Gothic Lacey Gloves

Type: Knitted, in-the-round lace fingerless gloves with optional fingertip closures. Elegant gothic-inspired arches and pointed lace detail; wearable as evening gloves or layered under coats.

Finished measurements & sizes

• Small (S): Finished hand circumference ~7.0 in / 18 cm. Wrist to base of fingers ~6.0 in / 15 cm.
• Medium (M): Finished hand circumference ~8.0 in / 20.5 cm. Wrist to base of fingers ~6.5 in / 16.5 cm.
• Large (L): Finished hand circumference ~9.0 in / 23 cm. Wrist to base of fingers ~7.0 in / 18 cm.

Yarn

Recommended: Fingering weight yarn (4-ply). Smooth yarn shows lace best; wool, silk-wool blend, or a fine alpaca/merino work beautifully.

• Suggested skein size (example): 100 g = 400 yards / 366 meters (Imperial/Metric shown).
• Yardage required (per pair): Small 110 yd / 100 m; Medium 130 yd / 119 m; Large 150 yd / 137 m. (Plan for one 100 g skein for medium/large depending on yardage; yardage depends on fiber and stitch density.)

Needles / Hook (provided as needle sizes)

These gloves are knitted in the round. Use a set of double-pointed needles (DPNs) or two circulars (magic loop) or short circulars.

• Suggested: US 3 / UK (old) 10.5 / Metric 3.25 mm.
• If you knit tight, go up to US 4 / UK 8 / Metric 3.5 mm; if loose, go down to US 2 / UK 12 / Metric 2.75 mm. Choose needle size to match gauge.

Gauge

28 sts × 36 rows = 4 in / 10 cm in lace pattern after blocking (measured in-the-round). Gauge must be checked to hit desired circumference.

Notions

• Waste yarn or stitch holder for thumb.
• Tapestry needle for weaving ends and grafting.
• Stitch markers (1 contrasting + 1 per 8-st repeat optional).
• Optional: small crochet hook for provisional cast-on or picking up stitches for fingertip closure.

Abbreviations

• k = knit
• p = purl
• yo = yarn over
• k2tog = knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
• ssk = slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
• M1 = make one (lift strand between sts and knit through back loop unless otherwise noted)
• pm = place marker; sm = slip marker
• rnd = round; st(s) = stitch(es)

Pattern notes

• Written for three sizes: S (M, L). Numbers in parentheses refer to S, M, L when multiple values are given like "52 (60, 68) sts".
• Lace pattern is worked in a 8-stitch repeat around. For accurate fit you may adjust cast-on in multiples of 8 and adjust thumb gusset increases accordingly.
• Instructions assume working in the round. If you prefer DPNs or magic-loop work, use your preferred method.

Stitch pattern (in the round)

Multiple of 8 sts.

1. Round 1: *k1, yo, k2tog, k3, ssk, yo, k1; repeat from * to end of rnd.
2. Round 2: Knit around.
3. Round 3: *k2, yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo, k2; repeat from * to end of rnd.
4. Round 4: Knit around.

These four rounds create the gothic arch lace repeat. Repeat Rnds 1–4 for body of glove except where instructed otherwise.

Instructions

Cast on and cuff

1. Using long-tail cast-on, cast on 52 (60, 68) sts. Join carefully being careful not to twist; place marker for beginning of rnd.
2. Work 1½ in / 4 cm of 1x1 rib: *k1, p1; repeat around. (This forms a neat cuff.)

Set lace and begin thumb placement

1. Work Rnds 1–4 of the lace pattern for 6 (7, 8) full pattern repeats (this measures approx 1.75–2.0 in / 4.5–5 cm up from cuff depending on size). After completing the last Round 4, proceed to thumb-gusset set-up on next rnd.

Thumb gusset (worked in the round)

1. Next rnd (set-up): Work lace pattern until there remain 6 sts before marker (i.e., move your working position so that the center-of-thumb area is roughly centered at the start marker). Place a contrasting marker to mark gusset start if desired. Work next 6 sts as follows: k1, yo, k2tog, k1 (this begins the gusset area). Continue the lace pattern to end of rnd. NOTE: The thumb-gusset is created by increasing at the two gap edges in subsequent rounds.
2. Increase rounds: Every other round, increase 1 stitch at each side of the gusset center by M1 (place increases one stitch inside each edge stitch of the gusset region). Continue lace pattern in the rest of the round as charted; these added gusset stitches will sit in stockinette while the surrounding lace maintains pattern. Repeat these increase rounds until you have 10 (12, 14) gusset stitches total (count the stitches that sit between the two increase points). You should have added a total of 4 (6, 8) sts to the body due to the gusset increases. Keep track of total stitches: 52 (60, 68) will become 56 (66, 76) when the gusset is complete (numbers illustrative; confirm by counting).
3. Next rnd (bind for thumb): On the next round after finishing increases, work lace pattern until you reach the gusset stitches. Place the gusset stitches on waste yarn or a stitch holder. To bridge the gap for the remainder of the glove, cast on 3 (3, 3) sts loosely (or use backward-loop cast-on) over the space of the thumb. Continue to finish the round in lace pattern across the newly cast-on sts and remaining sts. Resume working lace pattern in the round across full stitch count (original plus bridges) for the hand.

Hand

1. Work the lace repeat (Rnds 1–4) until hand measures 1.25 (1.5, 1.75) in / 3.2 (3.8, 4.5) cm less than the desired finished length to the base of the fingers (measure from base of thumb to tip if needed). For a fingerless glove stop shorter; for fingertip closure see below.

Optional fingertip caps (to close tips)

1. When hand is at desired length, begin decreases to shape the tip: Work k2tog evenly spaced across a round to decrease by half the stitches (e.g., if you have 56 sts, work 28 k2tog). Next round: knit. Continue decreasing every other round as follows: *k2tog in each knit st; next round knit; repeat until 8—10 sts remain. Cut yarn leaving 8‐10 in tail, thread through remaining sts and pull tight, weave in end, or graft if preferred for a smoother top. For a pointed gothic tip you may shape with a few targeted decreases to form a point: e.g., place three small decrease groups and close each separately, grafting the final tip points.

Thumb

1. Transfer thumb gusset sts from waste yarn to needles. With right-side facing, pick up 1 stitch from the cast-on bridge (or from adjacent fabric) to avoid a gap. Join and work in the round in stockinette (knit all rounds) for 6 (7, 8) rounds or until thumb measures 0.25 in / 0.6 cm less than desired length. For fingerless leave open; for closed thumb follow same decrease method as fingertip cap: decrease every other round until 6–8 sts remain, break yarn and draw through remaining sts, weave in securely.

Finishing

• Weave in all ends neatly on the wrong side.
• Block gently to open the lace and shape the glove: soak in lukewarm water with a mild wool wash, press out excess water, pin to shape on flat surface matching finished measurements, allow to dry fully.
• Trim any stray fibers and secure any cast-on/bridged edges if you see small gaps by using a tiny crochet hook to pull neighboring yarn through the stitch to close.

Customization & tips

• For longer gloves: continue lace repeat to desired length before shaping fingertips.
• For more dramatic gothic points, extend the final tip decrease rounds and form three points across the top by dividing the final tip sts into three small groups and closing each group into a small peak, sewing them together at the base.
• To add beads: work a bead before the stitch by sliding bead on yarn and placing it on the next yo for a subtle sparkling outline of the arches.
• If your lace gets distorted while forming gusset stitches, place extra markers and count repeats to keep the lace alignment neat.

Care

Handwash cold or gentle wool cycle; dry flat. Avoid high heat to prevent felting unless you intentionally want a felted dense glove.

Troubleshooting

• If glove is too tight: go up one needle size and check gauge.
• If gusset feels bulky: use invisible increases (lifted bar M1) and pick up the bridge stitches loosely.
• If lace pattern becomes misaligned after picking up stitches for thumb bridge, come back two rounds and re-count pattern repeats; place markers every 8 sts to preserve repeat alignment.

Designer notes

These gloves are designed for layering: wear alone for evening or beneath a coat cuff for warmth. The repeating gothic arches give a crisp vertical line; work with slightly shorter stitches (smaller needles) if you prefer a denser look.

Pattern by Purl Jam. For support or pattern questions contact team@verde.uk. Visit https://purljam.verde.uk for more patterns. Share your makes with #purljam.

Created by purlJam with the help of magic AI dust. Shop Verde for patterns and yarn.

Disclaimer: Enjoy the fun! Accuracy of patterns cannot be guaranteed. Remember to use and share content responsibly when engaging with this AI-powered app.