Blogs

Knitting Mittens Made Easy: Learn to Use DPNs Like a Pro

Knitting Mittens Made Easy: Learn to Use DPNs Like a Pro

Wrap your hands in a handmade accessory. These cozy mittens hug your hand with love. DPNs are a favorite among knitters for making small-circumference projects, especially hats, socks, or mittens. These needles create a seamless tube that naturally fits the shape of your hand. This blog explains how to use double-pointed needles effectively in your project to make warm and wearable mittens.

Highlights

  1. Explore Knitting Abbreviations
  2. Why are double-pointed needles considered good for Small Projects?
  3. List of Materials Required for Mittens?
  4. Steps/Instructions on knitting mittens
  5. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them?

Knitting Abbreviations

Knit - K

Purl - P

M1L - Make one left

M1R - Make one right

Knit2together - K2tog

Round - R

Why are double-pointed Needles considered good for small projects?

DPNs are specially designed knitting tools that allow you to knit from both ends and are perfect for creating small projects. These needles are available in sets of 4 or 5, enabling knitters to distribute stitches evenly across multiple needles.

Here are some key advantages that you get with DPNs:

  1. DPN allows you to knit tubes in the round, delivering a clean, continuous finish for socks, mittens, or gloves, where seams would be visually undesirable.
  2. The short length of these needles enables knitters to work within tight rounds, which can be awkward with circular needles that require a minimum circumference to form a proper loop.
  3. With circular needles, you require magic loop techniques for very small circumferences. But DPNs naturally fit even the smallest tubes, making the knitting process straightforward for these projects.
  4. As you know, circular needles are bulky because of the cord, while double-pointed ones do not need a cord; hence, they are easy to handle small projects.

List of Materials Required for Mittens

Do you want to make cozy companions for your hands? Here are some materials that you require for your projects:

  1. For making warm mittens, wool-blend yarn is an ideal choice because it absorbs the moisture from the skin. Fingering or sport yarn weight is perfect for mittens and is available in the Terra range from Symfonie.
  2. Lantern Moon wooden double-pointed needles offer smooth knitting; the needle size depends on the project you are making. For small projects like mittens, the common needle length is 15cm (6").
  3. Knitting accessories, such as stitch markers, a wool needle, and scissors, are useful to have when working on any project.

Read More: HOW DO YOU KNIT FINGERLESS GLOVES?

Steps/Instructions on Knitting Mittens

Here are the steps that you can follow to knit the mittens for your loved ones:

Step 1: Measure the size of your hands

Do you know the size of your hands? Most of us are not aware of it, until and unless we measure them:

  1. To measure the hand circumference, wrap the tape around the widest part (excluding the thumb).
  2. Hand length is from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger.
  3. Measure the thumb length from base to tip.

This measurement will easily calculate the cast-on stitches required on your DPNs and rows to create.

Step 2: Casting-on and Working on Cuff

Your mitten must start at the wrist using either a long-tail or German twisted cast-on for a flexible edge. With DPNs, your stitches are distributed evenly across the three or four needles, leaving the last fifth needle free to knit with. Then, join the work in the round carefully, ensuring stitches are not twisted.

Knit the Cuff:

A ribbing pattern is a good choice for mittens:

  1. K2, P2 (for stretchy, snug cuffs)
  2. K1, P1 (for a neater edge)

Work in rib for about 2–3 inches, or to your desired cuff length.

Step 3: The next step is to knit the hand section

  1. Once you finish the cuff in mittens, it's time to switch to stockinette stitch (knit every round) for the main body of the mitten.
  2. The feature of double-pointed needles shines when you distribute the stitches evenly on three needles to maintain the perfect even tension.
  3. Continue knitting unless you reach the base of the thumb.

Step 4- Creating the Thumb Gusset

The thumb gusset provides both comfort and fit, allowing your mitten to shape naturally around your hand.

To make a thumb gusset shape:

  1. First, mark your starting point with stitch markers to avoid confusion.
  2. Then, increase stitches slowly on one side of the mitten (for the right hand) or the opposite (for the left hand).

You can try these patterns for gusset shaping:

R 1: In this, knit to marker, M1L (make one left), K1, M1R, knit to end.

R 2 (and alternate rounds): Knit.

Repeat the above steps until you have increased enough stitches for your thumb width, which is 12–16 extra stitches. Slip those thumb stitches onto a separate DPN or waste yarn for later work.

Step 5:  Shaping the Top of the Mitten

After handling the hand section measures just below the fingertips, it’s time to begin decreasing for the mitten’s rounded top.

Follow this simple decrease method:

R 1: (K2tog, knit across half the stitches) and repeat for each section.

R 2: Knit.

Alternate the two rounds until about 8–10 stitches remain. Cut your yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail. Thread the tail through the remaining stitches using a wool needle and pull tight to close the top.

Step 6: Knit the Thumb Portion in the Mitten

Now, it's time to knit the thumb stitches on your DPNs. First, attach the working yarn, pick up some extra stitches around the gusset opening (usually 3–5), and distribute the stitches evenly among three needles. Knit in the round until the thumb almost reaches its full length, then begin decreasing:

K2Tog, evenly spaced around one round.

It's essential that you continue knitting until only a few stitches remain, then pull the yarn through to tighten.

Step 7: It's time to give the finishing touch

Your mitten is fully knitted now! Try it on, adjust if needed, and then:

  1. Weave in all loose ends.
  2. Blocking your mittens by soaking them in lukewarm water, pressing out moisture, and laying them flat to dry. Blocking relaxes the fibers, evens the stitches, and enhances the shape.

Related Links: EASY KNITTING PROJECTS TO MAKE WITH DOUBLE-POINTED NEEDLES

Common Mistakes and How to Prevent

The following advice will help you make a perfect mitten:

1. Twisting the stitches

  1. The most common beginner error is accidentally twisting the stitches before joining to knit the mittens in the round. These twisted stitches create a spiral in the fabric.

Suggestion: Before you join in the round, first, lay your stitches flat on the needles and make sure all the cast-on edges face the same direction.

2. Uneven tension between the needles (ladders)

  1. Have you noticed the vertical gaps between the needles? These are ladders, which happen when the first stitch on a new needle isn’t pulled neatly.

Suggestion: After knitting the first few stitches on each new needle, gently tug on the working yarn to even out the tension. You can also rotate where you divide your stitches every few rounds to distribute any tension differences.

3. Slipping of stitches while switching needles

  1. DPNs are open from both ends and don't have a stopper. If you are not careful, these stitches might fall.

Suggestion: You can use needle stoppers or small rubber bands on the inactive needle ends when pausing your knitting.

DPNs are your secret weapon for creating small circumference projects because seamless knitting starts with the right tool from Lantern Moon. To create mittens- your hands' best friend, double-pointed needles are perfectly polished for effortless creativity. To avoid any mistakes and knit like a pro, you can further check our blog on 10 TRICKS & TIPS TO KNIT SMOOTHLY WITH DOUBLE-POINTED NEEDLES.

← Older post Newer post →