Modern Vespa

hey guys- i pulled this from another blog i read. just.. i had to share.. sorry...

love this place: http://swapatorium.blogspot.com/2007/01/give-mittens-finger.html

"While in Florida over Thanksgiving, I came across a 1940s-era knitting pamphlet put out by the Red Cross called something like "Knitting for you Servicemen" that included patterns for hats, scarves, basic sweaters and other necessities. The coolest pattern was for a pair of mittens called Riflemen Mitts. Mittens are supposed to be far warmer than gloves because they allow your fingers to share heat, but mittens have one major drawback - lack of dexterity. The Riflemen Mitts solved this problem by having a separate sheath for thumb and first finger, while the remaining three fingers were allowed to huddle together.

Not long after that, I read a copy of Scoot Magazine that featured a reprint of a vintage pattern from Stitchcraft Magazine for "Scooter Mitts." Like the rifleman mitts, the scooter mitts leave your first fingers free for pulling in the clutch and hand-brake on four-speed scooters.



The thing I love best about this pattern is the headline. I've never heard the term "donkey" used as slang before and I'm not sure what it means but it sounds positive. Unfortunately, these gloves weren't so cozy or cool.



Pattern Notes
For one thing, in order to get gauge I had to drop all the way from the recommended size 11s to 4s. In addition, the construction of the gloves is a bit odd. To accommodate for the stripes, the gloves are knit in two pieces each, from pinkie to thumb, then seamed together. The seam, which runs between your forefinger and middle finger, is extremely annoying, and the fingers on the pattern seem extra long too.

The pattern is pretty easy, and knit up in no time, but it would be a lot nicer if these could be knit seamlessly, in the round, from the wrist up. I didn't even bother to do the cuff or finish the second glove, because I know I'll never wear these. Although I think the concept is cool, the execution needs a lot of work. Of course, if you want to try the pattern yourself, you can download the PDF from the Scoot Magazine link above. And as usual, send me pictures of your work!"



HOT SHIT! [if only i could knit.... not like shit...]

Thanks so much for posting this! Once I finish knitting my balaclava, these are next!

if you go to the link at the top of the post it takes you to the original. - should open larger

You can get sniper mitten thingies at the army navy usually.
They look like mutant crab claw hands, but green/olive drab. HOT!
usually you can find the liner things, with a catchy product name like "cold wether insert for glove#256374-635x-s-345-XX-3-USA" or some other easy to remember name like that. They look like asbestos impregnated kitchen sik scrubby material, so you KNOW they are comfy.
Actually they are warm. I had a pair.

Alpinestars makes some really great winter gloves that will also protect you if you wipe out, though. Thats what I would use, though the knit look is cuter and less cyber-dork, I would rather save my cute mitten times for sledding with a puppy and some kids than sliding on my face down 7th avenue...

Those are kinda like the "lobster mitts" that I use for cycling.

They are good for scootering too and are available at Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada.

Knitting mitts with a fore finger... I miss my mum! I guess I could look at the surplus store. I think the range and scope of this forum is very neat. R

they're chainsaw mittens, made out of yarn

jacqui