Cozy and fashionable knitted hand warmers is a super easy and quick project to knit. It’s great for beginners and anyone wanting to practice knitting with double pointed needles.
In this tutorial, I’ll cover everything you need to know to create your own pair of knitted hand warmers. I’ll also provide step-by-step instructions with images to guide you through the process. It doesn’t get easier than this!
So grab your knitting supplies and get ready to whip up a pair of hand warmers that will keep your hands and arms toasty all season long!
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Knitting Hand Warmers for Beginners
Hand warmers, arm warmers, wrist warmers or whatever you like to call them, they all mean the same thing. They are cozy warm covers for your hands and arms.
Beginner patterns are a great way to practice new knitting stitches and techniques. And this easy hand warmers knitting pattern is a great way to practice both knit stitch and purl stitch and knitting with double pointed needles. That way, you can also enjoy a practical end result.
And if your wrists and arms are feeling the chill during the colder months, you can warm them up in style with these simple, good-looking and comfortable hand warmers. I tend to use them even when working on my laptop when it gets cold inside.
You can wear hand warmers on their own or layer them with other clothing or over gloves. I have a bad habit of freezing my wrists outside in winter. So, that’s what I do when it’s really cold.
Hand warmers make very thoughtful knitted gifts too. Honestly, who wouldn’t want personalized hand-knitted arm warmers? And it’s pretty easy to get the size right since most people have a regular sized wrist.
This is a great simple knitting pattern for beginners to practice with. You can also easily modify the pattern by knitting with different yarns and colors to make your hand warmers uniquely yours. Also, if you’d like your wrist warmers to go all the way up your arm just knit them longer.
Materials and Tools
You will need the following materials and tools to create these knitted hand warmers:
Hand Warmers Pattern Details
Skills Required: Cast on, bind off, knit, purl
Dimensions: About 7 inches (18cm) long and 7 inches (18cm) in circumference (size S)
Yarn: About 120 yards (110m) or 1.75oz (50g) of medium weight (worsted or aran) yarn
Needles: Size US 4 (3.5mm)
Gauge: 5 sts per inch
Sizing (circumference / number of stitches):
S = 7 inches (18cm), 36 sts
M = 7.5 inches (19cm), 40 sts
L = 8 inches (20cm), 44 sts
By following these instructions, you will create knitted hand warmers for medium size adult hands (M). I am using Novita 7 Brothers yarn in color 047 Lichen and US 4 (3.5mm) double pointed needles.
How To Knit Hand Warmers
Step 1: Cast On
Start by measuring about 24 inches (60cm) of yarn for the long tail cast-on.
Next, tie a slip knot on two double pointed needles. This is going to be your first stitch.
Then cast on 39 more stitches (or the amount needed for the size you want) by using the long tail cast-on. Now you have 40 stitches on your needles.
Finally, divide the stitches on four needles. The fifth needle without any stitches is your working needle. For reference, as I am knitting a size M, I have 10 stitches on each needle.
Step 2: Knit the Rounds
Be careful not to twist the needles and stitches when you join into round and start knitting your first round.
Rounds 1–2: Purl all stitches.
Rounds 3–4: Knit all stitches.
Repeat these four rounds 4 more times.
Rounds 21–22: Purl all stitches.
Rounds 23–27: Knit all stitches.
Round 28: Purl all stitches.
Repeat rounds 23–28 three more times.
Rounds 47–49: Knit all stitches.
Round 50: Purl all stitches.
Repeat rounds 47–50 one more time.
Rounds 55–56: Knit all stitches.
Rounds 57–58: Purl all stitches.
Repeat rounds 55–58 one more time.
You have now 62 rounds in total.
Each round ends after you’ve knitted needle 4. You can easily distinguish the starting point of the round by the cast-on tail end between needle 1 and needle 2.
Knitting tip! The pattern in the beginning and the end will be more visible when you keep your knit stitches loose and purl stitches tight.
Step 3: Bind Off
To bind off, knit the first two stitches from your needle 1 onto your working needle.
Next, insert your needle 1 into the first stitch you knit on your working needle, that is the stitch in the back. Now, lift the first stitch over the second stitch and drop it off the needle.
Continue this to bind off all stitches on all needles until you have one stitch left on your working needle. Then cut the yarn leaving about 8-inch (20cm) tail and pull it through the last loop.
Step 4: Weave in the Ends
Finally, weave in the extra tail end with the tapestry needle and cut off any extra length. Next, also weave in the cast-on tail end.
Now your first hand warmer is finished!
Step 5: Knit the Second Hand Warmer
Repeat steps 1 to 5 to knit the second hand warmer.
And there you have it! A cozy and fashionable pair of knitted hand warmers that you can wear all winter long.
Conclusions
Knitting your own hand warmers can be a fun and rewarding project that keeps your hands and arms toasty.
With this step-by-step tutorial, you have all the information you need to get started on your own pair of knitted hand warmers. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different yarns, colors, and knit patterns to make them truly unique to you. And once you have mastered the basics, you can even try more complex designs that incorporate cables, lace, or other decorative elements.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced knitter, making your own hand warmers is a great way to hone your skills and produce something practical and stylish. Or why not give them away—they make wonderful knitted gifts too.
So grab your knitting supplies and get started on your own pair of knitted hand warmers today!
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