Crochet Gloves & Mittens Patterns

Warm hands

Hand warmers are the most economical crochet there is: a single 50g or 100g ball, a couple of evenings, and something that gets worn every day from October to March. This collection covers full mittens with a closed top, fingerless gloves and wrist warmers for typing, driving and commuting, convertible flip-top mitts with a buttoned flap over the fingers, long opera-length arm warmers, gauntlets, and full-fingered gloves for those willing to crochet five separate fingers twice. Sizes run from toddler through to men's, and styles range from plain ribbed everyday mitts to cabled backs, colourwork, lace and bobble texture.

How crochet mitts are constructed

There are two main routes. Worked in the round, from the cuff up, the mitten is a tube with a gusset increase for the thumb: you set the thumb stitches aside on a length of waste yarn, continue up the hand, then come back and work the thumb afterwards. This gives a seamless, professional result and is the standard for full mittens. Worked flat, you crochet a rectangle, leave a gap in the side seam for the thumb, and seam the rest; this is the easiest possible introduction to hand warmers and produces perfectly good fingerless mitts in an evening. Some patterns work sideways in rows for a ribbed effect and then seam.

Yarn and fit

• Wool and wool blends stay warm even when damp, which is the whole point of outdoor mittens. DK on a 4mm hook or Aran on a 5mm is typical.
• Machine-washable acrylic blends for children's mitts, which will be lost, found, muddied and washed repeatedly.
• Cotton or a cotton blend for lightweight fingerless mitts worn indoors or in a chilly office.
• Measure around the widest part of the hand, across the knuckles excluding the thumb, and aim for a snug fit; crochet fabric relaxes with wear.
• A pair of adult mittens usually takes 80-150m, so they are ideal for oddments and single special skeins.

Cuffs that grip and thumbs that fit

The two details that separate a good pair from a saggy one are the cuff and the thumb. For the cuff, work back-loop-only double crochet ribbing sideways as a strip and join it into a ring, then work the hand up from it; that gives genuine stretch that a simple round of trebles never will. Front and back post treble ribbing is the other reliable option. For the thumb, place the gusset slightly towards the palm side rather than dead on the seam line, and work two or three more rounds than you think you need before fastening off, since a short thumb is the most common complaint about handmade mittens.

Techniques worth learning here

Mittens are a brilliant small canvas for practising skills that are daunting on a jumper. A pair of mitts is where you can try a first cable, worked with front and back post trebles rather than a cable needle. It is where tapestry crochet or a simple two-colour stripe costs you nothing if it goes wrong. It is also a good place to learn the invisible join and the standing stitch, since the joins on a small round are very visible. If you make the first mitt and dislike something, you can change it on the second and nobody will ever know.

Gifts, seasons and care

Mittens are the great last-minute present, and they solve the problem of gifting to someone whose size you do not know. A matching hat and mitt set from the same two balls looks thoroughly considered; add a cowl and you have a full winter set for the price of three balls. For children, thread a length of cord through both cuffs and up through the coat sleeves so the pair cannot be separated. Wash wool mitts by hand in cool water and dry flat, reshaping the thumb. For matching pieces, look at the chunky yarn crochet patterns for a quick hat, warm the feet with crochet sock patterns, or browse more free crochet patterns.

Common questions

Is there a free fingerless gloves crochet pattern as a PDF? Yes, several free downloads sit here, including beginner-friendly rectangles seamed with a thumb gap and ribbed wrist warmers.

How long does a pair of crochet mittens take? A simple pair often works up in an evening or two. Full-fingered gloves take considerably longer, largely because of the fingers.

Are fingerless gloves warm enough for winter? Indoors and for commuting, yes. For proper cold, choose full mittens or a flip-top design, which keeps your fingers free when you need them.

Why do my mittens stretch out of shape? Usually a hook that is too large. Go down a size for a denser fabric, and always work the cuff more tightly than the hand.