Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Mitts and Mittens for Stash Busting

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I think this is the last big roundup of pattern ideas I’m planning for this month of stash busting, but if there’s something I haven’t covered you’d like to see ideas for, let me know.

Mitts, mittens and gloves are great projects for stash busting because they don’t usually use a whole lot of yarn, so you can make a pair with a single skein or use up some little bits and pieces to make a matching (or not matching) pair.

For instance, the 75 Yard Malabrigo Fingerless Mitts by Jeanne Stevenson. They use just a little of a really luscious yarn, and you’ve probably got lots of little bits that you could turn into sweet little mitts. Hello, gift knitting!

The Campout Fingerless Mitts by tante em are longer but super easy and pretty. You work the garter stitch band for the hand, then pick up stitches and work the arm part in the round.

The Stash-o-motastic Mitts from purl3agony are true stash busters, and you can even use a bit of yarn of different weights if you need to.

Another one for the sock knitters (or sock yarn hoarders) is the Midsomer Mitts from Snippents and Stash. These use two skeins because they’re nice and long, but you could use your leftovers, too.

The Daisy Stitch Hand Warmers and Colorblock Hand Warmers, both from Purl Soho would be great projects for using up little bits or larger amounts of the same color.

And the Quo Vadis pattern by SpillyJane and Eunny Jang’s Endpaper Mitts are both great choices for the colorwork lovers.

And for a couple of lovely patterns you have to pay for, check out the Stash-Busting Stripes Mitts by Jane Irish Nelson or Stephanie Pearl McPhee’s lovely Cloisonée Mittens.

Have a favorite mitt pattern? I’d love to hear about it.

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. 

Comments

  1. These are some great (and colorful) mitt patterns. Thanks for sharing them, Sarah! I’ve made a couple pairs of the Camp Out Fingerless Mitts and love them! Really easy pattern, comfortable to wear, and looks really great in variegated or self-striping yarn.

    And, of course, I’m kind of fond of my own Stash-o-motastic mitts 🙂 Thanks so much for including my pattern here!

Have you read?

Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern – A Cozy Little Gift Project With Old-Fashioned Charm

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about a pair of handmade bed socks, isn’t there? They are practical, pretty, and just the sort of project that feels like it belongs beside a cup of tea, a good film, and a basket of wool that is pretending not to be overflowing.

This vintage Bed Socks knitting pattern is one of those sweet little patterns that still feels useful today. Originally from the Jaeger Hand-Knit Series No. 44, the design features a simple garter-stitch foot, a ribbed cuff, eyelet holes, a crochet chain tie, and little tassel-style pom-poms at the front. The original pattern even describes them as “a very acceptable present,” and honestly, I don’t think much has changed there.

These would make a lovely handmade gift for someone who is always cold, someone recovering or resting, or anyone who appreciates a bit of old-fashioned comfort. They would also be beautiful as a Mother’s Day gift, a winter birthday present, a Christmas stocking filler, or a “just because you deserve cozy feet” project.

The pattern itself is delightfully simple in construction. The socks are knitted flat, beginning at the lower edge, with the foot worked in garter stitch before moving into the ribbed upper section. The decorative eyelet row allows for a crochet chain cord to be threaded through, and the finishing tassels give the socks that charming vintage look. The top edge is finished with a row of double crochet, which adds a neat handmade touch.

The original measurements list the socks as approximately 10½ inches from the top to the lower edge of the heel, with a 9¾ inch foot length, and the pattern notes that the size can be adapted. As with many vintage knitting patterns, modern knitters will want to check gauge carefully and choose a soft yarn that feels comfortable against the skin. A cozy wool blend, soft acrylic, or washable yarn would all work depending on whether you are making these for everyday use or as a special gift.

I especially love that this pattern has that “giftable” quality without being a massive project. It is small enough to feel achievable, but still special enough that the finished pair looks thoughtful. And let’s be honest, handmade socks with pom-poms are always going to beat a last-minute candle from the supermarket.

The PDF version has been cleaned up and formatted for easier reading while keeping the original vintage design intact. It also includes a modern pink mockup image and the original vintage scan, so you get both the historical charm and a fresh idea of how the finished socks could look today.

If you enjoy vintage knitting patterns, cozy handmade gifts, or quick projects that feel useful rather than just decorative, this sweet little bed socks pattern is a lovely one to add to your collection.

You can find the Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern PDF in the CraftGossip Etsy store.

For supplies, this is also a nice stash-friendly project. A soft yarn from Mary Maxim or Amazon would work well, and if you make pom-poms regularly, a small pom-pom maker is one of those inexpensive tools that saves a surprising amount of fiddling.