Floral Mittens for May, in June

From time to time I will lose an email in my inbox (please tell me that happens to you, too?) and will completely forget that I needed to do something or share something until it’s a lot later than is seemly.

So it is with my sharing of the May Flowers Mittens, which were Kat at Just Crafty Enough’s mitten of the month for May. Yeah, like, last month.

But they’re still completely adorable and you should knit them if you’re into mittens. These would be great for brightening up any dreary winter day, and the same concept would be adorable on kids’ mittens as well.

These are extra fun, too, because they have a Latvian braid edging, which is not a technique that everyone has used, but it gives a nice extra detail to the cuffs. The jogless stripes are excellent, too!

I happen to be knitting some mittens right now, which makes me wonder, do you knit winter things in the summer? I’d love to hear what you’re working on!

[Photo via Just Crafty Enough.]

Jorid Linvik’s Big Book of Knitted Mittens: 45 Distinctive Scandinavian Designs is sure to inspire you to want to knit some fun mittens, whether embellished with classic motifs like birds, hearts, moose and classic colorwork designs or those with a more modern feel liks guitars and skulls, a giraffe, penguins or a turquoise lizard.

The book includes a lot of instructions on how to make your mittens come out right, including a discussion of how different gauges can give you different sizes of mittens (and which mittens can be worked to different sizes for kids and adults). The charts are a little different from others you might have seen in that they show how to divide the stitches on the needles and where to place the thumb.

Looking for more knitting patterns for Mittens? Check these out on Etsy.

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There’s something extra satisfying about knitting children’s sweaters. They’re small enough to feel manageable, sweet enough to make you say “just one more,” and they don’t require the same emotional commitment as knitting an adult-sized cardigan that may or may not sit in the WIP basket for three winters.

Knit a Little: 24 Seamless Patterns for Children’s Sweaters and Hats by Marie Greene is a lovely collection for knitters who enjoy practical, wearable children’s knits with a modern handmade feel.

The book includes 24 patterns: 12 children’s sweaters in sizes 0 to 10, and 12 matching beanies sized from preemie to adult. The patterns are based on Marie Greene’s signature seamless knitting style, which means less sewing up at the end — always a blessing, especially if finishing is where your projects go to quietly disappear.

What I really like about this book is that the designs feel classic without being old-fashioned. You’ll find cardigans and pullovers with details like colorwork, cables, and simple texture, but they still look like pieces children could actually wear and move around in. The designs are also gender-neutral, which makes them lovely for gifting, passing down, or knitting ahead when you don’t know who the recipient will be yet.

This book would suit knitters who already know the basics and want to try children’s garments without too much fiddly finishing. It’s especially good if you like small sweater projects, matching hat-and-sweater sets, or handmade baby and toddler gifts that feel a little more special than a quick beanie.

If you’re knitting from this book, I’d keep a good set of circular needles, stitch markers, and a project bag close by. Amazon is an easy place to find the book itself and basic knitting tools, while Mary Maxim is a natural spot to look for yarn if you’re planning a few gift knits or matching sets.

Knit a Little is a warm, useful children’s knitting book with sweet, wearable designs and the added bonus of seamless construction. Perfect for knitters who love making baby gifts, grandchild knits, and small projects that still feel beautifully finished.

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