4 Absolutely Fabulous, Fun, and Free Ways to Knit Hand Warmers

Want to knit hand warmers? Try one of these delightful free knitting patterns

You could say I met and fell in love with knit hand warmers very early on in my knitting life.

You see, I — like so many women in my family — constantly suffer from freezing hands during the colder months. When I work at my computer, I often have a space heater warm up my cold toes, but that doesn’t help my fingers much!

Enter fingerless mitts and gloves. Oh boy, when I discovered the existence of such knitting patterns, I was delighted! Finally, a way I could keep my fingers warm without sacrificing usefulness. (Have you ever tried to do anything around the house while wearing regular mittens or gloves? Yeah… it’s not easy.)

One of my very first circular knitting patterns, in fact, was a fingerless mitt pattern (you’ll see it listed below). I absolutely loved this pattern, and the resulting knit hand warmers went with me everywhere.

I literally wore them so much that I wore them right out!

Since then, I’ve knitted many pairs of hand warmers for myself and others. I’ve probably made at least 5 pairs of hand warmers just for myself over the past 10 years. I love them! (I love them so much I literally wear them out.)

Knit Hand Warmers for Yourself or for Your Loved Ones

If you’ve never knitted yourself a pair of hand warmers, I encourage you to give one of the following patterns a try. I have a hunch you’ll become as addicted to them as I now am.

Don’t forget about friends and relatives; knit hand warmers make outstanding gifts!

Fetching is the first hand warmer pattern I ever knit! This pattern is a great introduction to cables, and even for a beginning knitter, these hand warmers knit up quickly. If you’ve ever purchased a spur-of-the-moment ball of wool on sale, this is a great pattern to knit with it.

Dr. Suessesque Stripey Wrist Warmers are a fun way to knit simple striped wrist warmers. These are a great way to practice knitting in the round, either with DPNs or circular needles.  The easy knit tube requires zero purling.

Knit Flat Fingerless Handwarmers are a superb choice for knitters who prefer knitting flat. It’s a great choice for beginning knitters! The pattern offers a lovely lace stitch for the top and cuffs, but it also provides a ribbed alternative if you’d prefer more warmth. (For a photo of the lace design, check out the pattern’s Ravelry page.)

Cherry Red Handwarmers don’t have to be knit in a cherry red yarn, of course, but boy does it look gorgeous in red. Lovely details like lace and buttons make this a truly stylish pattern.

Try one or try all; I think you’ll agree that knit hand warmers are a project you can’t quit!

Need help with circular knitting? Check out my Mega Circular Guide and learn practically everything you need to know about circular knitting!