Underwood is a pair of bold, fingerless mitts named after my dear friend, Barry Underwood. Barry is an artist who creates beautiful photographs that incorporate both
natural settings and bright, otherworldly neon lights. For a while, I worked as Barry’s studio assistant and would help him set up his photo shoots. I have very fond memories of these installations. We always started during the daylight, but it wasn’t until the sun set that the lights would come to life and the world around us would take on the magical quality that makes his photographs so gorgeous. I was reminded of these times as I created this project. Stitch by stitch, the neon yarn slowly brought my mitts to life, much like the lights in Barry’s photos.

Like my friend’s artwork, these fingerless mitts are made primarily of a neutral background with areas of bright color. The colorwork in the mitts is concentrated in two places- the sleeve and the area just below the opening for the fingers. The bold, geometric pattern plays with positive and negative space, highlighting both the colorful triangles, as well as the chevron stripes that pop forward from the background. It’s a straightforward pattern that knits up quickly and suits both women and men. It can be knit with colors other than neon, but why would anyone want to do that?

Size
Adult S L
To fit hand circumference approx. 7.5 8.5 inches
Cuff (unstretched): 7 7.5 inches
Length: 9.25 10 inches

Materials

Yarn
-MC Stroll Sock Yarn75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon; 231 yd per 50g skein; color: Agate Heather; 1 1 skein
CC Stroll Brights 75 % Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon; 231 yd per 50g skein; color: Pickle Juice; 1 1 skein
Note: Knit Pick’s line of Stroll Brights are limited edition colorways. For similar colorways, Plymouth Yarn’s Neon Now and Schachenmayr Regia’s Fluormania Color would both make good subsitutes.

Recommended needle size
-US #2 / 2.75mm double-pointed needles*
* Every knitter’s gauge is unique- Always use a needle size that will give you the gauge listed below.

Notions
-tapestry needle
-scrap yarn

Gauge
36 sts / 41 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch / colorwork pattern.