Free Knit Mitten Pattern: Peace Mittens for Children and Women
There is something quietly powerful about a pair of handknitted mittens. They carry warmth in the most literal sense, wrapping cold fingers in fiber that someone chose, wound, and worked stitch by stitch. But when those mittens carry a symbol — the peace sign, stitched into the fabric itself — they become something more than winter gear. They become a small, wearable statement.
This free knit mitten pattern, which I’m calling Peace Mittens, is designed for both children and women. It features a simple colorwork peace sign worked in stranded knitting across the back of the hand, a gusset thumb for a comfortable fit, and a cuff ribbing that keeps everything snug. Whether you’re knitting these as a gift, for a cause, or simply because you love a project with meaning, you’ll find the pattern approachable, well-explained, and satisfying from cast-on to the last weave-in.
Let’s dive in.
About This Pattern
Peace Mittens are worked flat and seamed, or in the round on double-pointed needles — I’ll give guidance for both approaches so you can choose what suits your skill level. The colorwork section is stranded, meaning you carry two colors simultaneously across a short section of stitches. If you’ve never done colorwork before, don’t worry. The peace sign motif is small enough that you’ll never carry yarn across more than five stitches at a time, which makes it excellent for beginners to stranded knitting.
The pattern includes two sizes: Children (fits roughly ages 4–10, hand circumference approximately 6 inches) and Women’s (fits a medium adult hand, hand circumference approximately 7.5 inches). If you need to adjust sizing, I’ve included notes throughout on how to add or subtract stitches.
Materials You’ll Need
Yarn: Worsted weight, approximately 100–120 yards for children’s size, 150–180 yards for women’s size. You’ll need a main color (MC) and a contrast color (CC) for the peace sign motif. Choose 100% wool or a wool blend for warmth and stitch definition. Superwash wool is great if you want easy care. I used a deep forest green for the MC and natural cream for the CC, but any high-contrast combination works beautifully — navy and white, burgundy and gold, charcoal and mustard.
Needles: US size 7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles (set of 5), or a 9-inch circular needle if you prefer magic loop. For working flat, a pair of straight US 7 needles. You’ll also want US size 5 (3.75mm) needles for the ribbed cuff.
Notions: Stitch markers, stitch holder or scrap yarn, yarn needle for finishing, scissors.
Gauge: 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch on size 7 needles. Gauge matters here — mittens need to fit a specific hand, so please swatch before you begin. Block your swatch for the most accurate measurement.
Abbreviations
Before we get into the pattern itself, here’s a quick reference for the abbreviations used throughout:
CO — cast on. BO — bind off. k — knit. p — purl. k2tog — knit two together (right-leaning decrease). ssk — slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease). m1R — make one right (right-leaning increase). m1L — make one left (left-leaning increase). pm — place marker. sm — slip marker. MC — main color. CC — contrast color. RS — right side. WS — wrong side. rnd(s) — round(s). st(s) — stitch(es).
Notes on Colorwork
The peace sign motif is worked using the stranded colorwork method. You’ll hold both the MC and CC at the same time and knit with whichever color the chart calls for on each stitch. The color not in use is carried loosely across the back of the work — this is called a “float.”
A few tips to make your colorwork smooth and even:
Keep your floats loose. It’s the most common mistake in colorwork to pull the non-working yarn too tight, which causes the fabric to pucker. When you switch back to a color you’ve been carrying, gently spread the stitches on your right needle before pulling the float across.
Catch long floats. In this pattern, you’ll never have a float longer than five stitches, but if you’re new to colorwork, you can catch floats at the two or three stitch mark to keep them tidy on the inside.
Tension is everything. Your colorwork gauge may differ slightly from your single-color gauge. Work a colorwork swatch if you can.
The Peace Sign Chart
The chart below is worked over 13 stitches wide and 13 rows tall. It will appear on the back of the mitten only, not the palm side. The “O” represents your main color (MC) and the “X” represents your contrast color (CC).
Work this chart from bottom to top, right to left on RS rows (when working in the round, always right to left).
Row 13: O O O X X X X X X X O O O
Row 12: O O X X O O O O O X X O O
Row 11: O X X O O O O O O O X X O
Row 10: O X O O O O X O O O O X O
Row 9: X X O O O O X O O O O X X
Row 8: X O O O O O X O O O O O X
Row 7: X O O X X X X X X X O O X
Row 6: X O O O O O X O O O O O X
Row 5: X X O O O O X O O O O X X
Row 4: O X O O O O O O O O O X O
Row 3: O X X O O O O O O O X X O
Row 2: O O X X O O O O O X X O O
Row 1: O O O X X X X X X X O O O
The peace sign is formed by the ring on the outside and the three lines radiating downward from the center point. The X stitches form the peace symbol itself; the O stitches are the background. You can reverse these colors if you’d prefer a light peace sign on a dark background.
On either side of this 13-stitch chart, continue working in MC to complete the round.
Pattern: Children’s Size
Finished measurements: Hand circumference approximately 6 inches, length approximately 7.5 inches from cuff to tip.
Cuff
Using smaller needles and MC, CO 28 stitches. Divide evenly across 4 double-pointed needles (7 sts per needle) and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist. PM to mark beginning of round.
Work in k2, p2 rib for 2 inches (approximately 12 rounds).
Switch to larger needles.
Hand Setup
Knit 1 round even in MC.
Begin thumb gusset:
Round 1: k14, pm (gusset marker 1), m1R, k1, m1L, pm (gusset marker 2), k to end. — 30 sts.
Round 2: Knit even.
Round 3: k14, sm, m1R, k to gusset marker 2, m1L, sm, k to end. — 32 sts.
Repeat rounds 2–3 until you have 9 stitches between the gusset markers (approximately 3 more increase rounds). — 36 sts total.
Knit 1 round even.
Separate thumb: Knit to gusset marker 1. Remove marker. Place the next 9 stitches (between markers) onto a stitch holder or scrap yarn. Remove second marker. CO 1 stitch over the gap using the backward loop method. Knit to end of round. — 29 sts.
Knit 1 round, then on the next round k2tog over the cast-on stitch and the stitch after it to close the gap neatly. — 28 sts.
Colorwork Section
Work 3 rounds even in MC.
Begin peace sign chart:
The motif is worked on stitches 1–13 of the round (the back of the hand). Stitches 14–28 are the palm side, worked entirely in MC.
Work all 13 rows of the chart, carrying MC along the palm side and working colorwork only across the back of hand stitches. When working the chart, refer to your chart rows 1 through 13 from bottom to top.
After completing the chart, work 2 rounds even in MC.
Shape the Top
Round 1: k1, ssk, k8, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k8, k2tog, k1. — 24 sts.
Round 2: Knit even.
Round 3: k1, ssk, k6, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k6, k2tog, k1. — 20 sts.
Round 4: k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1. — 16 sts.
Round 5: k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1. — 12 sts.
Round 6: k1, ssk, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k2tog, k1. — 8 sts.
Cut yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail. Thread through remaining 8 stitches, pull tight, and secure on the inside.
Thumb
Pick up the 9 held thumb stitches and distribute across 3 double-pointed needles. Pick up and knit 3 stitches from the gap at the base of the thumb. — 12 sts. PM and join to work in the round.
Knit 2 rounds even. Then on the next round, k2tog twice at the base of the thumb (where you picked up the extra stitches) to reduce back to 10 stitches.
Continue knitting in the round until thumb measures approximately 1.5 inches from the pickup round.
Shape top of thumb:
Round 1: (k3, k2tog) twice. — 8 sts.
Round 2: (k2, k2tog) twice. — 6 sts.
Cut yarn, thread through remaining stitches, pull tight, and secure.
Pattern: Women’s Size
Finished measurements: Hand circumference approximately 7.5 inches, length approximately 9 inches from cuff to tip.
Cuff
Using smaller needles and MC, CO 36 stitches. Divide across 4 double-pointed needles and join to work in the round. PM for beginning of round.
Work in k2, p2 rib for 2.5 inches (approximately 15 rounds).
Switch to larger needles.
Hand Setup
Knit 1 round even.
Begin thumb gusset:
Round 1: k18, pm, m1R, k1, m1L, pm, k to end. — 38 sts.
Round 2: Knit even.
Round 3: k18, sm, m1R, k to second marker, m1L, sm, k to end.
Repeat rounds 2–3 until you have 13 stitches between the gusset markers. — 48 sts total.
Knit 1 round even.
Separate thumb: Knit to first gusset marker. Remove marker. Place the 13 gusset stitches on a holder. Remove second marker. CO 2 stitches over the gap. Knit to end. — 38 sts.
On the next round, work those 2 cast-on stitches together (k2tog) to close neatly. — 37 sts. Then on the round after, k2tog once more over the seam stitch. — 36 sts.
Colorwork Section
Work 4 rounds even in MC.
Begin peace sign chart:
Work the 13-stitch chart across stitches 1–13 on the back of the hand side. Work stitches 14–36 in MC for the palm. Work all 13 rows of the chart.
After completing the chart, work 3 rounds even in MC.
Shape the Top
Round 1: k1, ssk, k12, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k12, k2tog, k1. — 32 sts.
Round 2: Knit even.
Round 3: k1, ssk, k10, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k10, k2tog, k1. — 28 sts.
Round 4: k1, ssk, k8, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k8, k2tog, k1. — 24 sts.
Round 5: k1, ssk, k6, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k6, k2tog, k1. — 20 sts.
Round 6: k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1. — 16 sts.
Round 7: k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1. — 12 sts.
Round 8: (k1, ssk, k2tog, k1) twice. — 8 sts.
Cut yarn, thread through remaining 8 stitches, pull tight, and secure.
Thumb
Pick up the 13 held thumb stitches. Pick up and knit 4 stitches from the gap. — 17 sts. PM and join in the round.
Knit 2 rounds even. On the next round, k2tog twice at the base of thumb to reduce to 15 sts.
Continue knitting in the round until thumb measures approximately 2 inches from pickup round.
Shape top of thumb:
Round 1: (k3, k2tog) 3 times. — 12 sts.
Round 2: (k2, k2tog) 3 times. — 9 sts.
Round 3: (k1, k2tog) 3 times. — 6 sts.
Cut yarn, thread through remaining stitches, pull tight, and secure.
Finishing
Weave in all ends on the inside of the mitten. If you worked in the round, there will be minimal seaming to do — just tuck and secure the tail where you joined the thumb stitches.
Block your mittens by soaking them in cool water with a small amount of wool wash, then pressing out excess water gently in a towel. Shape them flat or over a mitten blocker if you have one, and allow to dry completely. Blocking evens out the colorwork stitches beautifully and makes the peace sign pop.
If you notice slight puckering in the colorwork section before blocking, don’t panic. Blocking almost always resolves this. The peace sign motif, once washed and shaped, will appear crisp and clear against the background color.
Customization Ideas
One of the great joys of a free knit mitten pattern like this one is how easy it is to make your own. A few ideas to consider:
You can resize the pattern by going up or down a needle size while keeping the stitch count the same — just bear in mind that gauge will change and so will the final dimensions. Alternatively, add or subtract stitches in multiples of 4 to maintain the k2, p2 rib symmetry on the cuff.
The peace sign chart can be centered differently across the mitten back if your stitch count varies. Just find your center stitch, count 6 to the left and 6 to the right, and you’ve got your 13-stitch chart placement.
You can substitute the peace sign with any 13×13 colorwork motif you love — a snowflake, a star, initials, a heart. The construction is the same; only the chart changes
