Easy Knitted Mittens for Winter

Materials

Winter is here, and it's time to bundle up and keep warm. One of the best ways to do this is by learning how to knit your own mittens. Not only will this save you money, but it's also a fun and rewarding hobby. In this article, we'll give you a beginner's guide on how to knit your own mittens, step by step.

Steps

Before you get started, you'll need a few materials. You'll need:

• Yarn (we recommend a bulky weight yarn for warmth)
• Knitting needles (size 8 or 9 is a good starting point)
• Scissors

Cast On

Now that you have your materials ready, let's get started.

Knit the Cuff

First, you'll need to cast on. This means creating the first row of stitches that will eventually become the cuff of your mittens. Start by making a slipknot and putting it onto your knitting needle.

Next, create the stitches by taking your working yarn and wrapping it around the needle. Insert the needle into the loop on your other needle, and then pull the yarn through to create a new loop on the working needle. Repeat until you have the desired number of stitches. We recommend around 30 stitches for adult mittens.

Create the Thumb Gusset

Now that you have your cast-on row, it's time to start knitting. For the first few rows, you'll be knitting in a basic stitch. This is called the garter stitch. To do this, simply knit every row until your cuff reaches the desired length. We recommend around 2 inches.

Knit the Body

Once your cuff is the desired length, it's time to start creating the thumb gusset. This is the section that will eventually become the hole for your thumb.

To do this, you'll need to increase stitches. Knit the first 10 stitches, then make a stitch by knitting into the front and back of the next stitch. Knit the rest of the row.

On the next row, knit the first 10 stitches, then make a stitch by purling into the front and back of the next stitch. Knit to the end of the row.

Repeat these two rows until you have 10 new stitches in the center of your work.

Create the Top Decrease

Now that your thumb gusset is complete, it's time to knit the body of your mitten. Knit all the stitches until the mitten reaches the desired length. We recommend around 6 inches.

Conclusion

Finally, it's time to create the top decrease. This involves decreasing the number of stitches in the top of the mitten so that it narrows towards the fingertips.

To do this, you'll need to knit two stitches together at the beginning of each row until you have just a few stitches left. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail, and weave it through the remaining stitches to close the mitten.

Now that you know how to knit your own mittens, it's time to get started. Remember that knitting is a skill that takes practice, so don't be discouraged if your first few mittens don't turn out perfect. With time and practice, you'll be able to create beautiful mittens that will keep you warm all winter long.

For more crafting inspiration, check out Ravelry, the largest online knitting community. Happy knitting!