Fun knitting patterns for mittens and fingerless mitts designed to look like animals or with animal motifs. Most patterns are free. Updated 1/30/23
To get the knitting patterns, scroll down the page to the individual pattern you want and click on the link to that pattern.
These patterns are not my designs but links to other designers who have generously shared their patterns. If you have questions about how to knit a specific pattern, please contact the designer directly.
All links on this site are for informational purposes, but please note that some links are to affiliate sellers that pay me a small commission on purchases.
Free Patterns
Be the Butterfly Mittens
Norwegian-style mittens with a butterfly in stranded colorwork. Be the Butterfly designed by Susan at Lily Respair Designs.
Fishy Fingerless Mitts
Striped fingerless mittens designed like a fish with mouth around fingers and fins and felt eyes. Great stash buster for leftover yarn. Fishy Fingerless Mitts designed by Sarah Paterson.
Dragon Mittens
Mittens with a dragon and flames in Norwegian stranded colorwork. Green Dragon goes to Norway designed by Skyler Kopko.
Snow Pony and Horse Mittens
Norwegian-style mittens with horses designed in stranded colorwork. Snow Pony mittens have the full design in Sport yarn while the Horse mittens are a simplified version in worsted with optional covertible flip-top. Designed by Claire Butchkoski.
- Get the free Snow Pony knitting pattern
- Get the free worsted Horse knitting pattern
- See more Horse Knitting Patterns
Cabled Deer Mittens
Mittens with a stag’s head created with cables. Options: One has additional cables on the thumb, sides, and top while the other is entirely worked in reverse stocking stitch. Designed by LolaC101.
Kitten Mittens
Striped mittens with cat face and ears with the thumb as the tail. Rated easy by Ravelrers. Designed by Alyssa Lynough. Pictured projects by designer and cloverlaine who made some mods to knit from the bottom up with worsted weight yarn
- Get the free knitting pattern
- See the Ravelry page
- See cloverlaine's modifications
- See more Cat Knitting Patterns
Baby Bear Mitts
Easy newborn baby mittens with a teddy bear face. Great quick baby shower gift. Rated easy by Ravelrers. Designed by Giulia Irene. Uses less than one skein of Fingering weight yarn.
Octopus and Squid Mittens
Children's mittens designed to look like sea creatures. Designed by Yoko Johnston. DK weight yarn.
- Get the free Octopus knitting pattern
- Get the free Squid knitting pattern
- See more Octopus Knitting Patterns
Ladybug Mittens
Adorable mittens designed to look like a lucky lady bug or customize with colors of other favorite beetles. Sizes Child's S (5"), M (6"), L (7" long). Buggy Mitts designed by Morehouse Designs. Worsted weight yarn. Pictured projects by Rochestitcher and suespins
Flamingo Fingerless Mitts
Fingerless mitts featuring a stranded colorwork flamingo. Sizes small and large. Designed by Kitty Adventures. Fingering weight yarn.
Lobster Claw Mittens
Kids who are reluctant to wear regular mittens find it fun to wear lobster claws while playing outside, according to the designer. Designed by Katie Boyette. Also fun for a Halloween costume! Aran weight yarn.
More Free Patterns
Rainbow Unicorn Mittens
Fantastical children's mittens that are transformed into unicorns with a little easy colorwork and fringe. Sizes 12/18 months (2 - 3/4 - 5/6) years. Designed by DROPS design
Hedgehog Mittens
Designed by Ekaterina Sokolova
Flutterby Mitts
Fingerless mitts with cable and bobble butterfly and cable cuffs. Sport weight yarn. Designed by Karen Fournier.
Thumper Mitts
Fingerless mitts with a cute bunny cable. Designed by Karen Hoyle. DK weight yarn.
Eaten by a Shark Mitts
Fun mittens designed to look like a shark swallowing the hand, with shark fins and teeth. Designed by Yolanda Leung.
Owl Fingerless Gloves
Fingerless mitts with a cute owl cable knit in the round. Designed by Janis Frank. Aran weight yarn. Web version is free.
- Get the free knitting pattern - web version
- Buy the PDF knitting pattern at Lovecrafts
- See more Owl Knitting Patterns
Foxy Mittlets
Fingerless armwarmers with fox faces in stranded colorwork. Designed by Mertsu. Fingering weight yarn. Pictured projects by designer and knittintin. Available in English and Finnish.
- Get the ADULT free knitting pattern
- Get the CHILD SIZE free knitting pattern
- See more Fox Knitting Patterns
Nemo Mittens
Clown fish shaped mittens. Designed by Sigurlaug Eva Stefansdottir. Pictured project by mimouna
Squeaky Mitts
Melanie Gall’s gerbil-inspired motif can be used on fingerless mitts and mittens but also has been adapted for hats and more. Pictured project by mimouna
Fox in the Snow Mittens
This fair isle fox face pattern from Patons could also be adapted to hats, sweater decoration, and other items.
Penguin Mittens
Designed by Marianne Lind, these penguin mittens are sized for XS, S hands with a seam up the side.
Piglet Mittens
These pig inspired mittens come in six sizes Child’s S,M,L and Women’s S,M,L. Designed by SpillyJane. Pictured project by annypurls
Penguin Mittens
Designed by Frankie Brown, these mittens come in small, medium, and large.
Mouse Mittens
These child-sized mittens were designed by Janine Le Cras. Pictured project by Betty.
Batsy Mittens
Fun mittens with flying bats in stranded colorwork. Designed by Ziina. Available in English and Finnish.
Patterns for Purchase
Puppet Mittens - 10 Projects to Craft Little Friends Who Lend a Warming Hand
10 fun whimsical knit puppets for play AND mittens to stay warm throughout the day. Double duty means double the fun! Includes patterns for Puppy, Panda, Piglet, Frog, Dragon, Mallard, Flamingo, Cuckoo, Toucan, and Basic Mitten. Designed by Beth MacDonald.
Fantastical Fox Hat or Mitts
Flip-top fingerless mitts with an intarsia fox face. Matching hat is knitted in the round from the bottom up, with intarsia fox face. Mitt sizes S (M, L, XL). Hat sizes S (M, L). Designed by Vikki Bird. DK weight yarn.
Koala Fingerless Mitts
Easy to make fingerless mitts are worked flat and sewn into right and left fingerless mitts. Koala face is embroidered on with Duplicate Stitch and the tiny pompoms places as koala’s ears. All proceeds donated to Australian Koala Foundation until March 1, 2020. Designed by Alexandra Davidoff.
Puppy Dog Mittens
Adorable puppy mittens in sizes for the entire family! Sizes: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, teen, women, men. Designer allows you to sell items made from this pattern! Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Aunt Janet's Designs.
Owl Mittens
Mittens designed to look like an owl perching on a branch. Sizes for the entire family: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, teen, women, men.
Dinosaur or Dragon Mittens
These mittens are ALL knit, no crochet, according to the designer. Pattern is for 3 sizes Child’s Small (Medium, Large) 51/2 (61/2, 71/4)”
- See more pics and get the knitting pattern on Etsy
- See more Dragon Knitting Patterns
- See more Dinosaur Knitting Patterns
Lion Mittens
Sizes for the entire family: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, teen, women, men.
Hedgehog Gloves
These cute fingerless gloves come with written and charted instructions as well as step-by-step photos. The designer also offers the finished product for sale.
Teddy Bear Mittens
Includes instructions for the following sizes: 12 months, 2, 4, 6.
Knitted Animal Scarves, Mitts and Socks
These hedgehog mittens are one of the 35 patterns in this book that also includes accessories designed like a fox, kitten, duckling, shark, penguin, elephant scarf, zebra, mice, and more.
Elephant Gloves
Cute gloves designed to create an elephant shape on each hand using the thumb as its trunk and the fingers as feet. The ear is knit later and sewn on. The I-cord long tail connects both gloves to secure the gloves. Designed by Nazanin S. Fard.
