Thumb problems

#1

I’m knitting my first pair of gloves. I’ve followed the instructions on my pattern (which can be found here: http://www.knitting-and.com/wiki/index.php?title=Cable_News_Gloves_(Vintage)) It says to make it about 2 inches long, but it’s hard to tell whether I’ve got the length right because everything is crowded onto the two needles.

My main problem, though, is that the thumb is REALLY wide! It really doesn’t look right. I haven’t sewn the seam or anything yet, because I’m sure it can’t be right. Can anyone think of what I might have done wrong?? Also, what is the best way to undo my work if I need to?

#2

Did you turn your work so that you are only working on 18 + 2 sts, meaning, 20?

[COLOR=“DarkOrchid”]"Thumb
(r.s.f): Work across 50 sts., turn and cast 2 sts. then k. 18 back. Turn and cast on 2 sts. Cont. in reverse st.st. on these 20 sts. for 2 ins. (or length required). "[/COLOR]

What you’re supposed to do is work 50 sts.
Then turn your work so you’re going back over those 50 sts you just did. BUT-- you first cast on 2 sts. Now, start working back over those 50 sts, but STOP after 18. You cast on 2 new sts, plus the 18 you worked back over, that’s 20. At a gauge of 9 sts per inch, that should be about 2" wide, which is right.

#3

Thanks for replying. I unfortunately have unravelled the whole thing already!! But I’m going to start again.
I did have 20 sts, or maybe 22…I think it asks for you to cast on 2 sts on either end. At any rate, the thumb was about two inches wide, so maybe I did that right.
So I think I must be confused about how to actually make a nice slender thumb-shape out of it. It just seems far too wide and kind of round (like the top of a mitten) to work as a thumb. Am I making sense?

#4

oh, also: is there any particular way I should cast on those two stitches?

#5

You can just use a knit cast on or maybe a backwards loop to cast them on. If you measure around your thumb, you’ll see that it’s about 2" around. I think maybe the thumb is knit flat then you sew together. Read a little further ahead in the pattern to see how they say to finish it.