Decorating Knitted Gloves with Roses

The cover project from PieceWork’s July/August 2017 issue is a stunning pair of rose-adorned knitted gloves. As a knitter who loves projects with unique details, these are right up my alley. I swoon over colorwork patterns, especially if they involve techniques that are new to me. In addition, winter tends to be gloomy and gray, so accessories with pops of pattern and color always help me feel more cheerful in the cold.

These gorgeous gloves designed by Nancy Bush honor her friend Aire Salmre and introduce readers to the brilliant Estonian technique of roosimine, which means “to decorate with roses.”

In Estonian, roosimine means “to decorate with roses,” which is a really spectacular and specific word to have in a language. One word expresses something it takes us four to say in English, and there’s something poetic and beautiful about that.

Traditionally, gloves like these were decorated with roses on some part of the back of the hand, maybe some of the fingers, maybe not. The roses were in brightly contrasting colors, which often varied from region to region in Estonia. The cuffs are unique as well, showcasing additional techniques and colors, adding to the specialness of each pair.

Detail of the thumb decorated with inlay.

Once you understand how to make these roses, you’ll be inspired to work them into future projects, adding beautiful flourishes to your creations.

It’s always a special experience to use a traditional technique to create something timeless, and with this kit you will do just that!

Interested in learning more about this technique? The pattern and a companion article are in the July/August 2017 issue of PieceWork.

Also, remember that if you are an active subscriber to PieceWork magazine, you have unlimited access to previous issues, including July/August 2017. See our help center for the step-by-step process on how to access them.

Louisa Demmitt is a former assistant editor of PieceWork.

Originally published December 13, 2018; updated December 16, 2024.