Basic Fingerless Mittens
Author
Julia V
Introduction
A pair of simple fingerless mittens I worked up as a last minute Christmas gift. I wrote down the pattern because I really liked how they turned out and I didn't see anything like it around.
They are worked in an Aran weight yarn on a 5mm (H) hook, so they work up rather quickly. Use a solid color for a more classic look or use your favourite hand dyed yarn and make a stylish accessory.
Materials List
Yarn:
Multicolor mittens: Lana Grossa ‘Bingo Print’ (100% merino wool; 80m/87.5 yards - 50g): color 316, 2 balls.
Blue mittens: Fonty Numéro 5 (100% wool; 85m/93 yards - 50g; color 217; 2 balls).
Yarn Substitution: You need about 110 m (120 yards) of Aran weight yarn. I used about 70g of the Bingo Print for both mittens. If you buy 3 balls, you can make 2 pairs.
Other yarns I recommend (this list keeps growing as I make more mittens myself): Rowan RYC Cashsoft Aran, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran
Hook: 5 mm (H)
Finished Size
One size fits most adult women. About 17 cm (6 ¾ inches) around.
Gauge
18 sts / 14 rows sc tbl
Notes
The mittens are worked in a spiral without joining rounds. Place a marker in first st to mark beginning of round. All sts are worked through the back loop only.
Skills needed: crochet in the round, sc through the back loop, foundation sc (explained in this great tutorial).
The Pattern
Fsc 28. Join for working in the round with a sl st at bottom of first fsc, being careful not to twist.
Rd 1: Sc tbl in first fsc, place marker, sc to end of round (28 sts).
Rds 2-10: Sc around.
Rd 11: Sc 1 more in last st of last round, sc 1 (= first st of round), sc 2 in next st, sc to end of round.
Rd 12: Sc without increasing.
Repeat last 2 rounds 4 more times (38 sts).
Next Rd: Work to 4 sts before marker, ch 3 (new beginning of round is the second of those 3 sts), skip 4 sts after marker (32 sts).
(Edited because people were having trouble with the last line: You skip 4 sts before the marker, then the marked st, then 4 sts after the marked st, you skip 9 sts in total.)
Work even for another 7 rounds or up to desired length, ending with a sl st in first st of round. Fasten off.
Thumb:
Rejoin yarn at thumb opening. Sc in all 9 thumb sts (that were previously on hold), sc 1 in each bottom of 3 ch sts. Continue working in the round for 3 rounds or up to desired length, ending with a sl st in first st of round. .
Fasten off.
Finishing:
Weave in ends. Wash and block. Wear and enjoy.
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These Look great cannot wait to try them. I just did some with half fingers, but these seem more feminine.
what a great basic pattern... I can see so much room for improvisation and customization using this pattern as your guide. Thank you so much.
So cool! I'm making a pair for my mom for Christmas! I'm using chunky singles of wool that I've spun.
Chelsea
they look great. i wish i had the time to make a pair right now because my hands are freezing cold.
Hello, fellow crocheters. I bought the Crochet Me book in a local yarn shop and love the patterns. I've been taking it places and showing all my friends (I'm 15). So, I saw that there was a website so I came here and this was the first pattern I tried. I made a lime green pair, but I skipped the thumbs. I love them, and now I'm making a pink pair. I think these will make a wonderful gift!
Thanks!
~Nicole (crochet kitty)
love the thumb on these! they really do look different from most other fingerless glove patterns. I'll definitely have to try these soon, thanks for posting your pattern!
Great pattern! I made a pair using black 8 ply wool for my boyfriend for Christmas and he loved them. I did a normal sc instead of working through the back loop so they were pretty sturdy. Love the thumb :)
Tarra
I'm having a hard time understanding "Sc tbl in first fsc"
Can anyone clarify this for me please? Thanks.
*amber
Hi Amber, it means: single crochet through the back loop of the first foundation single crochet. You make a row of foundation single crochet first, join to the round and then you work single crochet only through the back loops of the stitches below.
Oh perfect, thank you so much!
*amber
Hi Julia,
Thanks so much for the great pattern. I've had two balls of white Jaeger Merino Aran wool (now discontinued, I think) just sitting around forever, and they were perfect for the mittens. Last winter I crocheted a great looking pair of mittens in some aran weight wool, the pattern called for them to be worked flat and then stitched together. They were a disappointment because although they looked great, even in sc they weren't really dense, and the cold air still penetrated. Because your design is in the round I think it makes a more solid fabric, something you really need in mittens!
All the best,
Amy
Off to make them now!!
Dear Julia,
in my first comment, I said I skipped the thumbs. I've made four pairs of these without the thumbs, but now I would like to make the thumb. My question is that when you make the hole for the thumb, or at least when I do, there are only 6 stitches to work in, but your pattern says there should be 9.
...can you help me, please?
Hi,
This is the row where you put aside the sts for the thumb:
"Next Rd: Work to 4 sts before marker, ch 3 (new beginning of round is the second of those 3 sts), skip 4 sts after marker (32 sts)."
That's 4 sts before and after the the stitch marked as beginning of round, plus the marked stitch = 9 sts. Then you pick up 3 more = 11 sts.
hey, just a question about gauge... I'm substituting some other yarn in, and I'm sure that it'll make these mittens larger than I would like. So I'm altering the gauge via my handy dandy gauge adapter formula, but I need a measurement to do that... or maybe I'm just clueless.... help me!!
The mesurement given is About 17 cm (6 ¾ inches) around your wrist. But if you're changing yarn and gauge, you can also measure your own wrist and go from there.
Row gauge isn't that crucial, if you see it's not long enough, just continue for a few more rows.
thanks so much! I can't wait to finish these... i've been waiting for a new wip for a long time... lacking inspiration. But now i have it! huzzah...
I need help please I want to make gloves and I made the fsc but I can not join them to make a ring gloves. someone can help me. Thank you
I am of chile that's why I do not speak English very well
I love those, they're so cute! XD
Nice one! Thank you. Best, Sophia
I have perhaps a stupid question, but what does "fsc" and "sc tlb" stand for? I'm newish to crocheting and I haven't seen those abbreviations yet.
I love love love these basic fingerless mitts. The instructions are great and I didn't have any problems following them (although I've been crocheting since I was 8 years old so I might have an advantage over newer crocheters). I whipped up a pair during my son's hockey tournament. Crocheting in the round sure beats knitting in the round with 3 or 4 double pointed needles. I like the snug fit of these crocheted mitts compared to some knitted mitts I have made in the past. I registered just so I could tell you how much I love these mitts. I'll definitely be making more! Thanks for the great pattern!
OK, I finally got started -- saw the tutorial on fsc, got that. I *think* i figured out how to join -- mine isn't pretty, but I got it done. Now I'm working on the rounds and that neat little strip of st you have going there that give these that unique texture -- I think it's the extra loops from sc in the back loop only -- mine is on the inside of my tube. Am I doing something wrong?
Edited: I think I figured that out -- I just flipped it inside out and it was fine. I was over thinking, that if I did that I wouldn't be using the back loop, but I just kept going and it worked out.
New question, just to orient the project in my mind. The pattern, it starts from the top of the hand and works down the arm, right?
Jema
Newbie to crochet at 40, lovin' it!
This pattern rocks! I've cranked out 5 pair in 4 days and I can't stop! I've used a variety of yarns and they all look great. The first thing I wanted to learn how to do when I started crocheting 6 months ago was make fingerless mittens because my hands get cold very easily and I play the bass guitar, so I was tired of buying cheapy gloves and cutting off the fingers. Now I have a variety of colors in a variety of fibers -- alpaca, wool/mohair, merino, and wool/soy. Can't wait to make some "summer weight" mitts out of tencel and bamboo!
The only question I have is in the joining of the fsc -- should I have an even edge on the bottom or will it look a bit spiraled?
And Jema, I've been making them from the bottom up toward the fingers, it was my understanding that it was written that way, but I could be wrong! I'm a newbie at 41 and also lovin' it!
Amy
Woot! My first project, it's lookin' good. But I'm to the thumb now -- how do I rejoin the yarn at the thumb opening?
Jema
Newbie to crochet at 40, lovin' it!
I love this pattern-- quick, useful, and everyone loves it! Best of all, I found I could work on these while watching t.v. or the toddler! I did a pair without marking my rounds, but just eyeballed it, didn't count rows, and they still turned out wonderful.
I made these for a friend of mine and she loved them. The "wrong side" is just as pretty as the "right side". The instructions were perfect, very easy to follow. Thank you so much for providing this pattern.
I love these!! I have made two pairs for friends already in the past two days. And this pattern also lead me to the tutorial for Foundation SC, something I never knew existed. And now can not imagine how I lived without.
Thanks so much for posting. I'm off to make a pair for myself now.
yeah! i love this pattern. my gloves came out really good and now all of my friends want a pair. and it was easy to adapt the pattern as well. thanks for posting!
Well I just finished my pair and they're two different sizes :-D I'm not completely sure what I did differently. They both generally fit, but one goes on comfortably while the other takes a bit more finagling to get it on but it still fits. I actually think the smaller one looks a bit better. Oh well. I'm going to try again and see if I can make a smaller one to fit the smaller one and a larger one to fit the larger one.
Thank you very much for sharing this pattern. I appreciate it! It's a very practical, and also stylish pattern. Last winter I made for all of my family & am currently working on making for the coming winter.
Thank you!
I made these with Cascade Heathers. They fit amazingly well! The only change I made was creating a sc in blo cuff (like in Nicki's "Fingerless Gloves" pattern)...but that was more a personal preference than anything. Thanks for the rad pattern!
-And the Mome Raths Outgrabe-
thanks for posting this pattern- the best gift for my texting friends! + its written well & looks easy!