Pin: Make knitting magic! Eliminate thumb gaps in knitting. See tutorial at mysecretwish.ca.

Eliminate Thumb Gaps: 3-in-1 or 5-in-1 Pickup Method

Use this technique around fingers and thumbs for a lovely gap-free finish.

Gaps and holes around thumb gussets are the bane of any civilized knitter. But what is a knitter to do besides leave a super-long tail and weave them all closed after?

Here is my solution, a stitch that I call the 3-in-1 or 5-in-1 Pickup in my patterns. Use the 3-in-1 Pickup for bulky or worsted-weight yarns, and the 5-in-1 pickup for lighter worsted weights and thinner.

Video Tutorial

How to Do It

Basic Principle:

You’ll be knitting extra stitches above the thumb gusset where you’d normally pick up only one, then quickly decreasing them over the next several rounds.

What Should It Look Like?

Most thumbs are increased from a single stitch, and when you put those thumb stitches “on hold” and cast on to create the rest of the hand, you cast that stitch back on. Then, when you are ready to create your thumb, you pick up your held stitches, including a single stitch where you cast one on. Unfortunately, this method tends to leave gaps on either side of the cast-on stitch.

This technique fills in those gaps with some extra stitches that you quickly decrease to the single stitch originally called for. There will be a small gap where you first joined the yarn to begin knitting the thumb, which you can easily close when you weave in your end.

This may also be used between fingers on gloves, though it does add a little extra bulk.

The result looks like this:

What the 5-in-1 Pickup looks like on a Worsted Weight mitten. There is a centre chain in the middle of the decreased stitches.

For this Bulky Weight 3-in-1 Pickup, I used the Double Central Decrease (DCD) instead of the Central Chain Decrease demonstrated in the video. Either one works, it just depends what look you are going for.

5-in-1 Pickup on a fingering weight mitten using the Central Chain Decrease. (This thumb had stitches decreasing along its length, which is why the centre chain continues to the end of the thumb.)

Just Plain Gloves (Multi-Pattern Bundle)

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A good pair of gloves is just plain essential. Pick your favourite colour and cast on these basic hand warmers. Knit them as written, or use as a blank canvas to express your own creativity with your favourite colourwork.

With sizes from Toddler up to Adult Large in three yarn weights (Bulky, Worsted, and Fingering) and instructions for a knit liner in fingering weight included, you and your loved ones will have the toastiest, classiest hands around. Worked cuff-down in the round for minimal seaming and finishing (and maximum comfort).

PROJECT LEVEL: Intermediate

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Digital download includes:

PDF (standard) - best for printing or for sighted knitters
PDF (Screen Reader Accessible Large-Print) - best for Print Challenged knitters and reading on phones
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Refer to “Accessibility” below for more information about file types.

About the Collection

Fast, fun, and easy.

The Just Plain Collection is the perfect way for you to unleash your creativity. Sized to include everyone, knitting patterns in this collection are written for multiple yarn weights, with each weight written separately. As such, they are excellent starting points to create cozy garments and accessories when used as written, or as blank canvases so you can apply your own creativity. Get started on the Just Plain Collection today!

About Design

Construction

Gloves are worked from the cuff down with a thumb gusset, and the fingers are worked from the pinky finger to the index, then finished with the thumb.

Variants

Instructions for three yarn weights: bulky, worsted, and fingering.
Can be lined or unlined.
Cuff can be long or short.

Sizes

Measurements given are the hand circumferences, not the garment measurements. Age ranges given are approximate.

Bulky & Worsted Weights

Toddler & Child: 5 to 6 inches (or 12.5 to 15 cm)
Junior & Adult Small: 6.5 to 7.5 inches (or 16.5 to 19 cm)
Adult Medium: 8 to 9 inches (or 20.5 to 23 cm)
Adult Large: 9.5 to 10.5 inches (or 24 to 26.5 cm)

Fingering Weight

Infant to 18 Months: 5 inches (or 12.5 cm)
Toddler: 5.5 to 6 inches (or 14 to 15 cm)
Child: 6.5 to 7.0 inches (or 16.5 to 18 cm)
Junior & Adult Small: 7.5 to 8.5 inches (or 19 to 21.5 cm)
Adult Medium: 9 to 9.5 inches (or 23 to 24 cm)
Adult Large: 10 to 10.5 inches (or 25.5 to 26.5 cm)

Supplies & Gauge

Note about Needle Choice: You can use double-pointed needles as called for, OR, instead, use two sets of circular needles or a single long circular needle (using the Magic Loop Method).

Bulky Weight

Yarn

1 (1, 2, 2) balls of plied bulky-weight yarn with 125 metres in 100 grams (or 137 yards in 3.53 ounces).

Approximate yardages: 83 (113, 147, 185) yards [or 75 (103, 134, 169) metres].

Needles

Set of four 5.0 mm (US 8 or UK 6) double-pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Notions

Yarn needle; scrap of yarn to hold thumb stitches; six stitch markers; two large pin-style stitch holders for finger stitches.

Gauge

20 stitches and 26 rounds = 4 inches (or 10 cm) over stockinette stitch worked in the round.

About Sample

GREEN BULKY SAMPLE

Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Superwash Bulky, a plied 100% Highland Superwash Wool that works up to 12 to 15 stitches over 4 inches (or 10 cm) on 6.5 to 9.0 mm (US 10 to 13 or UK 3 to 00) needles.

Colourway: Bamboo Heather.
Size: Bulky & Worsted Size 2 (Junior & Adult Small).

Worsted Weight

Yarn

1 (2, 2, 2) balls of worsted-weight yarn with 99 metres in 50 grams (or 110 yards in 1.76 ounces).

Approximate yardages: 61 (139, 181, 218) yards [or 55 (125, 163, 195) metres].

Needles

Set of four 4.0 mm (US size 6, UK size 8) double-pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Notions

Yarn needle; scrap of yarn to hold thumb stitches; six stitch markers; two large pin-style stitch holders for finger stitches.

Gauge

24 stitches and 32 rounds = 4 inches (or 10 cm) over stockinette stitch worked in the round.

About Sample

BEIGE WORSTED SAMPLE

Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Superwash Worsted, a plied 100% Highland Superwash Wool with 101 metres in 50 grams (or 110 yards in 1.76 ounces) that works up to 18 to 20 stitches over 4 inches (or 10 cm) on 4.0 to 5.5 mm (US 6 to 9 or UK 8 to 5) needles.

Colourway: Camel Heather.
Size: Bulky & Worsted Size 3 (Adult Medium).

Fingering Weight

The fingering-weight version of this pattern can be used to create a normal glove with a longer ribbed cuff like the other two weights, which is referred to as a Shell, or a liner that can be used in any of the glove shells in any weight. The liner can be sewn in or kept separate for multi-purpose use in various types of weather.

Yarn

Fingering-weight yarn with 207.9 metres in 50 grams (or 231 yards in 1.76 ounces).

Shell (Outer Layer): 1 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2) balls.

Approximate yardages: 65 (110, 159, 204, 234, 260) yards [or 59 (99, 143, 183, 211, 234) metres].

Liner: 1 ball.

Approximate yardages: 47 (70, 130, 153, 174, 218) yards [or 42 (62, 117, 137, 157, 195) metres].

Needles

Set of four 3.25 mm (US 3, UK 10) double-pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Notions

Yarn needle; scrap of yarn to hold thumb stitches; six stitch markers; two large pin-style stitch holders for finger stitches. If you intend to sew in your liner, you’ll also need a sewing needle and thread.

Gauge

30 stitches and 44 rounds = 4 inches (or 10 cm) over stockinette stitch worked in the round.

About Samples

PURPLE FINGERING (SHELL) SAMPLE

Knit Picks Stroll Tweed, a plied 65% Merino Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon, and 10% Acrylic nubby blend that works up to 28 to 32 stitches over 4 inches (or 10 cm) on 2.25 to 3.25 mm (US 1 to 3 or UK 13 to 10) needles.

Colourway: Indigo Heather.
Size: Fingering Weight Size 4 (Junior & Adult Small).

GREY FINGERING (LINER) SAMPLE

Colourway: Flagstone Heather.
Size: Fingering Weight Size 3 (Child).

Techniques & Resources

Skills you will need

knit
purl
make a gauge swatch in Stockinette Stitch

Techniques used

make a thumb gusset
knit in the round on double-pointed needles, one circular needle, or two circular needles
Super-Stretchy Cast On

Included resources

A full glossary
A comprehensive list of links to online tutorials on my website for necessary skills. Tutorials are screen-reader accessible, with instructions relayed fully in text, and also include videos and downloadable photo tutorials.

Publishing Information

Release Date: 2018

Most recent revision: June 2023

Publisher: My Secret Wish Publishing

Knitting pattern type: Multiple Yarn Weight Options; Multi-Pattern Set

Project type: Gloves

Page Count (Bookmarked PDF): 15

Page Count (Large Print PDF): 85

ISBN (eBook): 978-1-989800-32-4

ISBN (Bookmarked PDF): 978-1-989800-33-1

ISBN (Large Print PDF): 978-1-989800-34-8

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSING NOTICE:

This pattern is copyright My Secret Wish by Talena. Your purchase of this pattern gives you the right to use it for personal, non-profit use only. To license the pattern to use for profit, please e-mail me for permission. You do NOT have the right to print the pattern for other people (unless they reside in your household) or to transfer the digital file to any other person. This pattern may not be sold, copied, or distributed in any way.

Update History

September 2022: Revised formatting of PDF to align with current template style. Clarified language where necessary. Converted PDF to be screen reader accessible.

June 6, 2023:

Updated URLs for new store and social links.
Created an abbreviation-free EPUB version and a screen reader accessible Large Print version.

February 20, 2025:

Reorganized sections slightly for clarity and flow.
Changed hand-specific directional language to use handedness-ambiguous terms (dominant and non-dominant).

You will get a ZIP (20MB) file

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Method

Stitch Glossary

CCD (Central Chain Decrease): slip two stitches together knitwise, k1, pass two slipped stitches over stitch just worked.

k2tog: knit two stitches together as one

ssk (slip, slip, knit): slip two stitches one at a time knitwise, place tip of stitch-holding needle into both stitches from the tip end of working needle, knit slipped stitches together as one. (In other words, you are slipping the stitches individually to put their left legs in front, then knitting both together in the back loop.)

5-in-1 Pickup

Round 1: After placing thumb gusset stitches on needles, knit thumb gusset stitches around thumb to the gap created by the cast-on stitch above the gusset. On edge of gap where you are supposed to pick up stitches (where most patterns indicate picking up a single stitch), pick up the bar from the row below the one you are working. Place on non-working needle with leading leg in front and knit into the back loop so it twists. Knit three stitches across cast-on edge. (Be sure middle stitch is picked up from the cast-on stitch). On the other edge of the gap, pick up the bar from the row below, place on non-working needle with the leading leg in front, and knit into the back loop so it twists. (5 stitches picked up.)

Round 2: Knit around. When you reach the five picked up stitches, ssk, k1, k2tog.

Round 3: Knit.

Round 4: CCD. Continue as per pattern.

3-in-1 Pickup

Round 2: Knit around. When you reach the three stitches you picked up, work a CCD. Continue as per pattern.

Weave in your end to close the small gap that remains.

Happy gap-free knitting!

Location of the bar you pick up when working the 5-in-1 Pickup.

Image shows a mitten in progress with double-pointed needles through the thumb stitches. The near side of the mitten is the top. Two double-pointed needles hold the picked-up stitches from the thumb gusset, which have been knit into, and one double-pointed needle is going through the bar on the side of the gusset following the last picked-up stitch. The next step would be working into the bar, picking up three stitches across the top of the open thumb gusset, then picking up and working into the bar on the other side.

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Talena Winters wears a textured scarf and smiles at the camera.

About My Secret Wish Knitting

Hi! I’m Talena Winters (a.k.a. the Yarn Mermaid).

I started My Secret Wish Knitting in 2010 to empower and delight knitting heroes like you who want to elevate your knitting and make magic with yarn. When I’m not concocting new yarn potion recipes, I’m creating story magic as a fantasy and romance author and fiction editor (at talenawinters.com). I live with my family and pets in the Peace Country of northern Alberta, Canada, where sweater weather lasts at least nine months a year and my closest neighbours are bears and wood nymphs.

This website is a labour of love by a team of one (me!). If you found value here, please support the effort by purchasing a pattern. If you want more knitting magic, check out my community events and newsletter in the Knitting Circle. We’d love to have you!