Last year I made a pair of Fair Isle Fingerless Gloves for #1 Son. He wore them most of the winter, through all kinds of weather, riding bikes and driving and all that.

Then he lost one.

I had planned to let him remain one-gloved until autumn. But then his plans suddenly changed and now include a trip to Alaska in late April.

I can’t let my kid go to Alaska with cold hands, right? Not while there’s 100% Alpaca yarn available!

All other knitting projects were put on hold while I quickly knit up a replacement pair.

Last time he wanted gray and orange. This time he requested brown with white snowflakes. I think he likes the idea that the yarn is natural and undyed. Somewhere in Bolivia there’s an alpaca running around that’s just that color. Although I doubt said alpaca’s wool grows in snowflake designs, or even stripes.

Top picture is the backs. Bottom picture is the palms.

The particulars:

Technique: Knit from the cuff to the fingers, two at a time, on double circular needles. The fingers were picked up and knit on DPNs.

Yarn: Frog Tree 100% Alpaca yarn (sports weight, 130 yds/1.75 oz skein) in colors #000 (natural, undyed white) and #008 (natural, undyed, heathered brown).

Needles: US#3 (3.25mm) Inox gray circular needles. US#3 (3.25mm) Bryspun DPNs - 5″ length - for the fingers.

Design: The snowflake motif is from the book Aran and Fair Isle Knitting. The palm motif I made up as I went along.

Pattern: The glove pattern is very vaguely based on the free Glove Pattern Generator. I used that as a starting point but did not follow it faithfully.

Frog Tree yarn is produced by a non-profit cooperative in Bolivia whose mission is to supply meaningful and continuous work to artisans to enable them to support their families. Artisans are paid a fair wage for their work. Any excess funds from the sale of products are used to provide education to those who would not otherwise be able to afford it.