Fingerless Mitts

Fingerless Mitts by Suzanne Wadsworth

What is Being Made

These fingerless mitts are a knitted accessory designed to keep hands warm while leaving the fingers exposed for dexterity and tactile tasks. The pattern offers three finished sizes: Child, Youth, and Adult Medium, making them versatile for different age groups and hand sizes. Fingerless mitts are practical layering pieces suitable for cool weather, creative work, or activities requiring finger mobility.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several fundamental knitting techniques to construct the mitts. The cuff is worked in ribbed knitting using a knit 2, purl 2 pattern, which creates elasticity and helps the mitts stay securely on the wrist. The main body is worked in stockinette stitch, a smooth, classic knit fabric created by alternating knit and purl rows in flat knitting or knit rounds in circular knitting.

A thumb gusset is incorporated using strategic increases worked in the round. The gusset is created with M1R (make one right) and M1L (make one left) increases, which are invisible increase methods that maintain fabric integrity. The thumb opening is formed by transferring live stitches to waste yarn and using the backward loop cast-on method to close the gap, allowing the thumb to be picked up and finished separately.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (k): The primary stitch forming the stockinette stitch body
• Purl stitch (p): Used in the ribbed cuff pattern
• Knit 2, purl 2 rib (k2, p2): The textured cuff pattern providing stretch and definition
• Stockinette stitch (St st): The main fabric for the mitt body
• M1R and M1L increases: Directional increases used to shape the thumb gusset
• Stitch markers: Used to denote pattern sections and the beginning of rounds

Materials and Tools

The mitts are worked using Patons Kroy Socks FX yarn, a practical choice for wearable accessories. This yarn is composed of 75% washable wool and 25% nylon, combining the warmth and elasticity of wool with the durability and easy-care properties of nylon. One 50-gram skein per pair of mitts is required, with each skein providing 166 yards (152 meters) of yardage.

The recommended gauge is 28 stitches and 36 rounds over 4 inches in stockinette stitch, which helps determine the finished dimensions and ensures proper fit across the three sizes. Construction requires size 3 (3.25mm) double-pointed needles (dpn), which are ideal for working small circumference projects in the round. Additional notions include stitch markers for tracking pattern sections, waste yarn for holding thumb stitches, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends.