional cast on, cast off your live stitches
and then leave a long enough tail to sew the cast-on and cast-off edges
together. Be sure to leave room for the
thumb. You might also want to do a
single crochet or even a slip stitch with Glamour around the thumb-hole, in
order to give it more definition. Weave
in Ends. Make a second glove and you're
done.
If, on the other hand, you'd like the "dragon skin" look of the
body to appear seamless, I would suggest the Reverse Kitchener or Garter Stitch
Kitchener stitch demonstrated at this link by KnittingHelp.com.
Again, be sure to leave space for the thumb, and consider crocheting around
the thumbhole with Glamour either as a single crochet or as a slip stitch embellishment,
to give it more structure.
Crocheted Glove
Using your body color pull a
loop up through one of the base stitches (I like picking up through both legs of the
stitch to make it sturdier). Chain 2 and
Half-Double crochet around. When you get
to the first Half-Double stitch, chain 2 and turn and Half-Double back.
Keep crocheting back and forth until there is enough room for your thumb,
and then begin crocheting in the round.
You can join each row and chain two and start again so that each row is in line and tidy. Or you can just
start crocheting in a spiral which is my preferred method and line up with the thumb space as a reference of where to stop. When the glove is long enough to suit you,
single crochet around, or slip stitch around to finish. Weave in ends. On this one, I picked up stitches and knitted a quick ribbing, but there are crochet techniques that can mimic that look.
Start next glove.
***The completely knitted version will be in a future post, sometime after the Holidays.***
And look what I just found! How to Knit -- Crocodile Stitch by anniescraftvideos at ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ReaMhggp1w
And yes, it did occur to me this morning that I've seen several knitted lace edgings that could also do the trick and I googled and look what I found at Grandmother's Pattern Book ...
http://grandmotherspatternbook.com/?p=7965
Which do you think would make the best Dragon Scale Replacement?
