Knit Hand Mitts:  A Perfect Beginner Project

Knit Hand Mitts     by Janice Jones     |Last updated 04-18-2023

This super easy knit hand mitt pattern is perfect for the beginner and works up fast with minimal effort.  Created for a woman’s hand, just a few minor alterations will make them fit a man’s hand as well. 

Two knit hand mitts, one being wornPink Variegated Knit Hand Mitts

Only three different stitches are used, including ribbing, stockinette, and garter stitch.  Both right and left-handed mitts are worked identically.  Each one is knitted in a flat rectangular shape and then sewn together, leaving an opening for the thumb.

Tip:  If you are beginning to knit, using bamboo needles may help you keep stitches on the needle.  Since this is a small project, you will want to choose needles that aren’t too long.  I’m using double-pointed needles, seven inches long. 

You will want to add needle point protectors at one end so that you don’t accidentally lose your stitches.  Alternatively as you can see in the photo below, I've cut a wine cork in half and used 1/2 cork on each needle.  The big red "7" is the size of the needle.

Knitted Hand Mitts using 2 double-pointed knitting needles with wine cork ends.Knit Hand Mitts: Work in Progress

Finished Size

Finished Size:  7 inches (add an extra row or two if you prefer them to be longer)

For a larger size mitt, cast on more stitches in multiples of two;  increase rows of stockinette stitch to add length to the mitt

Tools and Materials

  • Yarn:  I recommend acrylic or a mixture of wool and acrylic;  Number 4 medium worsted weight yarn
  • Needles:  US 7
  • Yarn needle
  • Scissors
  • Rule or tape measure

Gauge

5 stitches = 1 inch

Instructions:  Knit Hand Mitts

Instructions:  Make 2

Cast on 36 stitches using the long-tail cast-on method, leaving about a 10 inch tail for seaming.  

TIP:  cast on loosely, so the stitches are a bit stretchy

Rows 1 – 10 

Ribbing:  (K2, P2,) repeat to the end of the row

Make ten rows of ribbing stitch

Rows 11 – 24

Garter Stitch:  Knit rows 11-24

Rows 25-35

Stockinette Stitch:  10 rows

Row 24:  Knit

Row 25: Purl

Rows 24 and 25:  Repeat rows 24 and 25, 4 more times

Rows 36-48

Ribbing:  12 rows

Row 36:  (K2, P2) repeat to the end of the row

Repeat for 11 more rows

Last Row:  Bind off following the K2, P2 pattern.  Leave about a 10-inch tail to use for stitching the seam.

Finishing:

Make 2

Using a yarn needle, sew sides from top-down and then from the bottom up, leaving about a 2 ½ inch opening for the thumbs.  Weave ends and then cut leftover yarn close to the mitt.

Tip For Seams

Ensure you have correctly lined up your stitches and pin them if necessary using a safety pin or straight pin before beginning to sew.  Use the long tail left from your cast on to sew one side.

Just a Few of My Favorite Yarn Picks

Pin for Future Reference

Knit Hand Mitts PinKnit Hand Mitts: Free Pattern

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