Bundles: Fingerless Mitts by Kerri Blumer — Everything You Need to Know Before You Cast On

If you’ve spent any time in the knitting and crochet community lately, you’ve probably come across the name Kerri Blumer and her beloved Bundles pattern collection. Among her most popular designs, the Bundles Fingerless Mitts have earned a dedicated following for good reason — they’re warm, stylish, beginner-friendly enough to be approachable, and satisfying enough to keep experienced crafters coming back for more. Whether you’re a first-time mitt knitter or you’ve made dozens of pairs and are looking for your next favorite pattern, this guide covers everything you need to know about the Bundles Fingerless Mitts, from yarn selection and sizing to tips for making your finished pair look absolutely polished.

What Are the Bundles Fingerless Mitts?

The Bundles Fingerless Mitts pattern by Kerri Blumer is a textured hand-warming design that features a cozy, chunky aesthetic without sacrificing wearability. The defining characteristic of any Bundles design is the bundled stitch detail — a clever technique that gathers stitches together to create a soft, dimensional texture that looks intricate but is surprisingly manageable once you get the hang of it. The fingerless mitt version takes this signature look and applies it to a practical accessory that you can wear while still using your hands freely, making them perfect for commuters, coffee drinkers, typists, dog walkers, or anyone who wants warm wrists without losing dexterity.

What sets this pattern apart from the dozens of other fingerless mitt patterns floating around online is that combination of texture and structure. Many simple mitt patterns are basically a ribbed tube with a thumb hole, and while those are perfectly serviceable, the Bundles Fingerless Mitts feel like you made something truly special. The bundled stitch detail elevates the entire piece, giving it a handcrafted, artisan quality that people will notice and compliment.

Kerri Blumer has a well-earned reputation in the indie pattern design world for creating patterns that are clear, thoughtfully written, and designed with real knitters in mind. Her instructions walk you through each step with enough detail that you won’t find yourself lost in abbreviations, but without so much hand-holding that experienced knitters feel talked down to. It’s a balance that’s genuinely difficult to strike, and she does it beautifully.

Why Fingerless Mitts?

Before diving deeper into the specifics of this pattern, it’s worth pausing on the fingerless mitt format itself and why so many knitters love making them. Fingerless mitts are one of the most practical accessories you can knit. They solve a very real problem: your palms and wrists get cold, but you still need your fingers to do things — type, scroll your phone, hold a steering wheel, handle cash, carry a bag. A full mitten or glove solves the cold problem but creates a new one. Fingerless mitts split the difference perfectly.

From a knitting perspective, they’re also an ideal project for several reasons. They work up relatively quickly compared to a full sweater or pair of socks, so you get the satisfaction of a finished object in a reasonable amount of time. They’re small enough to be a great travel or commute project. You need to make two, which means you get to practice the pattern a second time, and the second mitt almost always turns out better than the first — so by the time you’re done, you have a matched pair where both mitts reflect your best work. And because they’re small, they don’t require a huge yarn investment, which means you can splurge on a beautiful skein of hand-dyed yarn without breaking the budget.

The Bundles Fingerless Mitts check all of these boxes and add the bonus of a distinctive stitch pattern that makes the finished object look like something you’d find in a boutique rather than a box store.

Yarn Selection: What Works Best

Choosing the right yarn for any textured pattern is crucial, and the Bundles Fingerless Mitts are no exception. The bundled stitch detail relies on a certain amount of drape and stitch definition to show off properly, so your yarn choice will have a significant impact on how the finished mitts look and feel.

For the most striking stitch definition, you’ll want a yarn with a smooth, tightly plied construction. Woolen-spun yarns with a halo, like many brushed mohair blends, can obscure the bundled texture, making it harder to see the dimensional quality that makes this pattern so special. A worsted or DK weight yarn in a smooth, round construction will let the stitches pop beautifully.

Fiber content matters too. A high-quality wool or wool blend is typically the best choice for fingerless mitts because wool has natural elasticity, which helps the ribbing and textured sections spring back and maintain their shape over time. It’s also warm and breathable, which is exactly what you want in a hand warmer. Many knitters love making the Bundles Fingerless Mitts in a merino wool or a merino-nylon blend, the latter of which adds durability to a high-use accessory that will be put on and taken off repeatedly throughout the day.

If you’re making these as a gift for someone with a wool sensitivity, a smooth superwash wool or a plant-fiber blend like cotton-linen can work well, though keep in mind that plant fibers have less elasticity than animal fibers, so the fit may be slightly different. If going this route, consider sizing down half a size to compensate.

In terms of colorways, the bundled texture truly shines in solid or semi-solid colors. The dimensional quality of the stitch pattern can get visually lost in a highly variegated or pooling yarn, which is a shame when you’ve put in the work to create all that beautiful texture. A rich jewel tone, a warm neutral, or a deep heathered color will all show off the pattern to its best advantage. That said, if you have a favorite skein of something more colorful that you’ve been dying to use, don’t let that stop you — part of the joy of knitting is experimenting, and sometimes the unexpected pairings turn out to be the most memorable.

Sizing and Fit

One of the things knitters appreciate about Kerri Blumer’s patterns is that she takes sizing seriously. The Bundles Fingerless Mitts come in multiple sizes to accommodate a range of hand circumferences, and the pattern includes guidance on how to measure your hand and choose the right size for the best fit.

Fingerless mitts fit differently than mittens or gloves because they don’t have to accommodate the full length of your fingers — but the circumference and length of the hand section still matter a great deal. A mitt that’s too tight will feel restrictive and may distort the stitch pattern. One that’s too loose will slide around and bunch awkwardly at the palm, which is annoying and unflattering.

The most important measurement is your hand circumference, taken around the widest part of your palm, excluding the thumb. For most adults, this falls somewhere between 6.5 and 9 inches, though hands outside this range are absolutely common. Take your measurement and compare it to the finished measurements listed in the pattern, keeping in mind that most fingerless mitts are designed to have a small amount of negative ease — meaning the mitt is slightly smaller than your hand measurement, so it grips gently rather than hanging loose.

The length is more flexible and largely a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer their fingerless mitts to end just below the first knuckle, while others like them to come up and cover the lower part of the fingers. The Bundles Fingerless Mitts pattern gives you a clear framework and enough guidance to adjust the length easily if needed.

The Bundled Stitch: Understanding the Technique

If you haven’t worked a bundled stitch before, it might look a little mysterious on the page, but it becomes intuitive very quickly once you work a few repeats. The basic idea is that you slip a group of stitches onto a cable needle or hold them out of the way, work a few stitches, then work the held stitches — the act of gathering them together creates that characteristic bundled or gathered look.

The key to a clean, professional result is consistent tension. Because you’re manipulating stitches in a way that’s slightly different from standard knitting, it’s easy to pull too tight or leave things too loose when you first encounter this technique. A few swatching rows will help you find your rhythm. By the time you’ve worked a full pattern repeat, you’ll likely feel completely comfortable with it.

It also helps to work with a wooden or bamboo cable needle if you’re using one, as these materials have a bit of grip that prevents stitches from sliding off accidentally while you’re managing the bundle. If you prefer to work cable-style by holding stitches against the work without a needle, that’s a perfectly valid approach once you’ve gotten the hang of the rhythm.

For left-handed knitters or those who work continental style, the technique translates directly — the mechanics are the same regardless of how you hold your yarn or needles.

Tips for a Beautiful Finished Pair

Getting a pattern right is one thing; finishing it beautifully is another. Here are some of the practical tips that experienced knitters have found most helpful when making the Bundles Fingerless Mitts.

Swatch, and swatch honestly. This means making an actual swatch, washing and blocking it the way you’ll wash your finished mitts, letting it dry completely, and then measuring it. Gauge matters more for a fitted accessory like fingerless mitts than it might for a blanket or shawl where a little looseness or tightness won’t affect wearability.

Block your finished mitts, even if it feels like overkill for a small project. Wet blocking — soaking the finished mitts in cool water with a drop of wool wash, gently pressing out the excess water in a towel, and then laying them flat to dry — evens out the stitches and allows the bundled texture to open up and settle into its full dimensional beauty. The difference between an unblocked and a blocked pair of these mitts is genuinely striking.

Weave in your ends securely and in multiple directions. Fingerless mitts are put on and taken off constantly, which puts stress on the seams and any points where you’ve joined new yarn. A few extra minutes spent securing those ends properly will save you from the frustration of unraveling later.

If you’re making these as gifts, consider making a small label or tag with care instructions, since many recipients may not know how to care for hand-knit wool items. A simple “hand wash cold, lay flat to dry” note makes a big difference in the longevity of your gift.

Making a Second Pair: The Bundles Fingerless Mitts as a Gift

These mitts are one of the most popular knitting gift patterns for good reason. They’re quick enough to complete in a reasonable amount of time, practical enough to actually get used, and beautiful enough to feel like a real luxury item. A pair of hand-knit Bundles Fingerless Mitts in a recipient’s favorite color, made from a soft, high-quality yarn, is the kind of gift that people genuinely treasure.

For gift knitting, the only real challenge is sizing without being able to measure the recipient’s hand. A good rule of thumb is that an average adult woman’s hand measures about 7 to 7.5 inches in circumference, and an average adult man’s measures about 8 to 8.5 inches. When in doubt, sizing up slightly is usually better than sizing down — a mitt that’s slightly roomy is more comfortable than one that’s slightly too tight.

Giving the recipient the gift along with information about the pattern and the yarn is a lovely touch if they’re a knitter themselves, as they may want to make a pair for themselves in a different color once they see how beautiful the finished mitts are.

Where to Find the Pattern

Kerri Blumer’s patterns, including the Bundles Fingerless Mitts, are available through the major knitting pattern platforms where indie designers sell their work. Ravelry is the most well-known hub for knitting and crochet patterns, and it’s worth searching there for the pattern if you don’t already have a copy. Many designers also sell their patterns through their own websites or through platforms like Etsy, so a quick search for Kerri Blumer’s design shop will point you in the right direction.

If you’re new to purchasing digital knitting patterns, the process is simple: you purchase the PDF, download it, and either print it out or keep it on a device to reference while you work. Many knitters like to print the pattern and keep it in a small binder or folder, making notes as they go. Others work entirely from a tablet or phone. There’s no wrong approach — whatever keeps you organized and lets you track your progress.

Joining the Community

One of the best parts of making a popular pattern like the Bundles Fingerless Mitts is that there’s a whole community of knitters who have made the same thing and are happy to help if you run into questions. On Ravelry, you can look at the project pages of other knitters who have made the pattern — these are often full of beautiful finished object photos, notes on yarn substitutions, and helpful tips about tricky sections. If you get stuck on the bundled stitch or have a question about sizing, chances are someone has already asked the same question and gotten a helpful answer.

Instagram and Pinterest are also wonderful resources for visual inspiration. Searching the pattern name or the designer’s name will bring up a wealth of finished object photos that can inspire your color choices and remind you what you’re working toward on those evenings when the project feels slow.

Final Thoughts

The Bundles Fingerless Mitts by Kerri Blumer represent everything that’s great about indie knitting pattern design: a thoughtful construction, a distinctive and satisfying stitch pattern, clear instructions, and a finished object that’s genuinely beautiful and useful. Whether you’re making your first pair or adding them to a long list of completed projects, these mitts are the kind of pattern that earns a permanent place in your favorites folder — the one you return to every fall when the temperature drops and you remember how much you love wearing them.

Grab a skein of your favorite smooth wool, find your needles, and cast on. The bundled stitch will feel new for exactly one repeat, and then you’ll find your rhythm, and before long you’ll have a pair of mitts that look like they belong in a craft boutique — because they do.