Is there such a thing as too many arm warmers? I think not! They’re the perfect accessory for keeping warm, especially if you’re having issues with… ahem… personal trips to the Bahamas. They’re easy to roll down or strip off at a moment’s notice.
If you’re the type that’s always cold, you can easily throw these on over a long sleeve shirt and not worry about the fashion repercussions of wearing two sweaters.
The finished object photo from the Red Heart pattern itself!
The Snowy Arm Warmers pattern was originally written for Shimmer yarn, which is a medium weight. Evermore is a super bulky weight so the pattern needed to be adjusted a little bit.
Given the amount of loft in this yarn, I didn’t have to adjust the weight quite as much as I needed to. The recommended needle size for Evermore is a US 11 [8mm], but I like my fabric knit a little more densely than that. I chose a US 8 [5mm] to adjust this pattern and when I cast on the number of stitches for the smallest size, the top measured 8″.
I continued to knit this pattern as per the instructions. A change I would make is to not do all the increases. When I followed the instructions and made increases every 8th row, the arm warmers were longer than the pattern called for. The size I was knitting should have ended at 13″ and mine ended up being 18″. My suggestion would be to either do the increases closer together or not to make as many. The top ended up measuring 12½ “, which is quite wide.
The unseamed arm warmer, after being blocked flat.
This pattern has a seam up the side, so ensure you read the pattern thoroughly before you start it (unlike a certain writer we all know). I was so very close to just casting these on in the round because that is how I assumed they would be knit. They’re knit flat and it makes perfect sense why if you read the pattern. When seaming up the edge, you have the option to leave a thumb hole. You just don’t seam an inch of the edge and voila! You can pop your thumb through there! I highly suggest doing this, because the wrist warmers will creep away from your hands if you have nothing to anchor them in place.
The thumb hole is created by leaving an inch of the seam open and completing the seam above and below it. I chose to do it an inch below the ribbing.
Seaming is usually something everyone tries to avoid, mostly because it’s seen as difficult. If you have the right tools and good instructions, seaming is not something of which to be afraid.
I find seaming a cathartic ritual at the end of a project. It’s like making all my hard work a reality, especially when it’s something like a sweater knit in pieces.
My all-time favorite stitch for seaming is the mattress stitch. It creates a seam that’s invisible (when done properly). I think the best seams are the ones that provide structure for garments, but cannot be seen. The instructional video below will guide you if this isn’t a stitch you’re familiar with.
Mattress Stitch – YouTube
Even with the adjustments, I really found the Snowy Arm Warmers pattern to be an enjoyable knit. The flat pattern is easy to navigate and the finished product is so lovely and luxurious. These arm warmers are lengthy, and slouchy, which is perfect for a snowy day inside reading a good book with some hot cocoa.
Join me tomorrow for more knitting with Red Heart Evermore yarn.
This is part 2 of 5 in this series.
Go to part 1: Evermore yarn: care instructions, tension, needles and loft
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