More knit wit, less nitwit

November 27, 2022 6:07 AM

I need to find a pattern for adaptive thumbless mittens. I have found precisely one, and it isn't all that. I have thoughts ...?

This is the one pattern I found and it's ok and all, but a bit plain. Also, it's on double pointed needles and again while I can use them, I find circulars more comfortable.

The question is could I use a pattern I prefer with thumbs included and then just ... ignore the thumb part? What would that do to sizing, gauge, etc.? For context, the gloves are for a young person with special needs who is 11, but small for their age; I was also wondering about using a pattern for baby thumbless mittens and sizing them up but wouldn't know how to do that. Have any of the knitters here done any resizing that worked?

My knitting skills are basic but I've completed scarves, hats, cowls (and many years ago, in my first go round, a sweater and a pair of gloves as well). I cannot crochet at all - it looks hard.

I'm on Ravelry but wanted to ask here first.
Thanks.

posted by Martha My Dear Prudence to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (6 answers total)

Yes you absolutely could use a thumbed mitten pattern and then ignore the thumb instructions, especially if the thumb is an “afterthought” type and doesn’t incorporate any increases or have a gusset.

Sizing up a pattern is also doable and usually involves adding stitches or changing the gauge to use larger needles and thicker yarn. Doing this usually requires knitting a gauge swatch, taking measurements, and doing some simple math to get your stitches per inch number (gauge).

Also you can always substitute circular needles in any pattern that calls for DPNs. Especially if you are using circulars in the “magic loop” mode.
posted by fancyoats at 6:16 AM on November 27, 2022 [3 favorites]

Yes, you can just skip the thumb on a pattern you like. Start with the pattern after the wrist ribbing and keep knitting in whatever pattern you choose until you get to the decreases at the top.

I would not change sizes or gauge. I wear knit mittens and sometimes pull my thumb in to warm it up and it’s never been too tight as most patterns will have a fair amount of ease.

I suggest lining with fleece or doing a double knit mitten (like one knit mitten inside the other) as just a knit mitten itself isn’t very warm.
posted by scantee at 6:20 AM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]

So, what your hoping for at the end is basically a fancy tube, with one end closed and the other end with ribbing? Does this person have none of the thumb structure at all, including the meaty thenar eminence at the wrist end of the palm?

If so, then, yeah, any mitten pattern will work, ignoring the thumb instructions. You just want to work plain where the thimb would be.

There are lots of kids mittens, in addition to adult and baby. If you're a pattern knitter, find one that had the circumference you're looking for, match gague, and have at it. You can also find a mitten "recipe" and plug in your desired measurements and gauge to find out what your stitch counts should be. You can even add some patterning on the back: cables, color, or texture.

Feel free to menail me if you need some help with any steps.
posted by DebetEsse at 11:43 AM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]

You may want to look at sock patterns. Our kiddo was born without most of one hand and gloves and mittens fell right off because his palm wasn’t wide enough to keep them on. Socks worked well because they could go up the arm enough to stay on.
posted by Ookseer at 2:48 PM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]

You could adapt a golf club cover pattern. Cast on more stitches as necessary to go over hand, knit fewer inches of ribbing. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/basic-golf-club-head-cover-driver-or-putter
posted by Joleta at 8:24 PM on November 27, 2022 [1 favorite]

i was gonna suggest looking at toe up sock patterns as well. or, cast on the right amount for the wrist cuff, knit straight for a while, then do decreases like you would for a hat starting about 2 inches before where the glove should end.

this search result on ravelry might have some good ideas.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 9:32 AM on November 28, 2022 [1 favorite]