I have the yuckiest 'winter hands.' They're puny and white, with chewed fingernails and dry skin cracked in two places. And I was horrified to discover chillblains on them the other day, ever since I misplaced my rainbow fingerless gloves my Mum made me (you can see them in this post.)
So I started knitting some very plain and basic fingerless gloves with a ball of aran-weight variegated wool I had lying around. I had almost finished them when Amelia gave me her beautiful pink ones I showed yesterday, so i've decided that hers will be for wearing when I go out and these basic ones, not at all as stylish or pretty, can be for doing jobs around the house- cooking, cleaning, etc. Here they are (photo by Arlo):
My sister and I have been making these gloves for a few years now- ever since discovering them in a children's knitting book- around the time we first started experimenting with our own handspun wool. These made the perfect project because they used such a small amount of yarn, and are at their warmest and best when pure wool is used. They are really quite plain and simple, I used an aran-weight yarn and 5.5mm needles.
Cast on 34 stitches, work K2, P2 rib for 10 rows. Change to stocking stitch, and work 18 rows. Then work another 10 rows in rib. Cast off. Make two the same, then sew up the side, leaving a small hole underneath the top band of ribbing for your thumb. Voila!