For this Iron Craft Challenge, we were asked to create something based on one of four big Spring crafting trends, floral, nautical, geometric and radiant orchid. I decided to go with the nautical trend and take my inspiration from classic sailors tattoos. I charted two different designs and added them to some handwarmers.

I put the anchor design on the front of both handwarmers and heart design on the palm of just one. Because these are knit in the round and then flat for the thumbholes, I did a combination of intarsia and stranded knitting for the colorwork.

I have to say, I’m not completely happy with how the colorwork looks on these. I love the patterns, but the grey really shows through the cream. I’ve not had a problem with this in other colorwork I’ve done, I think it might just be this yarn.

I plan on crocheting around the thumbhole to make it a little sturdier, but I ran out of time to get these up. Actually, what I’d really like to do, is turn these into full-blown mittens.

I have charted these out the way that I knit them, but you can change them around as you wish. Skip the heart on the palms and just do the anchors or knit the same hand chart twice and have the anchor on the front of one hand and the heart on the front of the other. I’ve also left the banner on the heart blank so you can add your own word (Mom is a classic) or initials.

Hello Sailor Handwarmers

Download the pdf of the Hello Sailor Handwarmers Pattern (with the charts) or just the Hello Sailor Charts.

I have knit these in the round but you can easily knit them flat and seam them afterwards leaving a gap in the seam for a thumbhole.

Size: Woman’s Medium (7.5 wide)

Supplies:

• Fingering weight yarn in two colors, about 125 yards each (I used Premier Yarns Serenity)
• Four size 0 (2mm) double-pointed needles (or size needed to get gauge)
• Stitch marker
• Tapestry needle

Gauge: 10 stitches and 12 rows per inch

Abbreviations:

• K – knit
• P – purl
• M1 – make one stitch (increasing one stitch)
• K2tog – knit two stitches together (decreasing one stitch)

Jogless Stripes: If you have ever knit stripes in the round you know that you get a jog or step at the beginning of a round. There is a way to fix this when you have stripes of more than one round. Finish the first color and knit one round of the second color. When you get to the first stitch of the second round of the second color, pull up the stitch below from the first color on to the left needle. Now knit those two stitches together.

Cast on 72 stitches with darker color. Divide between 3 needles. Join together to knit in the round placing a stitch marker before the first and last stitch to mark rows.

Cuff:
Row 1 – 5: k2, p2 until end of row
Row 6: change color, k
Row 7 – 8: k2, p2 until end of row
Row 9 : change color, k
Row 10 – 13: k2, p2 until end of row
Row 14: change color, k
Row 15 – 16: k2, p2 until end of row
Row 17 : change color, k
Row 18 – 21: k2, p2 until end of row
Row 22: change color, k
Row 23 – 24: k2, p2 until end of row
Row 25 : change color, k
Row 26 – 29: k2, p2 until end of row

Hand:
Row 30: change color, k14, m1, k15, m1, k14, m1, k15, m1, k14, m1 (77 stitches) (I use a make one here because it doesn’t leave a hole, but you could do a kfb increase if you prefer.)
Row 31 – 36: k
Row 37: k starting color chart for appropriate hand
Row 38: Do not continue knitting in the round. You will now be knitting flat to create the opening for the thumb. You can leave the knitting on the three needles because you will be joining it back up. Turn the knitting so you are facing the inside and purl back down the row. (Here is a video I made on how to do this.)
Row: 39: Turn the knitting so you are facing the outside and knit down the row.
Repeat rows 38 & 39 until you finish row 61.
Row 62: k, joining the handwarmer back to the round
Row 63 – 74: k
Row 75: change color, k
Row 76 – 79: k
Row 80: change color, k
Row 81: k
Row 82 – 93: follow color chart
Row 94: change color, k37, k2tog, k38 (76 stitches)
Row 95 – 96: k2, p2 until end of row
Row 97: bind off in pattern.

Weave in ends.

Copyright 2014 Kathy Lewinski
Do not duplicate for distribution, repost, sell or teach without permission.
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