Contains:
- Knitting pattern for multi-gauge, multi-size fingerless mitts suitable for both men and women
- Suitable for advanced beginners
Materials you need at home:
- 90 m DK weight yarn for small mitts, 95 m worsted weight yarn for medium mitts, and 110 m aran weight yarn for large mitts
- 3.75 mm/US 5 needles for small mitts, 4 mm/US 6 needles for medium mitts, and 4.5 mm/US 7 needles for large mitts, or size needed to obtain gauge. You will need DPNs, two circulars, or a long circular for the magic loop method
- Second set of needles for thumb gusset. Sample was worked on two circulars with DPNs used for gusset
- Stitch markers
- Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Stockinette and reverse stockinette separated by a slanting line of twisted stitches add texture and interest to these fingerless mitts.
DK, worsted, or aran weight yarn may be used, depending on the size desired and your individual gauge. Medium sample shown was knit with worsted weight (madelinetosh MCN Worsted) on 4.0 mm/US 6 needles. Large sample was knit with aran weight (madelinetosh Chunky) on 4.5 mm/US 7 needles.
Skills needed: long-tail cast-on; knitting in the round with a small circumference using dpns, magic loop, or two circulars; right and left twists; increasing; decreasing; picking up stitches (just four!)
A note about needles: I knit the mitts using two circulars (my personal favorite method for small circumferences) and used three DPNs to knit the thumbs while the hand was still on the needles.This gave me a nice thumb gusset with no holes and no mid-knit cast-on.
Sizes: small (fits above-thumb hand circumference of 17-20 cm), medium (fits 19-21.5 cm), and large (fits 21-24 cm)
Gauge (in blocked stockinette): for small, 20 stitches and 30 rounds to 10 cm; for medium, 18 stitches and 28 rounds to 10 cm; for large, 16 stitches and 24 rounds to 10 cm
Note: Though conversions to the metric system have been made on this page for your convenience, the pattern itself uses American measurements.
Laura Aylor
If ‘knitting designer’ had been one of the job choices for those aptitude tests they give you in high school, I wouldn’t have spent so many years trying to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. My best subject in high school was math; my best classes in college were logic, drawing, and a commercial art class. After careers in computer programming/analysis and child-rearing, knit design snuck up on me, but I think it’s the perfect use of my odd skill set! I love every step of the process, from figuring out how to actually make what I’ve envisioned to putting the finishing touches on a pattern, not to mention all the knitting that comes in between!
I also love reading and hiking and spending time on Brier Island in Nova Scotia every summer.