Stag Gauntlets

Here is the pattern for the Stag Gauntlets. Additional information and photos can be found at my ravelry page (username Livingdeceiver)

STAG GAUNTLETS

Materials:
-yarn- 2 hanks Artyarns Supermerino handpainted in colorway 101 (Aran/10 ply/ 8 wpi); 204 yds per hank. For me, each gauntlet used up less than one hank.
-needles- one 29" US size 4 (3.5mm) circular needle *see note on skills needed*; cable needle.
-notions- at least 4 markers, tapestry needle, stitch holder

Guage: Not especially relevant given the nature of the pattern.

Size: As designed it comfortably fits a women's medium sized hand. Width is easily altered by adding/subtracting multiples of 4 sts to give more/less ribbing. As designed the glove reaches nearly to mid forearm, but again is easily altered by doing more pattern repeats before the thumb gusset.

Skills Needed: Circular knitting, cables, bar increases. These are an easy knit suitable for advanced beginners or those looking to branch out into cables or new circular techniques. I knit these gauntlets using the magic loop method, which I like because it makes it very easy to try them on as you go and see how you like the fit. The pattern can easily be adapted to two circs or DPNs if you like, however.

Stitches Used:
1) K2,P2 Ribbing (multiple of 4 stitches)
round one and all rounds: (K2,P2) around
2) Antler Cable (multiple of 16 stitches, worked over 6 rounds)
rnd 1, 3, and 5: knit even
rnd 2: K4, C4B, C4F, K4
rnd 4: K2, C4B, K4, C4F, K2
rnd 6: C4B, K8, C4F
*C4B: slip 2 sts to cable needle & hold at back of work, K2 sts from LN, K2 from cable needle
*C4F: slip 2 sts to cable needle & hold at front of work, K2 sts from LN, K2 from cable needle

Abbreviations: K - knit, P - purl, CO - cast on, BO - bind off, rnd - round, PM - place marker, M1 - make one (bar increase), st(s) - stitch(es), LN - left needle, KFB - knit into the front and the back of the next stitch

PATTERN:

~CO 42 stitches and join for knitting in the round, taking care not to twist. Use yarn tail or a fifth marker to designate the begining of the round.

- rnd 1: Work K2, P2 ribbing to last 18 sts, PM, K16, PM, P2. *this sets up the 16 st panel for the antler cable. As the remainder of the glove is worked, these 16 stitches will be worked in the corresponding round of the cable pattern detailed above.
- rnds 2-6: K2, P2 rib to marker, cable round [2, 3, 4, 5, or 6], P2

~Thumb gusset begins in 8th pattern repeat. During the 8th repeat...
- rnd 1: as usual
- rnd 2: KFB, K1 (1 st increased), work K2, P2 rib to marker, cable rnd 2, P2. *thumb increases will always be worked in the even rnds - the rnds where you do the cabling)
- rnd 3: as usual
- rnd 4: K1, PM, M1, K1, M1, PM, K1 (2 st inc), work K2, P2 rib to marker, cable rnd 4, P2.
- rnd 5: as usual
- rnd 6: K1, M1, K to marker, M1, K1 (2 st inc), work K2, P2 rib to marker, cable rnd 6, P2.
* when working the ribbing in the thumb gusset, it is important that the ribbing be done in pattern - that is, when it says "K2, P2" rib, purl the purl stitches and knit the knit stitches. Starting the ribbing section with K2 would not continue to yield the proper pattern, as the original K2 have become the edges of the gusset.

~continue to work in this fashion, making one stitch after the first marker and before the second marker during each even round, until there are 17 stitches between the markers (this should occur at the 6th (final) rnd of the 10th pattern repeat). On the next round (rnd 1 of the 11th pattern repeat), K1 before the marker, slip these 17 stitches onto waste yarn or a stitch holder, K1 after the marker (pulling the yarn snug to avoid a hole) and then continue the round as usual. Work the pattern until there are 13 total pattern repeats (13 "antlers" in the cable panel), and BO in pattern.

~For thumb: transfer the 17 sts back onto the needle, pick up 4 sts around the hand (where you pulled the rib back together. K these 21 sts for three rounds even and BO

~Weave in ends.

*The above instructions will yield the right hand gauntlet. To create the left hand, the directions are the same, but the markers are placed differently. Follow set-up row below:
- rnd 1: P2, PM, K16, PM, P2, K2, P2 rib to end *the extra P2 highlighted here is just to make sure that the ribbing comes out right - if you started the ribbing on the right hand with two knit sts instead of purl, you wouldn't have a nice purl panel on the right side of the cable anymore.

The cabling will occur at the beginning of the round rather than the end. When it comes time for the thumb gusset, follow this set-up:
- rnd 2 (of the 8th pattern repeat): P2, cable between markers, P2, K2, P2 rib to last 2 sts, KFB, K1
- rnd 4: P2, cable between markers, P2, K2, P2 rib to last 3 sts, K1, PM, M1, K1, M1, PM, K1
- rnd 6: P2, cable between markers, P2, K2, P2 rib to 1 st before marker, K1, M1, K to marker, M1, K1