Free Hedgehog Mittens Knitting Pattern

Here is a free hedgehog mittens knitting pattern for you.

These hedgehog mittens have been one of our oldest daughter’s favorite mittens for the last couple of years. I knitted them for her when she was around 4 years old I think. She is now growing out of them but they have been used a lot.

Mittens and socks that are knitted as animals are a fun way to keep the hands and feet of your loved ones warm. I remember that my grandmother knitted socks that looked like ladybugs when I was a child. Those socks were my favorite when I was little.

Free Hedgehog Mittens Knitting Pattern

These hedgehog mittens were made to fit a 4-year-old so this pattern is for a smaller child but you can always just add a few stitches when you cast on to make them bigger.

The yarn I used was a wool yarn that fits for needles size 3- 3,5. You could choose a yarn that is 100 % wool or some kind of mixed yarn. But the thickness should be for needles size 3-3,5.

Right Hedgehog Mitten:

Cast on 32 sts and divide evenly on four double-pointed needles(size 3/3,5). Start knitting the rib pattern for the cuff (1K, 1P) until the cuff measures 8 cm. Now it is time to start knitting the hedgehog stitch, you can scroll further down the page for how to knit the bubbly pattern. You will knit that pattern until you have knitted 6 cm from the cuff.

Now it is time to leave a mark for the thumb. Knit the first 4 sts on the first needle with a different color of yarn and continue knitting with your regular yarn to finish the row. Continue knitting the hedgehog bubbly stitch until it covers the little finger. Start decreasing the amount of sts by one on every needle when you knit. Knit the first two sts together through the back loop on the 1st and 3rd needle and the last two sts together through the front loop on the 2nd and 4th needle. Continue like that until 2 sts remain on each needle. Cut the yarn and pull it through the two remaining stitches.

The thumb:

Remove the four marked sts made with the other yarn and pick up sts from the upper and lower edges and on both sides so that you have 12 sts in total. Divide into 3 needles and knit the hedgehog bubbly stitch until the thumb measures 3,5 cm and start decreasing the number of stitches. Put all sts on only 2 needles and knit two first sts together in the back loop and two last sts together in the front loop on both needles. Continue until only 2 sts remain on each needle. Cut the yarn and pull it through the two remaining stitches. 

Left mitten: same as the right mitten but the mark for the thumb is made on the last four sts on the 2nd needle instead. 

Hedgehog Knitting Stitch

The hedgehog knitting stitch repeats itself every four rows.

Row 1-3: You will knit the first three rows as a normal knitting stitch.

Row 4: Knit one stitch, the second stitch is knitted in the third stitch below the top stitch. Keep on knitting every second stitch normally and every second is pulled from the third stitch below the top stitch. (You can see on the images or the video how it is done)

Row 5-7: Normal knitting stitch.

Row 8: Pull the first stitch from the third row below the top stitch, and knit the second stitch normally. Repeat the whole row around. So this row is similar to row 4, you have just shifted the pattern one stitch to the side.

Here is a video that shows you have to knit the hedgehog knitting stitch.

I really hope that the graphic or the video will make it clear how the hedgehog stitch is knitted. If anything is unclear, please feel free to leave a comment.

The hedgehog stitch is meant to look a little like the spines of the hedgehog. This way of knitting also makes the mittens warmer than if you just knit a normal knitting stitch.

What’s On My Needles Now

I hope you will have fun knitting these mittens. In the following weeks, I hope to post some more knitting inspiration.

Right now I have something black!! on my needles. After so many years of knitting, this is the first time that I knit something for myself that is black. But after knitting Nordic Christmas stockings in bright red and white for a couple of months, this is a good variation.

Here is a sneak peek at my current knitting project:

I will post more pictures and link to the pattern in a coming blog post.

More Knitting Inspiration

If you are looking for more knitting inspiration, here is a link to the other knitting patterns that we have published: https://underbartskapad.com/category/diy-en-en/knitting-patterns-en-en/

I hope you have a blessed start to this year and that you will have many cozy knitting moments this winter.

Many greetings from us at Wonderfully Made