Give Fair Isle knitting a try with our free knitted mittens pattern

How gorgeous are these knitted mittens by Faye Perriam-Reed? If you’re new to stranded colourwork, this is a great project to start with. These Fair Isle mitts are a manageable size and use just two colours, so they won’t cause you any headaches.

• Life in technicolour: The essential guide to Fair Isle knitting
• Speedy beanie knitting pattern
• Essential knitting tools

Cosy and simple, they’re sure to become a favourite you’ll wear year after year! Once you've finished, learn how to create a flawless finish by weaving in yarn ends neatly in Faye's handy tutorial.

To make these knitted mittens you will need:

• Blacker Swan, Falkland Islands Wool DK (100% wool, 50g/110m), or alternative DK yarn, 1 ball of each:
  • Yarn A Balsam Bog
  • Yarn B Pale Maiden
• A set of 3mm double-pointed needles (DPNs)
• A set of 4 1⁄2mm double-pointed needles (DPNs)
• A set of 5mm double-pointed needles (DPNs)
• Stitch holders or waste yarn
• Tapestry needle

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Tension

Yarn used knits as DK to this tension: 22 sts and 26 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over st st using 5mm needles

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Size

Actual palm circumference: Small-Medium 18cm (7in) Large 21cm (81/2in)

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Charts

Start at the bottom right-hand corner. Read all rounds from right to left. A row of squares represents a row of knitting.

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Abbreviations

You’ll find our standard knitting abbreviations in this pattern. This pattern is written in UK terminology but it’s really easy to convert using our yarn weight conversion chart and beginner’s guide.

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Free mittens knitting pattern

Mitten (Make 2)

Cast on 40 (48) sts using 3mm needles and Yarn A, and join to work in the round, taking care not to twist sts.

Place marker to mark beg of round. Work in K2, P2 rib for 25 (35) rounds.

Change to 5mm needles.

Work Rounds 1-8 (1-18) from Chart for your size, increasing on Rows 3 (11), 5 (13), 7 (15) and – (17) in Yarn A where indicated by picking up the strand between sts where indicated and knitting into the back of it.

Round 9 (19) Work first 20 (23) sts of Chart, place next 7 (9) sts onto waste yarn for thumb, cast on 10 sts to RH needle using backwards loop method, pass last of these cast-on sts to LH needle and work this stitch tog with the next st as per Chart. This tightens the gap where the sts are joined.

Continue to work Round 9 (19) to end.

Continue to follow Chart as set to Round 36 (46), working decreases where indicated on Rounds 13 (21), 15 (23), 17 (25) and - (27). [40 (48) sts]

Change to 41⁄2mm needles.
Next round Knit using Yarn A.
Dec round 1 *Ssk, K16 (20), k2tog; rep from * once more.

Dec round 2 *Ssk, K14 (18), k2tog; rep from * once more.
Rep last round, working 2 sts less between the ssk and the k2tog on each round until you are left with 8 (10) sts.

Join the top of the Mitten with Kitchener stitch, or grafting.

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Thumb

Slip 7 (9) sts from waste yarn onto LH needle and pick up 9 (11) sts from around thumb.

Place marker to mark beg of round. [16 (20) sts]

Next round K7 (9), ssk, K5 (7), k2tog. [14 (18) sts]
Next round Knit.

Continue to knit in rounds until the thumb measures approx 5 (6)cm or desired length.

Small-Medium size only

Next round (S2kpo), rep to last 2 sts, k2tog. [5 sts]

Large size only

Next round (S2kpo) to end. [6 sts]

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Finishing

Draw yarn through remaining sts, pull tight and weave in any loose ends. Gently block the mittens to shape, following any special care instructions on the ball band.

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Find the perfect knitted accessories

Once you've made this free mittens knitting pattern, you'll want to stitch up the rest of your winter accessories. Find your next project in our list of 17 cosy scarf knitting patterns you can make this weekend.