As promised, I’ve written up my very simple pattern for children’s fingerless mitts to share with you.  But more on that later in this post.  First, Ginny’s Yarn Along and the KCCO:
 The children and I are re-listening to Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.  Hard to believe it’s been four years since the last time we listened to it.  We are all enjoying it just as much as the first time. Bea got a new whittling book for her birthday, and we have been reading through it together.  Her grandparents also got her leather finger guards, and we have ordered a set of special carving knives to go along with her whittling knife. She loves whittling like I love knitting – it is good to see her find some handwork she really enjoys.
In between more complicated pieces, I like simple knitting projects to give my hands and mind a break. Â I just finished two shawls and needed a simple knit to fill the void.
Here in the rainy Pacific Northwest, traditional mittens aren’t always the most practical – they get they get soaked and muddy. Â The children wear their fingerless loves much more frequently. Â This year they’ve all asked for new pairs for Christmas, so it was time to get knitting.
I love knitting these because it takes two hours to make a set – so a quick knit during busy gift-knitting season. Â And using up odds and ends of yarn from previous projects is always a bonus. Â Here’s the pattern:
Simple Mitts for Little Hands:
Materials:
Yarn: Worsted or heavy-worsted weight yarn (such as Manos del Uruguay Maxima , or Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted). You can get three or more pairs from one ball.
Needles: Size 7 or 8 US double-pointed needles.
Gauge: Not crucial. Fits ages 1-3 (ages 4-7).
Make Two:
CO 26 (28) sts. ÂJoin in round.
Work in K1,P1 rib for 16 (18) rounds
K around for 2 (3) rounds.
Work thumb as follows:
R1: K1fb, K1fb, K around
R2, 4, and 6: K around
R3: K1fb, K2, K1fb, K around
R5: K1fb, K4, K1fb
R 7: K1fb, K6, K1fb
Small size – R8: BO 8 sts, K around.
(Larger size: R8: K around
R9: K1fb, K8, K1fb
R10: BO 10 sts, K around.)
Knit 6(8) rounds. BO Loosely. Weave in ends.
Copyright 2014 Angela Baker. This pattern for personal and charity use only.
The pattern on Ravelry.
Love the mitts! I’m planning after all the holiday knitting to whip up a pair of fingerless mitts for me-hopefully before Christmas!
Lovely mitts. The yellow are gorgeous, so sunshiny.
Those little mitts are so darling! In Wisconsin, I wear mitts all winter long in the house as we like to use as little heating fuel as we can!
Thank you for sharing this! We have a pattern for mitts for big people that we’ve been ‘tweaking’, but they never fit our little people just right. Can’t wait to try these!
What kind of whittling knife have you found to work best? We bought that book and leather guards, but the knife was just not sharp enough.
Warmly,
Tonya
Tonya – my daughter uses a little pocket knife she found at an antique shop – my dad had one like it as a kid, and said it was good for whittling. We ordered a set of wood carving tools, but they haven’t come yet, so we will see how good they are!
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