I love wristwarmers and wear them on all but the hottest days of summer. They lend a t-shirt and jeans a note of funk and cool, and they really do keep you a bit warmer when it’s nippy outside. When we were visiting San Francisco a couple of years ago, our friends told us about the scarf phenomenon. Since the city gets chilly spells even in the summer, locals travel armed with scarves (as in real woolly scarves), ready to sport them at the first sign of fog and wind. I’m not sure how true this is, but I did keep noticing people walking around with scarves…in July!
I wouldn’t say the climate here is very…er…California, but, as I learned very early on during a midsummer picnic that regrettably involved blue toes, Finland is cold. Wristwarmers, and socks for that matter, are always in order.
When I finally got my hands on this local wool from Taito Pirkanmaa, the wristwarmer urge took over.
Now, because I am so enamored with this particular accessory, I already own two pairs, not to mention the pair-to-be in the project queue, and I wanted this set to be a little different. So, in honor of Finnish weather, which isn’t always kind, but does make it possible to wear handknits year-round, here’s a bangle wristwarmer tutorial.
Bangle wristwarmer instructions
This project calls for such a small amount of yarn that it’s great for using up any leftovers you might have—mixing and matching colors and textures will only make it more interesting. If you’re new to knitting, this is a great way to practice working in the round.
1. Start off by checking your gauge in stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row, repeat) to determine how many stitches you should cast on for your desired circumference. I made mine 9 1/2 inches (24 cm) around—I doubt wrist sizes vary much, but, if it helps, mine measure in at just under 6 inches.
2. Cast your stitches loosely (to ensure that the bangles will be stretchy) onto three double-pointed needles. Knit every row (this is stockinette stitch in the round) until you’re happy with the width, and then cast off loosely. I chose stockinette stitch for this project because of its tendency to curl. This gives each bangle a thicker, rounder appearance.
3. When you’re ready to make your next bangle, cast on as before, but slip the first finished bangle onto the needles before you complete the round. Like this:
4. Once you’ve completed a round, the bangles will be interlocked.
5. Continue until you're happy with the length. If you want more bangles, it's always easy to add on later.
I bet these would look great with in fuzzy angora, or a soft, chunky wool. Sometimes I wear both chains on one wrist for more of a jewelry effect. And if you live in San Francisco, the method of interlocking rounds could also yield a great scarf!
