Bernie’s mittens and memes have been making me laugh all week long, so I had to make a tutorial so you can make your very own pair of old sweater mittens! This mitten pattern sewing printable is a free download to use with old sweaters with an easy tutorial to go with it! *This is solely a fashion post, not a political one! We can all appreciate handmade mittens!*
I’m sure Bernie would approve of these cozy mittens. Sewing mittens is super easy especially when you start with a sweater! You will have your own pair of mittens in no time!
Upcycled sweater mittens are a great way to keep warm and help the environment! The mitten template is free in this post and includes lots of sizes!
You may have a sweater you can recycle from your closet or hit the thrift store’s sweater section!
Learning how to sew mittens is really fast – you will be making lined mittens in no time. This sweater glove pattern is easy and fun to sew, even a beginner can tackle these!
Sweater gloves are the perfect winter accessory but you can also make them with other materials.
You can use a few different things as fabric for these mittens – old sweaters (recommended!), sweater knit fabric, fleece, or similar materials. The cuffs can be made from the bottom of your sweater, or the sleeve cuffs.
If you don’t have a good cuff on your sweater, ribbed knit fabric is a good choice. Any other stretch fabric with good stretch recovery will work for the cuffs to make sure your mittens stay on!
How to make Sweater Mittens
One sweater can make a few pairs of warm mittens. Sweater mittens are so cute and you can even line them with flannel or fleece for extra warmth. This free mitten sewing pattern comes in adult sizes as well as kid sizes.
Use extra fabric or the sleeve cuff of the sweater to make cuffs for your mittens!
Mitten Pattern Sewing Materials
- Old sweater
- Lining fabric, such as flannel, lightweight knit or fleece (optional)
- Cuff fabric (affiliate links) (optional)
- Decorative buttons (optional)
- Sewing machine, sewing scissors and pins
- Printable pattern, see below
If you want your mittens to be extra warm, try adding a faux fur lining.
This free mitten pattern will also work with fleece. Grab some fleece at the fabric store or thrift an old jacket to create fleece mittens.
NEW! Kids Mitten Pattern From Sweaters
Get the downloadable mitten pattern in two size sets below!
Updated! Download the new kids size mittens pattern below. This pattern has 5 sizes from toddler to big kid. I recommend using hand placement on the mittens pattern to find the best size for your child, but the approximate sizes are as follows:
- Toddler, age 2-3
- Kid XS, 3/4
- Kid S, 4/5
- Kid M, 6/7
- Kid L, 8/10
Use the same tutorial to create the kid mittens, but use a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Printable Mitten Pattern to Sew from Old Sweaters
Click on the pink button below to sign up for the newsletter and get the download. The pattern has multiple sizes for adults.
Print the free PDF pattern out from your computer using A4 or letter sized paper. Print at 100% or DO NOT SCALE. If you plan on making lots of these mittens, printing on card stock will give you a nice thick template!
When you print the mitten pattern it will print out on two pages. Check the box marked 1″ – if it measures 1″ you printed it to scale. If not, adjust your printer settings and print it again.
Trim around the dotted line on the pattern page. 
And tape pages together.
To choose your size, place your hand on the pattern and choose a size that is at least 3/4″ larger than your hand around all sides. The palm and thumb are connected in one piece on this mitten pattern.
You can choose to size up or down based on the stretchiness of your fabric and your mitten size preference.
Upscyled Sweater Mittens Instructions
For 1 glove, cut out two mitten pieces mirror image of each other. If you are using the bottom edge of the sweater as your cuff, place the mitten pattern right where the cuff ends and the sweater starts. If your sweater does have a cuff that stretches and contracts, you’ll want to use another part of the sweater or a different fabric for the cuff.
Cut through both front and back of the sweater and down straight or angled just a bit through the hem of the sweater.
Repeat to create the second glove.
Now separate your mitten pieces and lay them together with right sides facing each other.
Pin together, the inside of the sweater will be showing on both exterior sides.
Sew around the mittens using a 1/4 to 3/8 inch seam allowance. Sew around once with a straight stitch and again with a zig zag stitch. Serge seam allowances if you want!
Turn right sides out and repeat for second glove.
Sweater Mitten Pattern Sewing PDF Free – with cuff version
If your sweater doesn’t have a built-in cuff, you can cut off the end of a sleeve and use the tube as a cuff.
Cut the mitten pattern around the paper without adding extra at the bottom as shown above. Then sew and turn right side out. Stretch the cuff around the opening with right sides facing and edges matched up. Sew and flip cuff over.
When using a less stretchy fabric or fleece, you may want to add some elastic inside your cuff.
To line, cut out two layers of lining fabric and insert into glove before adding cuff.
I hope you enjoyed making your own mittens! I love upcycling sweaters into new items. A few of my previous projects include:
Oh, my… this darling post made me laugh out loud! Thank you, Kate. :)
how can I download the pattern????
I’ve clicked the download button several times but it only gives me a picture of the mittens. I’d really love to make these. Is there another way to get the pattern? Thanks!
When I click on the OLD SWEATER MITTEN PATTERN tab another copy of the article comes up but no pattern. What am I doing wrong?
Oops, disregard last comment, I got it! Thanks
your pattern download doesn’t seem to be working
I cannot download the pattern of the mitten
I have the pattern now thanks
The pattern isn’t available. It’s one of the photos instead. I love the Bernie mittens and as soon as I saw them.. wanted a pair for myself! Leave it to Bernie to make the grumpy old men look a new trendy fashion statement!
Can’t wait until the pattern is available. Thank you!
I can’t wait to make a pair of these mittens! Thanks for the pattern.
Just love the Bernie ‘smittens’ and all the hilarious places I’ve been seeing him lately. It really is a hoot! I’m sure Bernie will know it’s all in fun and will laugh himself. Actually, he looked to be the smartest one of the day because the others were very stylish, but looked like they were freezing! Bernie appeared to be comfortably warm and if I were him, I would’ve had ear muffs to match. :)
I’ve seen several patterns this week for the mittens, but yours is the best and the instructions are so much easier than others. I really am excited about making some for all of grandchildren that live in a very cold climate. Then a pair for me and the hubby are on order. Your easy pattern allows me to do all of that. Thank you!
Thank you for the pattern! Questions: if you use a sweater for the outside with cuff, and fleece for the lining – I’m assuming you cut the fleece the same as the outside piece (so, including the cuff). Are you then attaching them together along the cuff edge, turning right sides out and hand sewing the opening used to turn? I can’t think of any other way of doing it but haven’t made mittens before. Also, you mentioned sewing the cuff at a slight angle – is that to angle the cuff smaller or wider? Thanks!
thanks. I found it now.
For everyone who had trouble finding the pattern to download, I finally figured it out on the sixth try. If you click the link and see the mitten photo…scroll down the page. There you will enter your email address and click the actual download button.
Thank you for this! I was going crazy trying to get the pattern!
Hello, like other comment, i can’t get the patern, is it possible to put in in the files of the facebook page please ?? thanks a lot from France !
How do you add the lining? no instructions
Hi! I’m in the process of creating these mittens now. Love them! May I make one suggestion? Please change the pattern pieces to CUT 4 (of main and of lining) and CUT 2 on cuff. Even though I’ve been sewing for over 50 years, I almost had an issue with not having enough of the sweater bottom for the cuffs. Call it a brain cramp, but I think it might confuse others, especially beginners. Thanks! I ADORE your patterns!
How can I print out the mitten instructions without printing the whole article? I always like to print out all the instructions so nothing gets lost. Thank you and I enjoy all your creative ideas.