Lydia

By Heather Douglas

A real lady never leaves the house without her… wrist warmers!

Remember the age of opulence with these Edwardian-inspired, pure cashmere wrist warmers. With twisted rib and faggot stitch cuffs, crochet picot edgings and matching pearl buttons, these wrist warmers are a touch of vintage luxury for you or anyone else.

Photographs: Rosie Douglas Model: Heather Douglas

Size
Sizes: S/M(M/L)
To fit wrist size: 12 to 14cms(15 to 17cms)/4.75 to 5.6inches(6 to 6.75inches)
Shown in size S/M

Requirements
Yarn: 1 x 55g skein Skeinqueen Opulent 4ply (100% cashmere, 183m/55g) in colour: Seaspray
Needles: 2.5mm/US1.5 straight needles
Hook: 2mm crochet hook
Notions: 8 x 1.25cm/½ inch buttons

Tension
28sts and 32 rows = 10cm/4inches in stocking stitch
38sts and 38 rows = 10cm/4inches in pattern

Pattern Notes
Beginner level crochet skills are required for edging and button loops. Alternatively, you can replace the edging with a knitted picot or other edging of your choice and seam the wrist warmers closed instead of working crochet loops, using the buttons simply for decoration.

The twisted rib and faggot stitch pattern is worked over 6sts so you can make these wrist warmers wider or narrower very simply by casting on more or fewer sts.

Abbreviations
Twisted Rib & Faggot Pattern:
Set-up Row (ws): *p1, k1, p1, k3, rep from * to last 3 sts, p1,k1,p1
Row 1 (rs): [k1tbl, p1] twice, yo, p2tog, rep from * to last 3 sts, k1tbl, p1, k1 tbl
Row 2 (ws): [p1tbl, k1] twice, yo, ssk, rep from * to last 3 sts, p1 tbl, k1, p1 tbl
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for stitch pattern. Do not repeat set-up row.

The Inside Loop list of standard abbreviations can be found here.

Lydia - detail

Instructions
Cuff:
Cast on 45(51)sts.
Work in twisted rib and faggot pattern for 8cm/3¼inches (or to desired length), ending with rs facing.

Beginning with a knit row, work 2 rows st st.

Frill:
Row 1 (rs): sl1k, kfb to last stitch, ktbl.
Row 2 (ws): sl1k, p to last stitch, ktbl , repeat this for all even numbered /wrong side rows for the remainder of the pattern.
Row 3: s1k, yo, k2tog to last stitch, ktbl.
Row 5 :sl1k, k6, yo, k2tog, [k10, yo, k2tog] 6(7) times, k6, ktbl.
Rows 6 & 8: as Row 4.
Rows 7 & 9: as Row 5.
Row 10: sl1k, kfb of next 6sts, yo, k2 tog, [kfb of next 10sts, yo, k2tog] 6(7) times, kfb of next 6sts, ktbl.

Keeping the established eyelet pattern correct, work 5 more rows, ending with a ws row. Cast off.

Finishing
Crochet picot edging:
This is worked from right to left along the cast off edge of the frill.
With rs facing, join the yarn in the first cast off stitch at the right end of the frill, ch5, sl st back into the first cast off stitch, sl st into the next 4 cast off sts, ch5, sl st back into the same st. Repeat to end.

Buttons:
Sew 1 at bottom, 1 just below frill and the remaining 2 evenly-spaced between. For right-hand wrist warmer, sew buttons onto right-hand edge of cuff, for left-hand wrist warmer sew buttons onto left-hand edge of cuff.

Crochet button loops:
Work 4 button loops opposite to where the buttons are placed, as follows:
Join yarn in bottom stitch of cuff (left side for right-hand wrist warmer, right side for left-hand wrist warmer) and sl st into the first stitch, ch5 then sl st into next stitch along, *sl st along edge until opposite placement of next button (approx. 2/3 sts), ch 5, sl st into next st along, repeat from * twice more, until 4 button loops are made.

Block if desired.

About the Yarn
The Skein Queen has been busy in her royal workshop producing magnificent hand dyed yarns for your perusal. See more of her yarns in her online shop and sign up to her mailing list to be the first to know about shop updates.

About the Designer
Heather learned to knit as a small child but got seriously into it as a teenager - mainly as a way of avoiding studying. She's been using it as an avoidance technique for work and house cleaning for the last 20+ years. So far, it's working. Visit her blog at: www.dollydimpleknits.prettyposies.com.

Contact Heather