Beanie and Mitts in Ella Rae Lace Merino - ER14-03 - Downloadable PDF

Beanie and Mitts in Ella Rae Lace Merino – ER14-03 Pattern Summary

This downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Ella Rae presents a charming coordinating set consisting of a beanie hat and a pair of fingerless mitts (or thumbed mittens), sized for toddlers and children aged 1–3 years and 4–6 years. The set is designed to be knitted in Ella Rae Lace Merino, a luxuriously soft 4-ply weight yarn, making it an ideal project for crafting warm, lightweight accessories for little ones. The pattern is written clearly for two sizes throughout, with the larger size figures shown in parentheses.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Ella Rae Lace Merino yarn, a 4-ply (fingering weight) yarn available in 100g hanks. Only one hank is required to complete the entire beanie and mitts set, making this an excellent stash-busting or budget-friendly project. The sample shown uses colour number 208. Two pairs of knitting needles are needed:

• 2.75mm (US size 2) needles for ribbing and cuffs
• 3.25mm (US size 3) needles for the main body sections

The recommended tension/gauge is 29 stitches and 37 rows over 10 cm (4 inches) in stocking stitch using 3.25mm needles. Achieving correct gauge is especially important at this fine yarn weight to ensure the finished accessories fit the intended child's size accurately.

The Beanie Hat

The beanie is worked flat on a pair of needles and then seamed. It begins on 2.75mm needles with a cast-on of 99 (109) stitches, and the brim is established with an initial section of stocking stitch followed by a rib worked in a k1, p1 pattern. This combination of textures gives the brim a neat, stretchy finish that sits comfortably around a child's head.

After the ribbed brim is complete, stitches are decreased to shape the hat body, reducing to 92 (100) stitches. The needles are then changed to 3.25mm and the remainder of the hat is worked in garter stitch — knitting every row — until the hat body reaches 10 (12) cm from the beginning. Garter stitch creates a pleasingly textured, slightly squishy fabric with good elasticity, making it both practical and visually appealing for a children's accessory.

Techniques Used in the Beanie

• Stocking stitch for the initial brim section
• k1, p1 rib for the stretchy brim band
• k2tog decreases to reduce stitch count before the main body
• Garter stitch (knit every row) for the hat body
• Needle changes between 2.75mm and 3.25mm to manage tension and fabric density

The Mitts – Right Hand and Left Hand

The mitts are worked as a right hand and a left hand version, with the thumb placement mirrored between the two. Both mitts begin on 2.75mm needles with a cast-on of 36 (44) stitches and a k2, p1, k1 rib cuff measuring 4 cm in length. This ribbed cuff ensures a snug, comfortable fit around a child's wrist.

After the cuff, the needles are changed to 3.25mm and the thumb gusset shaping begins. The gusset is formed using a special increase technique called M1 (Make 1), which involves picking up the horizontal thread lying between two stitches and knitting into it to create a neat, virtually invisible increase. Increases are worked on either side of the thumb gusset stitches on every 4th row