Moira Full-Figure Armwarmers

by Tracy Hite (starsongky@yahoo.com)

Difficulty: Intermediate (with Beginner variation)

Most of my time is spent either knitting or at a keyboard, so my hands are almost always cold. I finally decided to knit myself a pair of arm warmers. I scoured the web but couldn�t find a pattern that would fit my � well, generous arms so I finally decided I would just have to design my own.

I had two main goals: they had to be soft (anything itchy against my skin drives me nuts) and they had to have cables (my favorite type of knitting). Cornet inspired me to make the cable panels first. I decided to knit the rest sideways so I could use oversized buttonholes for my thumbs. Garter stitch gave them some stretch but not quite enough, so I added wedges of short row shaping to the undersides.

Since no Celtic-inspired project is complete without a Celtic name, I finally settled on Moira after my best friend from high school, a redheaded lass of Irish descent.

SIZE

Full-figure

Moira can easily be adapted for a custom fit. The thumb holes can be repositioned or resized as needed. For larger or smaller hands, change the number of garter stitch rows evenly on either side of arm shaping. Arm shaping can also be adjusted or eliminated to fit larger or smaller arms.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Length: 8.5 inches

Hand opening: 4.25 inches across (flat)

Arm opening: 5.5 inches across (flat)

MATERIALS

About 200yds/175m worsted weight yarn.

1 set US 4 / 3.5mm straight needles

Cable needle (cn)

Tapestry needle

Crochet hook (optional, for picking up sts)

GAUGE

24 sts/30 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

Slip all sts purlwise.

C4F: Sl next 2 sts onto cn and hold in front of work, k next 2 sts, then k 2 sts from cn

C4B: Sl next 2 sts onto cn and hold in back of work, k next 2 sts, then k 2 sts from cn

T3F: Sl next 2 sts onto cn and hold in front of work, p next st, then k 2 sts from cn

T3B: Sl next st onto cn and hold in back of work, k next 2 sts, p 1 from cn

T4F: Sl next 2 sts onto cn and hold in front of work, p next 2 sts, then k 2 sts from cn

T4B: Sl next 2 sts onto cn and hold in back of work, k next 2 sts, p 2 from cn

W&T: Wrap and turn.

KWTog: K wrap and wrapped st tog.

If you haven�t worked with short row wraps before, please check out this article for assistance.

Celtic knot cable:

Row 1 (RS): [P4, c4b] three times, p4.

Row 2: [K4, p4] three times, k4.

Row 3: P3, t3b, [t4f, t4b] twice, t3f, p3.

Row 4: K3, p2, k3, p4, k4, p4, k3, p2, k3.

Row 5: P2, t3b, p3, c4f, p4, c4f, p3, t3f, p2.

Row 6: K2, p2, k4, [p4, k4] twice, p2, k2.

Row 7: P2, k2, p3, t3b, t4f, t4b, t3f, p3, k2, p2.

Row 8: K2, [p2, k3] twice, p4, [k3, p2] twice, k2.

Row 9: P2, [k2, p3] twice, c4b, [p3, k2] twice, p2.

Row 10: Rep row 8.

Row 11: P2, k2, p3, t3f, t4b, t4f, t3b, p3, k2, p2.

Row 12: Rep row 6.

Row 13: P2, t3f, p3, c4f, p4, c4f, p3, t3b, p2.

Row 14: Rep row 4.

Row 15: P3, t3f, [t4b, t4f] twice, t3b, p3.

Row 16: Rep row 2.

PATTERN

Cable panel (make 2)

CO 25 sts.

Arm border:

Rows 1-3 (RS): [K1, p1] across, ending k1.

Row 4: [K4, p1, pfb, p1] three times, k4. (28 sts)

Work Celtic knot cable patt four times, then rep row 1 of cable patt again.

Hand border:

Row 1 (WS): [K4, p1, p2tog, p1] three times, k4. (25 sts)

Rows 2-4: [K1, p1] across.

BO all sts.

Right mitt

Beg at BO edge with right side facing, pick up and k 50 sts along left side of cable panel (approx 2 sts every 3 rows).

K 12 rows even.

Thumb hole:

Row 1 (WS): K35, BO next 10 sts, k rem 5 sts.

Row 2: K6, turn, CO 12 sts, turn, k 34.

Row 3: K33, k2 tog, k10, k2tog, k5.

Note: First and last CO sts are knitted tog with neighboring sts to prevent gaps at edges.

K next 13 rows even.

Arm shaping:

Row 1 (WS): K12, w&t.

Row 2 and all even rows: K across.

Row 3: K12, kwtog, k3, w&t.

Row 5: K16, kwtog, k3, w&t.

Row 7: K20, kwtog, k3, w&t.

Row 9: K24, kwtog, k3, w&t

Row 11: K28, kwtog, k3, w&t.

Row 13: K28, w&t.

Row 15: K24, w&t.

Row 17: K20, w&t.

Row 19: K16, w&t.

Row 21: K12, w&t.

Row 22: K12, [kwtog, k3] 5 times, kwtog, k across. (50 sts)

K next 18 rows.

BO all sts, leaving a long tail for sewing side seam.

Left mitt

Beg at CO edge with right side facing, pick up and k 50 sts along right side of cable panel (approx 2 sts every 3 rows).

K 12 rows even.

Thumb hole:

Row 1 (RS): K7, BO next 10 sts, k rem 33 sts.

Row 2: K34, turn, CO 12 sts, turn, K6.

Row 3: K5, k2 tog, k10, k2tog, k33.

K next 12 rows even.

Arm shaping:

As for right mitt, except beg with a RS row.

K next 19 rows.

BO all sts, leaving a long tail for sewing side seam.

FINISHING

Sew side seams, weave in ends. Block if desired.

Note: For a mellower Moira, skip the cable panels and start each mitt by casting on 50 stitches. Work even in garter stitch (knit all sts) for 3 inches, then proceed with the rest of the pattern as above, omitting wraps on arm shaping.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Tracy knits every chance she gets, often with "help" from her three boys. She works graveyard shift as a hotel auditor and volunteers with the American Tarot Association. A knitter for over 20 years, this is Tracy's first original design more complex than storage bags for her many decks.