I’m typing while wearing one fingerless mitten.

Why?

Well, my fingers were cold and I decided to experiment. I was curious to know how fast I’d notice a difference between the two hands, I decided to try just one.

Striped fingerless mitten

In less than 10 seconds I noticed an improvement in the hand wearing the mitten. Wow! What a surprise! I always thought they’d warm the hands but not the fingers. Now if I could just knit that fast.

While I like mittens and gloves, fingerless ones are better sometimes. For example, when you’re working at a keyboard, wearing regular mittens make typing impossible. Most gloves are cumbersome — at best. If your fingers don’t slip off the keys while wearing them, gloves are often bulky or just don’t feel right.

Fingerless mittens or gloves solve these problems.  They allow you to use the keyboard or mouse on a computer comfortably and don’t get in your way.

What’s the difference between fingerless gloves and fingerless mittens? While I don’t have an official answer from the Fashion Gurus, my take is that fingerless gloves have four openings for individual fingers. Their length can be as short as one or two rows, or go all the way to the fingertips.  Fingerless mittens, on the other hand, have a single opening for four fingers. And they’re definitely faster to knit!

While fingerless glove knitting instructions can be complex and best suited for an experienced knitter, fingerless mittens can be quick and easy. Yes, for beginners, too!

So what are the steps for knitting Easy Garter Stitch Fingerless Mittens?

1. Check the gauge. The gauge for this pattern is 3.5 stitches per inch in garter stitch. I used Caron’s One Pound Yarn in Sunflower (yellow) and Royalty (blue). It’s a worsted weight acrylic and knits up soft. I used size 9 needles.

2. Measure your hand. Using a tape measure or even a piece of yarn, measure around your palm above the thumb.

3. Cast on:

• 6.5-inch hand = 22 stitches
• 7-inch hand = 24 stitches
• 7.5-inch hand = 26 stitches
• 8-inch hand = 28 stitches
• 8.5 inch hand = 30 stitches

Knitting Tip: Check the size as you knit. It’s amazing how many times the knitting can vary once you actually cast on the rows.  Although mittens are fairly forgiving, it’s still easier to make adjustments early in the knitting rather than after the mitten is almost finished.

4. Knitting pattern:

Row 1: Slip first stitch as if to purl. Knit across rest of row. Turn.

Repeat Row 1 for desired length from cuff to top of mitten.

Change colors to add stripes if you wish.  I changed colors on the wrong side after four rows of blue and two of yellow:

Closeup of stripe pattern in knitting instructions

Slipping the first stitch as if to purl makes a slipped edge garter stitch, which I’ve explained further in my free video knitting instructions.

5. Bind off loosely with your favorite method. Break yarn.

6. Sew up the side seam, leaving an opening for the thumb. (Hint: Trying on the mitten after sewing up part of the seam helps you place the thumb opening, customizing its fit!)

7. Weave in the yarn ends.

While you can add color by knitting stripes, another easy method is called mosaic knitting.  You carry only one color at a time and can make interesting patterns with it:

Mosaic knitting fingerless mittens

This particular pattern makes a thicker mitten. Which is probably why I decided to make a pair!

Close-up of right side

My PDF pattern for Easy Two-Color Mosaic Fingerless Mittens is now available on Ravelry.

Disclosure: I have a marketing connection to a brand, topic or product herein. Through the use of affiliate links contained herein, I may collect fees from purchases made. cmp.ly/5/kf4rlc

One of my earliest Christmas memories is my sister and I receiving identical knit hats from my Aunt Gerry.  They were red, with a face on the back, lovingly hand embroidered for children. Even to the google eyes. Hey, we were toddlers and thought them very cool!

Christmas is a great time to relive happy memories—and to create some new ones.

Yes, it’s great to be able to make a scarf, mittens, or even a sweater for a loved one. Especially if they actually like it!

Sometimes, though, other problems challenges crowd out the knitting time.  And even the fastest knitter needs more than an hour or two to hand knit a sweater.

This year is one of those times for me.  Even decorating is challenging.  My tree is up, and the lights are on.  And you know, for the first time in many years, it’s enough.  I’m enjoying the lights even without any ornaments.

My Christmas tree with lights

Still, I like to add hand knit items to my Christmas—and that of those I love.

So, how can you easily create a hand-knit Christmas?

1. Knit some ornaments. They make a great addition to your tree, and can be a great way to use up leftover yarn, also being economical.  There are lots of free patterns on the Internet.  To get you started, try my free tiny mitten knitting instructions. Ornaments can even do double duty when you —
2. Knit a package decoration or even a package. Angels, stars, tiny stockings and mittens can be very cute on a package.  The recipient can enjoy them before the gift is opened, and afterwards they make a nice addition to their ornaments.  Small stockings can also be knit to fit a candy cane, roll candy, or lip balm.  A nice stocking stuffer or small inexpensive gift that still shows the recipient you took time to personalize it. Knitting Pattern Central is a great place to start looking for knitting instructions.
3. Knit dishcloths or washcloths in Christmas colors. They’re a reminder of the season, and even when not in use can make a kitchen or bath feel more like Christmas. They make a practical project for yourself, and a thoughtful gift for non-knitters.  Adding an I-cord border to some patterns is a quick way to add a second color. Cotton yarn at often less than $2 a ball remains economical, practical and easy.

Christmas dishcloths: Customizing knitting instructions using Christmas colors

Create your own ripple knit dishcloths with my Garter Ripple Kitchen Set.

The knitting gauge or needle gauge tool is a handy addition to your knitting basket.

Mine is yellowed with age, but still functional.  Since most of the patterns I need a gauge for give it in inches, the fact that mine has only inches is fine.

I like the handy L-shaped window, through which 2 inches horizontal and vertical are clearly visible.  Why?

Well,  it makes it easier to count horizontal stitches and vertical rows at one time.  Of course, you can still use the ruler and do one at a time.  Many times my gauge is only accurate in one direction anyway.  And if given the choice, I’ll make my gauge match the stitches and keep the width the same as the pattern.  I use the written knitting gauge provided in the pattern to convert rows to inches.  And then just knit the number of inches required for the length.

Like many good tools, this one has more than one purpose.  Not only is it an easy way to count rows and stitches per 2 inches, but it’s also a ruler.  And it also has those little holes in a row.  The holes correspond to knitting needle sizes, given in both mm and US sizes.

If you’re used to knitting with straight needles, yes they are all marked.  But many circular needles aren’t.  And sometimes the differences between sizes are hard to see.  Especially for anyone wearing glasses:

These two circular needles are not the same size.  And, there’s only 1/4 mm difference between them.  They’re US size 4 (3-1/2 mm) above, and 5 (3-3/4 mm) below.

Even rolling the two in your hands, it can be difficult to tell them apart.  Which makes this little tool indispensable at times.

And a good deal, at less than $2 many places.

Does anything make a novice knitter cringe faster than talking about knitting gauges?

They shouldn’t.

Knitting gauges can be essential to following your knitting pattern directions.  An accurate knitting gauge prevents that adult size sweater from fitting only a child, or a giant.

Knitting gauges are simple measurements that help knitters compensate for the normal variations in tension when knitting, and in differences in yarn.  Yes, normal variations.

Knitters vary in how tightly or loosely they knit.  That’s okay.  It’s part of a hand knit garment.  There’s also a wide variety of knitting yarns, even within one type.  Look at different worsted yarns sometime.  The size of the thickness of the yarn varies from yarn to yarn.  Add specialty yarns with unusual textures, and you can see the wide variety of options.

And yes, it’s true.  I don’t always follow the designer’s suggested yarn.  I often use what I have on hand … can get easily … or can afford.  And adapting the pattern includes knowing the knitting gauge.

So, knitting gauge is important when making a fitted garment.  Something three-dimensional.  Like a pair of socks or a sweater.

As opposed to a flat scarf, where the width may not be as important.  Or dishcloths.  Does it really matter if your dishcloth is a half an inch wider or narrower than the pattern?

Probably not.

Another place you’ll often find knitting gauge important is with certain stitch patterns.  Some cables, lace patterns, or even fabric-like patterns can lose their pattern if knit with the wrong gauge.  Again, this is usually a three-dimensional pattern.

It helps me to remember three dimensional when I think about whether a knitting gauge is important.

Knitting tip: once you’ve made several knitting gauges, you’ll realize they aren’t that hard or time-consuming.  When in doubt, stop and knit a gauge before starting your project.

It may save you time and trouble later.

Abbreviations can be useful, but also confusing.

It took me awhile to figure out what LYS stood for.  Maybe it’s because I do most of my yarn shopping online.  Living in a rural area means there is no Local Yarn Shop.  Unless one considers 60-plus miles one way “local.”

I don’t.

So, my LYS (?LYSs) are online.  I’ve shopped online at Joann, Alpaca Direct, and The Sheep Shed Studio.  I like Joann’s selection of Caron One Pound yarn.  Especially when it’s on sale! It’s a nice acrylic yarn: soft not scratchy.  I’ve used it for making afghans, mittens, scarves, and hats.  The last I bought was still Made in the USA according to the label.  I also buy my Lily Sugar and Cream from Joann. I’ve learned to order ahead, since it’s sometimes taken almost a week for my order to be shipped.

I’ve already written a bit about the yarn and roving I bought last week from Alpaca Direct.  Shipping is very fast.  I ordered last Wednesday evening, and my package arrived Monday via USPS.  Pretty amazing from California to South Carolina!

My first purchase was my Denise needles.  They were the best price I could find, plus free shipping over $50.  To get the free shipping, I bought a 30 inch cord for the set.  And have used it several times since.  I really like my Denise needles.  And like supporting a cottage industry here in the USA.  Yes, Denise needles are made in the USA.  Virginia, if I recall correctly.

The Sheep Shed Studio carries roving and yarns from Brown Sheep Company in Nebraska.  And The Sheep Shed Studio is located in Wyoming.  Some of their yarns are seconds, and they have mill ends.  Their prices are great.  They ship quickly, and I like their personalized service.  It’s also nice to not have a big investment in yarn when you’re experimenting with a pattern or learning.  And just thinking of mill ends makes me recall fond memories of traveling to a woolen mill store in Pennsylvania as a kid.

So those are my reviews of my favorites.  What are yours?