Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Easy Mitten Knitting Pattern

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I recently shared a post all about mitts and mittens to knit using sock yarn leftovers. I know using sock yarn for mittens makes it sound like they will take forever, and maybe not even be that warm because the yarn is so thin.

I can tell you that mittens and gloves made with fine yarn are warm because they stay close to your skin, but it is true they can take a long time to knit.

If you want to go in the other direction in terms of yarn weight and speed, you can’t go wrong with some bulky yarn. And using heavier weight yarn is a great way to learn how to knit mittens because you’ll get all the techniques down in a jiffy.

Leelee Knits has a great free pattern for a pair of two-color chunky mittens worked using the magic loop method, which she prefers because she doesn’t like working with double pointed needles (I don’t mind double points but magic loop is a great technique to know — I’m actually knitting a sock using it right now!).

The contrasting color is fun, and great for using up stash, but of course you can make them a solid color if you like. Or go the other way and make them striped. No judgement here.

You’ll work a simple gusset for the thumb, and there is shaping at the top of the mitten and the top of the thumb, but it’s all really easy and these are a great first mitten project, or even a first knitting in the round project if you haven’t tackled that skill before. 

And once you’ve got the pattern down, you just might want to knit mittens for everyone on your holiday list. Which is good because everyone can use warmer hands in the winter!

Get the free pattern from Leelee Knits.

[Photo: Leelee Knits]

Free Knitting Pattern – Seedless Columns Mittens

Mighty Mittens: A Choose Your Own Mitten Adventure

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

Stacking Stars Knitting Pattern

There are so many things I love about the Stacking Stars pattern from Frankie Brown.

First, it looks like a kid’s toy, which it totally could be, though the intent is to stack the stars into a Christmas tree bit of decor.

I love the rainbow gradient, which makes it all the more cheerful, and serves as a reminder that, while you can plan out your colors beautifully, you can also use your stash for your own brilliant hodgepodge of a star tree.

It includes patterns for nine different sizes of stars, from 2 inch to 6 inch, which makes the perfect pile to look like a tree. What’s more, these stars are worked in garter stitch, so it’s a pretty easy pattern, even if you’re new to knitting. And the stars are solid, so not only can you use them to make your own amazing stack of a tree, you can make more to decorate packages, use as Christmas tree ornaments, make a darling garland, or all of the above.

The pattern calls for DK weight yarn but of course you could play with the yarn weight, too, to make stars that are even larger or smaller than the ones shown. And the bigger ones are made by just working more repeats, so you could continue to work as established to make larger ones to suit all your crafty purposes if you like.

Frankie’s patterns are free on Ravelry, but they ask that people who enjoy their patterns send a donation to the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation. Through the years they have raised more that £26,000 for the charity, which helps families of kids with liver disease. You can donate to Frankie’s fundraiser here. They have tons of great holiday projects and other designs you can check out on their designer page on Ravelry.

[Photo: Frankie Brown]

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