This was inspired by two things. The first was coming into the office on a Monday morning to find it bitterly cold. That ‘the heating’s been off all weekend and it’s going to take all day to warm up’ sort of cold. I wrapped up in my cardi and put all the heaters on, but my poor hands were turning blue. I couldn’t wear my gloves, because then I wouldn’t be able to use my computer. I needed something that would keep my hands warm without covering up my fingers. Hmm.
Second was a jumper. The first jumper I ever knitted, in fact. At the time I was hugely proud of myself. Now, though, the cheap acrylic had stretched to the point where the jumper was just a shapeless mess and the bright purple was doing nothing for anyone. I really don’t know where I was going with that colour. I suppose I was thinking something like: purple is good, therefore lots of purple must be even better. I was wrong. A paler purple, lilac maybe, might have worked.
The yarn makes more sense. It was my first attempt at making a jumper - I was hardly going to make it in cashmere. So it was time to recycle the jumper, giving me lots of acrylic to play with. And so the Cold Office Cuff was born.
Easy does it
It’s incredibly simple. Essentially 1x1 rib for a bit, 2x2 rib with some increasing, 2x2 rib straight, 2x2 with some decreasing, 1x1 rib, cast off. Sew up, leaving a gap for your thumb. Repeat.
Originally I was going to do some cables, but I couldn’t find the pattern I wanted to base the cables on, so I gave up on that idea. Also, I wanted something very quick to knit up - these most certainly were. My cuffs are now kept at work, and as the last few mornings have been pretty cold, I’m rather pleased with myself.
Next I shall work out those cables and maybe figure out a way to make a thumb.
The Cold Office Cuff - my first ever design!