This is a crochet pattern review of the Calida Mittens designed by Sarah Ruane for Ned and Mimi. Review done by Kami Jones for Cre8tion Crochet.
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Find the crochet pattern review below, click here to find the free pattern from Ned and Mimi, click here to purchase the pattern on Etsy, or click here to purchase the pattern from Ravelry!
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Several years ago I had made my son a pair of mittens. Apparently he was still wearing them even though his hands were a lot bigger and they no longer fit. We decided it might be time to make a new pair. Because he really liked the mittens that I had made before, I decided to use the same pattern.
The Calida Mittens come together fairly quickly and have amazing texture from the post stitches. Since the ribbing is done in half double crochet, it works up pretty fast too. Additionally, with availability in eight sizes, you are sure to find a size that fits!
What Materials Do You Need to Crochet a Pair of Calida Mittens?
- 105 – 360 yards of #3 Light Weight/DK Yarn – I used 320 yards of Lion Brand Heartland in Olympic
- E4/3.5mm Hook for Ribbing
- G7/4.5mm Hook for Body
- Tapestry Needle
- Scissors
- Stitch Markers
- Calida Mittens, Free Crochet Pattern via Ned and Mimi
Material Notes:
The Calida Mittens pattern calls for #3 Lightweight/DK yarn. These mittens were designed using We Crochet Alpaca Cloud DK. Unfortunately, this yarn has been discontinued. My son chose Lion Brand Heartland for his mittens. Although this is a worsted weight yarn it worked out perfectly with my tension.
The designer suggested these alternatives for this pattern: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, Swish DK, or King Cole Baby Alpaca DK. You could also use Berroco Vintage DK yarn, Ella Rae Marmel yarn, or Juniper Moon Herriot yarn.
You will likely need stitch markers when working on this project. You will need 2 stitch markers per mitten to mark the stitches for adding the thumbs. If you prefer to work on both mittens at the same time, you will want to have 4. Additionally you will need another if you prefer to mark the beginning of the round. I highly recommend it for less experienced crocheters.
How Long Does it Take to Crochet a Pair of Calida Mittens?
I didn’t keep very good track of my time on these. They were made over the course of several days. Because my son was at school when I was working on them, I would have to wait for him to get home to make sure they fit right. However, I feel like they took between 4 and 5 hours for me to complete them. I made the medium adult size with a few adjustments. See pattern notes for my adjustments.
What Size Are the Finished Calida Mittens?
I made the medium adult size with a few adjustments. My ribbing is 4 inches tall and the body is 8 inches tall. The ribbing is meant to be folded for a measurement of approximately 2 inches.
The pattern provides options for baby to XL adult sizes.
Gauge:
Ribbing: 11 stitches and 7 rows is equal to 2 inches in hdc (third loop)
Body: 8 stitches and 6 rows is equal to 2 inches in alternating FPdc and BPdc worked in the round.
All About Making Calida Mittens:
Because my son has long, skinny hands, none of the measurements were quite right for his hands. After careful consideration, I made a medium for the band size. However I had to do a cross between the medium and the large for the body.
First I added the number of stitches for the large size into my medium band. Then I did the split for the thumbs according to the medium instructions. Finally when I decreased, I followed the medium, just stitching the extra two stitches according to the stitch pattern. After following the decreases for the medium size, I made two additional decreases using the round 18 and 19 instructions. This got rid of the extra two stitches and gave the length that I needed to fit his hands.
My son is very happy with his new mittens. And obviously I love this pattern because I don’t typically make the same pattern twice (except earrings).
Looking for More Crochet Inspiration?
Check out these other pattern reviews available right here on Cre8tion Crochet:
- The Wedgewood Mittens – Crochet Pattern Review
- Remy Mitten – Crochet Pattern Review
- Mittens Patterns Compilation
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