Hand-Warmers

Crochet Hand-warmers PDF

Pattern for use by kind permission of Linda Maltby

These Hand-Warmers are designed to keep a child’s wrist and hand covered while leaving the fingers free. This pattern is essentially a square that will fold around the hand, leaving an opening for the thumb. The ribbing allows for extra warmth as well as stretch to fit the child as they grow. If you are concerned about warmth, please use 100% wool or a wool/acrylic blend. Please use a lighter yarn as the children need to be able to write while wearing the hand-warmers.

Materials and Tools

• Light worsted weight yarn (American)/DK (UK)/ 8ply (Aus)
• 4.00mm/US 6 hook

Notes

Please place one hand-warmer inside the other in order to keep them together. We ask that you not tie or safety pin them together. The volunteers must remove all of these fastenings prior to distributing, which is time consuming.

Abbreviations

Note: Pattern uses American terminology

Instructions

Make two Hand-Warmers. Chain 26.

Row 1: Sc in second chain from hook and in each chain to end. Turn. (25 sts)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in back loop of each st. Turn.

Repeat row 2 until piece measures 6″ (15cm). End, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Repeat for a second hand warmer.

Follow the Finishing Instructions for sewing.

Finishing

Join the foundation row and the last row (see photo for direction of ribbing). Beginning at top edge, sew sides together for 1” (2.5cm), leave next 1.5” (4cm) open for thumb, sew remainder of sides together. Weave in all tails.

Alternate joining instructions:

Crochet the last row to the beginning chain, with the chain row at the front of the work and using the back loops of the second-to-last row, right sides together.

For stitches 15 to 20 (thumb space), crochet only on the second-to-last row to create the opening.

Pick up both rows for the last five stitches. End, weave in all tails.

Add a sc edge around the top to stop little fingers from snagging the places where the yarn is carried. It also helps to give a nice finishing.

Variation

By Andrea Palmatier

The Hand-Warmers pattern is easily adapted to using more than one colour. Here is an example using 2 colours, A and B.

Chain 26.

Row 1: With colour A, sc in second chain from hook and in each chain to end. Turn. (25 sts)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in back loop of each st. Change to colour B, carrying A. Turn.

Row 3: With B, ch 1, sc in back loop of each st. Turn.

Row 4: Ch 1, sc in back loop of each st. Change to colour A, carrying B. Turn.

Row 5: With A, ch 1, sc in back loop of each st. Turn.

Row 6: Ch 1, c in back loop of each st. Change to colour B, carrying A. Turn.

Repeat rows 3 to 6 until piece measures 6” (15cm). End, leaving a long tail for sewing.

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