I’ve been wanting to design a super simple mitten pattern for a while now—something warm, easy to make, and knit flat on two needles. And here it is! These adult-sized mittens are thick, cozy, and knit up surprisingly fast. Whether you’re newer to knitting or just want a no-fuss project to whip up in an evening or two, this free mitten pattern is a great one to try.
They’re available in sizes small to extra-large, so you can make a pair for just about anyone. I used basic stitches and construction, and I’ve included lots of helpful how-to videos in the Abbreviations section if you have difficulty with any of the knitting techniques. If you’re looking for an easy knitting pattern for mittens that doesn’t require double-pointed needles, I think you’ll love how simple (and warm!) these turn out.
And if you would like to make a pair that’s a little fancier, I also have the same mittens, but made with an owl motif on the back of the hand. It’s also free to read on my website. You can read it here – Extra Thick Owl Mitts. They are also knit flat on 2 needles and include videos to help you along. When you click the link or photo, a new window opens. You won’t lose this page.
If you would to prefer to support my work and have access to a printable, ad-free version of this pattern, I offer that too. To get the downloadable pattern for a small fee you can get it in my Etsy Shop, Ravelry, LoveCrafts, Buy Me A Coffee and from the shop section on this website – KweenBee.com.
If you would prefer to order a Kindle or printed paperback version from Amazon, you can now do so! Shipping is free if you are an Amazon Prime member. Make sure you select the country you are in to take advantage of the free shipping. Click the following link for your country – United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. The Kindle download and paperback versions are available in English only.
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Things You Need
You can make the mittens with either 2 strands of worsted weight yarn, or one strand of super bulky yarn. Take your pick. But please note, you don’t need both. Choose one or the other.
Worsted weight yarn – 2 (two) balls of yarn (215 yards/197 m). You’ll have leftover yarn.
or
Super Bulky yarn – (186 yards/170 m) like Bernat or Lion brand. Not all super bulky yarn is as thick as others. A Bulkyyarn may also work if it’s on the thicker side. As long as your gauge is the same your sizing will be accurate.
5 mm (8 US) single point needles
Tapestry needle – to sew seams and work in ends
Sizing
My standard for sizing was my and my son’s hands and designed the knitting pattern to fit us comfortably. Our hands are fairly standard in size and the measurements I used for the mitten sizes are similar to those used for rubber glove sizing. I’ve included a infographic to give you an idea of the measurements of the hands.You may need to use different sized needles to get the correct gauge and accurate sizing.
Gauge
In stockinette stitch
Size 5 mm (US size 8) single pointed needles
13 stitches every 4 inches (10 cm)
20 rows every 4 inches (10 cm)
Sizes are written as such:
S (M, L, XL)
** If you need help with any stitch or technique,
there are video links at the end of the pattern in the Abbreviations section to help you **
Left Hand
Cast on 24 (26, 26, 28)
Row 1-12: ◊ K1 P1 ◊ Repeat from ◊ to ◊ across.
Row 13: K1 (2, 2, 3) INC * K6 INC * Repeat from * to * 2 more times. K the
remaining 1 (2, 2, 3) sts. (28, 30, 30, 32 sts)
Row 14: P across
Row 15: K across
Row 16: P across
Row 17: K11 (12, 12, 13) M1 K1 M1 K16 (17, 17, 18). (30, 32, 32, 34 sts)
Row 18: P across
Row 19: K across
Row 20: P16 (17, 17, 18) PM1 P3 PM1 P11 (12, 12, 13). (32, 34, 34, 36 sts)
Row 21: K across
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Row 22: P across
Row 23: K11 (12, 12, 13) M1 K5 M1 K16 (17, 17, 18). (34, 36, 36, 38 sts)
Row 24: P across
Row 25: K across
Row 26: P16 (17, 17, 18) PM1 P7 PM1 P11 (12, 12, 13). (36, 38, 38, 40 sts)
Row 27: K across
Row 28: P across
Row 29: K11 (12, 12, 13) M1 K9 M1 K16 (17, 17, 18). (38, 40, 40, 42 sts)
Row 30: P across
Row 31: K across
** Stop here if making the M, L and XL size mittens **
Go to the row marked with ✪
Continue with ❤ Row 32 for SMALL
❤ Row 32: P across
Row 33: K11 Pass the next 11 sts onto your st holder. K16 (27 sts)
Row 34: P16 PM1 (remake the st used for the thumb) P11 (28 sts)
** Stop here if making the SMALL size mitten **
Go to the row marked with a ♦
Continue for M, L and XL
✪ Row 32: P0 (17, 17, 18) PM1 P11 PM1 P0 (12, 12, 13). (0, 40, 40, 44 sts)
Row 33: K across
Row 34: P across
** Stop here if making the EXTRA LARGE size mitten **
Go to the row marked with a ✿
Continue with ✚ Row 35 for MEDIUM and LARGE
✚ Row 35: K12 Pass the next 13 sts onto your st holder. K17 (29 sts)
Row 36: P17 PM1 (remake the st used for the thumb) P12 (30 sts)
** Stop here if making the MEDIUM and LARGE size mitten **
Go to the row marked with a ♦
Continue for XL
✿ Row 35: K13 M1 K13 M1 K18. (46 sts)
Row 36: P across
Row 37: K13 Pass the next 15 sts onto your st holder. K18 (31 sts)
Row 38: P18 PM1 (remake the st used for the thumb) P13 (32 sts)
Go to the row marked with a ♦
Starting the Finger Cap of the Mitt
You transferred all the stitches for the thumb onto your stitch holder for all sizes. Now to make the portion that covers your fingers.
♦ Next row: K across
Next row: P across ♦ Repeat from ♦ to ♦ for a total of 22 (24, 26, 28) rows.
Next row: K2tog across. (14, 15, 15, 16 sts)
Next row: P across
Next row: K2tog across. Knit the remaining single st for M and L sizes. (7, 8, 8, 8 sts)
Next row: P across. Break yarn leaving about a foot of length to sew the seam. Draw yarn through.
Thumb
Pick up the 11 (13, 13, 15) sts from the st holder and put them on you knitting needle.
▲ Row 1: K across
Row 2: P across ▲ Repeat for ▲ to ▲ for a total of 8 (10, 12, 12) rows.
Next row: K2tog across. K the last st. (6, 7, 7, 8 sts)
Next row: P across. Break yarn leaving about 6 inches of length to sew the seam. Draw yarn through.
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Right Hand
Cast on 24 (26, 26, 28)
Row 1-12: ◊ K1 P1 ◊ Repeat from ◊ to ◊ across.
Row 13: K1 (2, 2, 3) INC * K6 INC * Repeat from * to * 2 more times. K the
remaining 1 (2, 2, 3) sts. (28, 30, 30, 32 sts)
Row 14: P across
Row 15: K across
Row 16: P across
Row 17: K16 (17, 17, 18) M1 K1 M1 K11 (12, 12, 13). (30, 32, 32, 34 sts)
Row 18: P across
Row 19: K across
Row 20: P11 (12, 12, 13) PM1 P3 PM1 P16 (17, 17, 18). (32, 34, 34, 36 sts)
Row 21: K across
Row 22: P across
Row 23: K16 (17, 17, 18) M1 K5 M1 K11 (12, 12, 13)). (34, 36, 36, 38 sts)
Row 24: P across
Row 25: K across
Row 26: P11 (12, 12, 13) PM1 P7 PM1 P16 (17, 17, 18). (36, 38, 38, 40 sts)
Row 27: K across
Row 28: P across
Row 29: K16 (17, 17, 18) M1 K9 M1 K11 (12, 12, 13). (38, 40, 40, 42 sts)
Row 30: P across
Row 31: K across
** Stop here if making the M, L and XL size mittens **
Go to the row marked with ✪
Continue with ❤ Row 32 for SMALL
❤ Row 32: P across
Row 33: K16 Pass the next 11 sts onto your st holder. K11 (27 sts)
Row 34: P11 PM1 (remake the st used for the thumb) P16 (28 sts)
** Stop here if making the SMALL size mitten **
Go to the row marked with a ♦
Continue here for M, L and XL
✪ Row 32: P0 (12, 12, 13) PM1 P11 PM1 P0 (17, 17, 18). (0, 40, 40, 44 sts)
Row 33: K across
Row 34: P across
** Stop here if making the EXTRA LARGE size mitten **
Go to the row marked with a ✿
Continue with ✚ Row 35 for MEDIUM and LARGE
✚ Row 35: K17 Pass the next 13 sts onto your st holder. K12. (29 sts)
Row 36: P12 PM1 (remake the st used for the thumb) P17 (30 sts)
** Stop here if making the MEDIUM and LARGE size mitten **
Go to the row marked with a ♦
Continue here for XL only
✿ Row 35: K18 M1 K13 M1 K3. (46 sts)
Row 36: P across
Row 37: K18 Pass the next 15 sts onto your st holder. K13 (31 sts)
Row 38: P13 PM1 (remake the st used for the thumb) P18 (32 sts)
Go to the row marked with a ♦
Starting the Finger Cap of the Mitt
You transferred all the stitches for the thumb onto your stitch holder for all sizes. Now to make the portion that covers your fingers.
♦ Next row: K across
Next row: P across ♦ Repeat from ♦ to ♦ for a total of 22 (24, 26, 28) rows.
Next row: K2tog across. (14, 15, 15, 16 sts)
Next row: P across
Next row: K2tog across. Knit the remaining single st for M and L sizes. (7, 8, 8, 8 sts)
Next row: P across. Break yarn leaving about a foot of length to sew the seam. Draw yarn through.
Thumb
Pick up the 11 (13, 13, 15) sts from the st holder and put them on you knitting needle.
▲ Row 1: K across
Row 2: P across ▲ Repeat for ▲ to ▲ for a total of 8 (10, 12, 12) rows.
Next row: K2tog across. K the last st. (6, 7, 7, 8 sts)
Next row: P across. Break yarn leaving about 6 inches of length to sew the seam. Draw yarn through.
Hints and Tips
Make the seam as narrow as you can when sewing it along the side. Less seam means less irritation. Make sure that it still looks good. If you don’t know how, there are a number of videos online that will show you how to do a blanket stitch.
If you find the fingers a little short, you can make extra rows after the thumb. They are a little longer than I would make for myself, but my fingers are a bit stubby. They should fit the majority of people as written.
I’ve written the pattern to include 12 rows for the cuff regardless of size. Make it longer or shorter as you see fit. You may want it longer if the wearer prefers a longer cuff to tuck into their sleeve.
Try mixing mixing your strands of worsted weight yarn instead of using one colour for both balls. You could get some neat effects using a variegated yarn and a solid colour of yarn.
Abbreviations
k – knit
p – purl
st – stitch
sts – stitches
INC – Make 2 sts in one st. Knit in the front of the stitch and the back of the stitch
Click this link to watch this video to see how. How to INC When Knitting – Increase one stitch
K2tog – knit 2 sts together. Click this link to watch this video to see how. How to K2tog or Knit 2 Together
M1 –
Make one (knit wise). Increase one stitch between the stitches. Pick up the yarn between the stitches. Twist slightly. Place it on your non-working needle. Knit the stitch. Click this link to watch this video to see how. How to Make One or M1 – Increase between stitches
PM1 –
Make one (purl wise). Increase one stitch between the stitches. Pick up the yarn between the stitches. Twist it slightly and place it on your non-working needle. Purl the stitch. Watch this video on How to PM1 or Purl Make 1
If you have never used a stitch holder before, here’s how you hold the stitches so you can make the thumb later. Watch this video on How to Use a Stitch Holder
If you aren’t sure how to draw the yarn through at the end of the fingers and thumbs, it’s pretty simple. You’re gathering the stitches together. Watch this video on How to Gather Stitches
Like all of my patterns you have my permission to sell and/or give away the physical items that you make using this pattern. You are NOT permitted to reprint this pattern in any form unless you have obtained my written permission to do so.
If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment or send me your questions at [email protected].
