The name Downtown Alley comes from my mother’s mispronunciation of the name of our favorite show, Downton Abbey. Although these fingerless gloves were inspired by the elegant long gloves worn by the ladies on the show, they would be quite out of place at Highclere Castle. The opposite of High Street fashion, Downtown Alley fingerless gloves are cozy and warm, and nevertheless elegant.

These opera-length fingerless gloves feature a simple slit opening for the thumb, and a split garter stitch cuff above the elbow. The extra long ribbing at the hand can be worn down over the fingers for warmth, or folded back for mobility. Fold the cuffs over the thumb opening and they become arm warmers. A cable detail neatens the thumb opening, and an i-cord bind-off finishes the cuff.

Construction
These fingerless gloves are worked from the hand to the the thumb opening in rounds, then worked in rows for the thumb opening and joined at the wrist. The long sleeve is worked in rounds to the cuff, where the cuff is divided and worked in garter stitch in rows to the i-cord bind-off. Worked without shaping, these gloves rely instead on the stretchiness of k2, p2 rib worked in wool.

Sizing
Ladies S (M, L, XL) To fit 7½ (8½, 9½, 10½) inch/19 (21, 24, 26) cm hand circumference. Will stretch to fit up to 10 (11¼, 12½, 14) inches/25 (28, 31, 35) cm circumference at the elbow. 22 inches/55 cm in length.

Gauge
40 sts and 36 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in k2, p2 rib unstretched after blocking
28 sts and 56 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in garter stitch after blocking.

Needles
US 1½/2.5 mm or size needed to obtain gauge double-pointed needles or 32 inch/80 cm circular for magic loop.
Choose the needle size that gives you the correct gauge in garter stitch. The ribbing may seem too wide at first, but it will begin to contract after working several inches.

Yarn
2 (3, 3, 3) skeins Woolfolk Sno, 100% Merino Wool, 223 yds/200 m per 50g, color 1+7

Others
1 stitch marker
Cable needle

Stitches Used
k2tog, ssk, i-cord bind-off, cables

Difficulty
Intermediate