Units

Calculator

Mitten & Fingerless Mitts Cast-On

Tell us your hand circumference and gauge — we'll give you the cuff cast-on count and the marker placement for the thumb gusset. Works for mittens (closed top) and fingerless mitts (open top).

Calculator

Measure around the widest part of the hand — across the knuckles, not including the thumb, in inches. Adult medium is typically 7.5–8 inches.

Swatch in the round in your main stitch, wash and block, then count the stitches across the standard 4 in swatch window — enter that count, not a per-in number.

Knitting and crochet gauge is measured over a standard swatch that is 4 inches — about 10 cm — square. Yarn labels and patterns use these two windows interchangeably, so "22 sts = 4 in" and "22 sts = 10 cm" mean the same thing. Enter your gauge however your pattern gives it and switch the unit toggle to match; your stitch count stays the same because it describes the same swatch. Finished measurements and yardage, where real lengths matter, are converted precisely (2.54 cm per inch).

Percent smaller than the hand. 5% is standard. Drop to 0% for loose-fitting fingerless mitts; raise to 10% for stretchy yarn.

Round to a multiple of N. Default 4 — fits ribbed cuffs and most stranded patterns. Use 8 for wider colourwork repeats.

Doesn't change the cast-on math — both styles share the cuff — but lets the result guide you correctly for the top of the mitt.

How this works

Mitten construction A front view of a mitten: a ribbed cuff at the bottom, the hand body rising to a rounded tip, a clean thumb projecting from the side, and a faint triangular thumb gusset on the palm fanning up from the wrist to the thumb base. Each section is labelled. cuff hand tip thumb thumb gusset crook of thumb base of hand Mitten construction
A mitten (front view): ribbed cuff, hand, a triangular thumb gusset with the thumb to the side, and a decreased tip.

Mittens and fingerless mitts both start with the same cuff: cast on in the round at the wrist, knit ribbing, then switch to the main stitch and knit until you reach the thumb. The cast-on count depends on hand circumference, gauge, and a small amount of negative ease so the cuff stays put. 5% is standard — bump to 10% for stretchy yarn or a tighter fit.

The thumb-gusset marker goes halfway around the cuff. Knit to that marker, work the gusset increases, then continue around to finish the round. After the gusset is wide enough for your thumb, put those stitches on hold (you'll come back to knit the thumb last) and join the round again at the gap.

Mitten vs fingerless — what's different

The cast-on, cuff, and thumb gusset are identical. The difference is what you do at the top:

Tips