Fingerless Gloves: Mismatched, Coordinated Handwarmers

When the doors of the neighborhood holiday fair opened my first potential customer was drawn to my new product a pair of mismatched, coordinated fingerless gloves.  She willingly paid the amount I requested and scooped up her "wearable art."  "What is the appeal of a pair of gloves that coordinate, but don't match?" I wondered.  It seems that you can develop a more interesting fashion accent that is just a bit funky by using similar colors with different placement of the bands or color elements.  The color switch makes for an intriguing, though satisfying puzzle. In the case of this initial pair, I used the muted plum tones of Sweet Roll by Premier Yarns.  Each skein presents 3 long color runs with interesting combinations that include coordinating pastels, a range of neutrals (such as shades of gray), or bold and brilliant jewel-like tones. The color for this first pair included plum tones that ranged from light mauve to a darker purple.  A 2-layered flower with a decorative button at the center adorned the top of the glove near the fingers.  One skein (245 yards) of this worsted 100% acrylic yarn was all I needed to complete the pair of fingerless gloves.  I even had enough scrap to make a child's flowered headband.  When I made a second pair, I had enough to make a child's pair of mismatched fingerless gloves.  You will find the photo below.

Since that fateful day, I have been inspired to create, sell. or gift dozens of these dramatic fashion accessories.  I get that glow when someone who has acquired my gloves is actually wearing a pair.  A few months ago my husband and I were at a new friend's home for dinner.  Instead of bringing a bottle of wine or other house gift, I presented the hostess with a pair of gray to black gloves that I thought would coordinate with her winter coat.  She smiled and said thank you, but I had no idea if she was just being polite.  However, at a group event on a particularly cold evening, I saw her pull out the gloves before she went out into the night air.  Smiling to myself, I could see that the gloves had been worn often and well. 

To construct these fingerless gloves, I begin with the cuff.  I crochet a band of half-double crochet, on the back loop before sewing the ends together.  The body of the piece is then worked in the round.  For my first pair, I started with the lightest shade and transitioned to a medium tone.  The second gloves started with the medium tone and transitioned to the darkest shade.  A light flower decorated the glove with the dark fingers.  A dark flower was placed on glove with the medium shade near the fingers.  While I might be able to tolerate slight variations as I make the gloves myself, I am taking careful notes as I prepare a precise pattern for my readers.  After I create and test the pattern, I will make it available for the followers of lilcreates .com.  In the meantime I refer you to my board on Pinterest (Lillian Malkus/Love to Crochet) or the patterns available from Ravelry or AllFreeCrochet.com. 

Cakes by Caron also provides the multiple colors that enable the crocheter to work several inches before transitioning to a coordinating or complementary hue.  This yarn, which is 80% acrylic and 20% wool, is only available at the Michaels chain of craft stores.  Yardage is 350 yards per skein, and sells for a dollar more than Sweet Roll.  For crocheters who are willing to experiment, you can achieve the coordinated mismatched effect by blending 3 or more of your own color choices of thicker worsted yarn.  You will change the color placement, by making the cuff in one color and the body in a coordinating shade.  Then make the switch for the opposite glove.  Your flower will contrast with the body of each glove. 

I hope you enjoy your experimenting with mismatched gloves.  Please write a comment in the reply section.  My readers are an important source of inspiration and learning for me.

---