Outsider Mittens in Spud & Chloe Outer - Downloadable PDF

Outsider Mittens by Susan B. Anderson – Free Knitting Pattern in Spud & Chloe Outer

The Outsider Mittens is a free downloadable knitting pattern designed by Susan B. Anderson and published by Spud & Chloe. This beginner-friendly pattern produces warm, cozy mittens worked in super chunky weight yarn, making it an ideal project for newer knitters who want to build confidence while creating a practical, stylish accessory. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF at no cost.

Design Variations

The Outsider Mittens pattern includes three distinct cuff variations, each shown in a different colorway of Spud & Chloe Outer yarn. These variations allow knitters to personalize their finished mittens with different decorative details:

• Extended Bobble Cuff Mittens – sample knit in Sequoia #7205, featuring a longer cuff adorned with bobble texture for added visual interest and warmth.
• Ribbed Cuff Mittens – sample knit in Carbon #7203, offering a classic, stretchy ribbed cuff that fits snugly around the wrist.
• Short Bobble Cuff Mittens – sample knit in Peat #7204, a more compact cuff version that incorporates the same playful bobble detail in a shorter length.

Sizing

The pattern is sized to fit a range of hand circumferences, making it suitable for both children and adults:

• Child's Small – fits a 6-inch hand circumference
• Child's Large / Woman's Small – fits a 7-inch hand circumference
• Woman's Medium/Large – fits an 8-inch hand circumference

Techniques and Construction

The mittens are worked in the round using double-pointed needles, a classic technique for knitting small circumference items such as mittens, socks, and gloves. Working in the round creates a seamless, tube-shaped fabric that is both comfortable to wear and neat in appearance. Beginners will find this an excellent introduction to knitting in the round on double-pointed needles, and the super chunky yarn weight means the project works up quickly, providing fast and satisfying results.

A thumb gusset is incorporated into the construction, using make one (m1) increases to gradually shape the thumb opening. Stitches for the thumb are placed on scrap yarn and returned to needles later to be worked separately, a straightforward and widely used method for mitten thumb construction.

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Stockinette stitch – the main body fabric, created by knitting every round when working in the round
• Ribbing – used in the Ribbed Cuff variation for a classic, elastic cuff finish
• Make Bobble (mb) – a decorative bobble stitch used in both the Extended Bobble Cuff and Short Bobble Cuff variations; worked by knitting into the front, back, and front again of a single stitch, then purling and knitting across the resulting stitches before passing extra stitches over to complete the bobble
• Make One (m1) – an increase stitch used to shape the thumb gusset, worked by lifting the bar between stitches onto the left needle and knitting through the back loop
• Knit Two Together (k2tog) – a right-leaning decrease used in shaping
• Knitting in the round on double-pointed needles
• Thumb gusset construction with scrap yarn stitch holder

Materials and Tools

The pattern calls for Spud & Chloe Outer, a super chunky weight yarn, which gives the mittens their substantial warmth and quick-knit appeal. The recommended needle size is US size 13 double-pointed needles, used as a set of four, or the size needed to achieve