I’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.]
Waw! Those are beautiful!
“Thrumming” makes them extra-warm, too
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.