Tattoos have been around for thousands of years in cultures all over the world, rich in meaning, and is often associated with sailors. HOLD FAST is not only one of the simplest of sailor tattoos but also one of the oldest, dating back to the 16th century. It was usually marked across your knuckles, a charm to help you keep your grip strong on the rigging in rough seas. Don't let go, no matter what the world throws at you. The anchor ⚓was earned after successfully crossing the Atlantic and as you would expect, is an icon of stability and strength. The swallow was earned after 5,000 nautical miles and was a reminder that no matter how far you travel you can always find your way home. A tattooed rope around your wrist denotes a deck hand, hard working, steady and reliable, even under strain. There are of course endless more sailor tattoos but these HOLD FAST gloves were designed with the perfect sailor in mind, strong, stable and vetted by the sea.
This pattern is recommended for knitters who like knitting in the round and stranded colorwork. The gloves shown were knit in fingering weight yarn with 1.75mm / US 00 needles. I chose a natural undyed wool for my main color and navy blue for the "tattoos". On the second sample shown I used a black and red hand-dyed yarn for the "tattoos" as they are common colors used in Sailor Jerry tattoos. Of course you can use any two contrasting colors - I won't stop you. 😁