I have a bit of an obsession with knit fingerless gloves. I have pairs all over the house and have made them a bunch of different ways. My most recent fingerless gloves pattern is perfect for beginners, worked flat in just garter stitch and stockinette. Add a little embroidery if you want.
But of course there are lots of options out there, so let’s take a look at some fun and cozy fingerless glove knitting patterns!
I’ve knit myself a pair that’s similar to these Ballet Gloves from Dutiers Patterns. They’re the hand version of leg warmers, with a bit of ribbing on the arm end and stockinette stitch throughout. The mohair blend worked in with these adds warmth and style. They’re worked in the round with two strands of yarn held together.
Make a shorter knit with ribbing on both ends and a bit of a thumb with this pattern from Warm And KnittedS. The pattern includes multiple sizes for women and they are worked in the round. Judging by the needle size I’d guess you’re looking at a sport weight yarn for these.
The basic mitts pattern from Jinxed Stitches Knits uses DK weight yarn and has an afterthought thumb gusset for quick and easy knitting of the body. Both ribbed sections are folded over to make a cuff for extra warmth.
Of course your mitts don’t have to be plain ribbing and stockinette in a single color. You can throw in stripes and color accents easily, like on this pair form Buzy Bee Knits. These are worked flat with DK weight yarn so there’s a bit of seaming but it makes it easier to make the stripes look great. These are sized from ages 3-5 up to teen/small adult.
If you want a more interesting colorwork design, try the Alex mittens from Cécile Qui Tricote. These fingering weight mitts feature an allover diamond pattern and alternating stitch colors on the thumb. There are six sizes available and you can find the pattern on Ravelry.
Or add some cables to your mitts like on the Cord and Clay Co winter cable fingerless gloves. These pretty mitts have nice thumb coverage and the designer says they’re suitable for advanced beginners ready to dive into cables.
6 Fingerless Mitt Knitting Patterns [Knitting]
8 Fingerless Glove Patterns to Crochet [Crochet]
What Makes Fingerless Gloves A Good Beginner Knitting Project?
Fingerless gloves are a lovely project for beginner knitters because they are small, practical and much quicker than a scarf or sweater. The simplest patterns are worked flat as rectangles and seamed along the side, leaving an opening for the thumb. That style is ideal if you are still getting comfortable with knit and purl stitches.
Once you are ready for a little shaping, look for fingerless mitts with a thumb gusset. A thumb gusset gives the glove a better fit around the hand and is a useful skill to learn before moving on to full mittens or gloves.
For quick gift knitting, bulky or chunky yarn is a great choice because it works up fast and feels warm straight away. DK and fingering weight yarns create lighter, more fitted gloves, while worsted weight yarn is a nice middle ground for everyday knitted hand warmers.
If you are knitting fingerless gloves as a gift, choose a soft washable yarn and a stretchy bind-off so the mitts are comfortable to pull over the hand. Ribbing at the wrist and knuckles also helps the gloves stay in place without feeling tight.
Fingerless gloves are also brilliant stash-busting projects. A single leftover skein, or even a few smaller scraps for stripes, can become a useful pair of wrist warmers instead of sitting in the yarn basket judging you.
