Gloves for Polar Explorers to Knit

The best known of these books was Paton’s Woolcraft: A Practical Guide to Knitting & Crochet, which published this glove pattern in the 1930s. The original instructions, if followed accurately, produce rather small and oddly proportioned gloves.

Angharad Thomas modified the instructions to produce gloves of more appropriate proportions. As many as possible of the original features of the pattern have been retained. They have also preserved methods, such as the knit into the front and back increase, used infrequently now, as well as idiosyncrasies, such as the differences in the numbers of stitches cast on and picked up at the base of the fingers. It all works out in the end!

The pattern states that six needles are required, but a set of four double-pointed needles or circular needles can be used. The yarn, Blacker Elegance, is 80% wool with 20% alpaca, which gives it a soft hand. It comes in a range of attractive mixed undyed colors. For the men’s size, Angharad used the DK weight and for the women’s, the 4-ply.

Both the yarn and the stitch pattern are forgiving of small irregularities while looking authentically vintage. (With thanks to Dr. Barbara Smith, publications curator of the Knitting and Crochet Guild of the UK, for identifying a suitable pattern from the collection, and to the Board of the Knitting & Crochet Guild of the UK for permission to reproduce this material.)

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