The Serpentinite Gauntlets are an indulgent design: I wanted to create something that felt like slipping into a fantasy novel, donning not just a costume but an entire alternate persona – one of swords and sorcery, magic and mystery. While there was no one source of inspiration, the celestial serpent and floral sword imagery creates its own kind of mythos — one I hope will inspire you to create your own character and story.

This is a pattern that decidedly prioritizes an artistic vision over technical soundness. Using regular stranded colourwork, the long floats result in an unforgiving fabric with very little stretch. These fingerless gloves are knit in the round, starting at the fingers with a provisional cast on and folded picot hem. I knit my sample using small needles and fingering weight yarn; the pattern includes suggested gauges to achieve additional circumferences, and instructions for a charted gusset insert to provide a custom fit for a wider range of wrist and arm sizes. Check out the test knitter spotlight for samples of different gauge + gusset options that test knitters used!

Sample size:

Circumference: 6” / 15 cm
Length: 9” / 23 m

Materials:

Fingering weight yarn:

MC (green): 200-300 yds
CC (white): 90-120 yds
Yardage will vary depending on gauge and whether you use the gusset option.

2.75 mm and 3.25 mm needles (circular or DPNs)
Crochet hook and waste yarn, for provisional cast on

Gauge:

Variable depending on your arm and wrist size.

Gauge used in sample: 40 sts x 44 rounds = 4” / 10 cm in colourwork pattern on larger needles

Required skills:

stranded colourwork (or ladderback jacquard)
provisional cast on
folded picot hem
backward loop cast on