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How to Knit the Warmest Mittens Ever

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tips for knitting warm mittensI’m really a knit glove kind of person. Once I discovered that fingers are not as hard as I’d imagined, I kind of stopped knitting mittens.

But I definitely see their appeal for times like walking outside when you don’t need free use of your fingers, or for kids whose hands grow way too fast to fuss with tiny fingers. And they do keep your hands warmer because all the fingers are next to each other, but when your hands get as cold as mine do, it’s hard to tell the difference.

While you’re going to the trouble to knit you own mittens, you’re going to want to make them as warm as you can, right?

Interweave has some great tips for knitting warmer mittens, including using wool and a tighter-than-normal gauge. Using felting or stranded knitting to make the mitts warmer are also great ideas.

Another tip: knit the cuffs longer than seams reasonable. This allows you to tuck them into your coat so your wrists or lower arms don’t get exposed to the cold.

Do you have any mitten knitting tips or a favorite pattern? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo: Guillemet Mittens from Knit Mitts, via Interweave.]

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

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Comments

  3. I took a mitten class at the local yarn store. Have one complete. Really not sure about starting another one! Need to find a book for beginners – when I look on line the covers all look great …. uncertain of the insides. I always am appreciative of the book reviews. Craft Gossip rules.

Have you read?

Stitch Your Favorite Fruit on a Sweater

The other day I saw a post from Pinterest about trends for summer and it said one of them was “cultivating whimsy.” 

Well, I don’t know where Pinterest has been all this time, but we’ve been cultivating whimsy here at Craft Gossip for a long time. I love sharing projects that are a little different, things that make you smile when you see them, and will make you smile when you knit them and wear them or use them. 

Such it is with the Tutti Frutti tee knitting pattern from Bea Creative Knits. 

This cute little baby tee is worked top down in the round with contiguous shoulder construction to shape the sleeve caps. There are short rows for the neckline and folded hems with picot edging at the hemline, neckline and edges of the sleeves. 

All of this would be great on its own, but then there’s the addition of a super cute fruit icon, which is added with duplicate stitch. There are a lot of options, including strawberry, banana, orange, cherries, watermelon, lemon, blueberries, kiwi, peach, dragon fruit, apple and pear, so it’s likely you can add on your favorite fruit. 

It is offered in eight sizes, to fit a bust measurement ranging from 28-30 inches (71-76 cm) to 56-58 inches (142-147 cm). The design is meant to be worn with around 6.3 inches/16 cm of negative ease, but you can choose the fit you prefer. There’s also optional bust and waist shaping included in the pattern if you want to make it even curvier.

This is considered an advanced beginner or intermediate project because of all the skills involved, but it’s sure to be a lot of fun even if some of these techniques are new to you.

Grab a copy of the pattern for yourself form Bea Creative Knits on Etsy. 

[Photo: Bea Creative Knits]