Autumn Flame Ribbon Mittens: Free Crochet Tunisian Knit Stitch Pattern for Kids

Autumn Flame Ribbon Mittens: Free Crochet Tunisian Knit Stitch Pattern for Kids

Introduction

These bohemian kids' mittens are the perfect first Tunisian crochet project for anyone who has never picked up a hook before. Each mitten is worked flat as a simple rectangle in Tunisian knit stitch, then folded and seamed into a cozy little tube — no complicated shaping, no working in the round, and no scary thumb gussets. The wide sunset ombre color blocks (deep plum, burnt orange, pumpkin, and marigold) make the finished mittens glow like an autumn evening, while a contrasting gold crocheted ribbon scarf loops playfully across the back of each hand for a Halloween-ready finish. The dense Tunisian knit stitch fabric looks and feels just like smooth stockinette knitting — soft, warm, and slightly stretchy — so the finished mittens hug little hands beautifully. If you can chain and pull up a loop, you can make these.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: DK weight (light worsted) 100% merino wool, approx. 246 yd (225 m) per 100 g skein. Colors: A = deep plum (approx. 25 g), B = burnt orange (approx. 25 g), C = pumpkin (approx. 25 g), D = marigold (approx. 25 g), E = gold (approx. 15 g for ribbon strips). Total approx. 115 g for the pair.
• Tunisian crochet hook: 6.0 mm (J-10) with a cable (the cable holds the loops while you work).
• Standard crochet hook: 5.0 mm (H-8) for the ribbon strips, cuff edging, and seaming.
• Stitch markers (at least 4).
• Yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle — a big blunt needle with an eye large enough for yarn).
• Tape measure and scissors.
• Finished size: Child — fits hand circumference 5.5–6 in (14–15 cm), length 6.5 in (16.5 cm) from wrist to fingertip. Finished mitten measures approx. 6 in (15 cm) around and 6.5 in (16.5 cm) long. Make 2.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch — chain: yarn over the hook, pull the yarn through the loop on your hook. This creates the foundation "chain" of loops you build on.
• yo — yarn over: wrap the working yarn over the hook from back to front.
• st / sts — stitch / stitches: one completed unit of the pattern.
• FwdP — forward pass: the first half of a Tunisian row, where you work loops onto the hook from right to left. You never turn your work in Tunisian crochet.
• RetP — return pass: the second half of a Tunisian row, where you work the loops back off the hook: yarn over, pull through 1 loop, then [yarn over, pull through 2 loops] across until 1 loop remains.
• Tks — Tunisian knit stitch: insert the hook between the two vertical bars of the next stitch (front to back), yarn over, pull up a loop. This is the stitch that makes the fabric look knitted.
• Tss — Tunisian simple stitch: insert the hook under the single front vertical bar of the next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop. (Not used in this pattern, but good to know.)
• sc — single crochet: insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops (1 loop remains).
• sl st — slip stitch: insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull the yarn through both the stitch and the loop on your hook in one motion. Creates an almost invisible joining stitch.
• bind off — finishing the fabric so the loops don't unravel: here, working a sl st in each vertical bar across the final row.
• whipstitch — a simple seaming stitch: bring the needle through both layers from front to back, then over the top, repeating to create small diagonal stitches.
• mattress stitch — an invisible seaming stitch worked between the edge stitches of two pieces; it pulls the edges together so the seam disappears.
• right side / wrong side — the "right side" is the pretty, outward-facing side of the fabric; the "wrong side" is the inside.

Gauge

14 sts and 14 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in Tunisian knit stitch with the 6.0 mm hook, after gentle blocking. Gauge is critical for fit — adjust hook size if needed (go up a hook size if you have more stitches than 14 in 4 in; go down if you have fewer).

Why gauge matters: Gauge is how many stitches and rows fit into a square of fabric. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern's, the mitten will be too large and slide off little hands; if smaller, it will be too tight to get on. How to swatch: With Color A and the 6.0 mm hook, ch 22. Work Row 1 as written below, then repeat Row 2 until you have 16 rows. Bind off. Lay the swatch flat, mist it lightly with water, and let it dry. Measure 4 in (10 cm) across the middle and count the stitches; measure 4 in down and count the rows. If you get 14 and 14, you're ready to begin.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Don't pull your yarn too tight. Tunisian crochet naturally curls and tightens; keep your loops relaxed and slide them along the cable as you go so the fabric stays soft and stretchy.
• Count your loops every forward pass. You should always have 21 loops on the hook at the end of each FwdP. If you have 20 or 22, fix it before the return pass — it's much harder to fix later.
• Use stitch markers to track color changes. Place a marker at the first row of each new color so you never lose your place in the 8-row blocks.
• Keep the first stitch of each row loose. The edge stitch (the one you skip the vertical bar on) is where beginners accidentally drop stitches — give it a gentle tug.
• Work a practice swatch first. Even 10 rows of practice will teach your hands the Tks motion before you commit to the real panels.
• Seam with the wrong sides together. When you fold and seam, keep the pretty knit-like texture facing out — check before you sew!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Mitten Panel (make 2)

With the 6.0 mm Tunisian hook and Color A (deep plum), ch 22.

Row 1 (FwdP): Insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, yo, pull up a loop; repeat across to end — 21 loops on hook. RetP. (21 sts)

Row 2 (FwdP): Skip the first vertical bar, Tks in each st across — 21 loops. RetP. (21 sts)

Rows 3–8: Repeat Row 2 in Color A. (21 sts; 8 rows total in A, approx. 2.25 in / 5.7 cm)

Change to Color B (burnt orange).

Rows 9–16: Repeat Row 2 in Color B. (21 sts; 8 rows, approx. 2.25 in / 5.7 cm)

Change to Color C (pumpkin).

Rows 17–24: Repeat Row 2 in Color C. (21 sts; 8 rows, approx. 2.25 in / 5.7 cm)

Change to Color D (marigold).

Rows 25–30: Repeat Row 2 in Color D. (21 sts; 6 rows, approx. 1.7 in / 4.3 cm)

Bind off: Work a sl st in each vertical bar across. (21 sts) Fasten off, leaving a 20 in (50 cm) tail for seaming.

Total panel: 21 sts wide x 30 rows tall = approx. 6 in wide x 8.5 in tall (15 cm x 21.5 cm). Repeat all rows once more for the second panel.

Seaming and Thumb Opening

Step 1: Fold the panel in half lengthwise with right sides together, matching the cast-on edge to the bind-off edge (this forms the wrist and fingertip ends).

Step 2: Starting at the wrist edge (Color A end), whipstitch or mattress stitch the side edges together for 2.5 in (6.5 cm).

Step 3: Leave the next 1.5 in (4 cm) unseamed for the thumb opening.

Step 4: Continue seaming the remaining 4.5 in (11.5 cm) up to the fingertip edge. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Step 5: Turn the mitten right side out. Repeat for the second mitten, reversing the seam side if desired for a mirrored pair.

Cuff Edging (optional but recommended)

With the 5.0 mm hook and Color A, join yarn at the wrist edge. Ch 1, work 22 sc evenly around the wrist opening, sl st to the first sc. (22 sc) Fasten off. Weave in ends. Repeat for the second mitten.

Ribbon Scarf Strip (make 2)

With the 5.0 mm hook and Color E (gold), ch 41.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across — 40 sc. Ch 1, turn. (40 sc)

Row 2: Sc in each sc across — 40 sc. Ch 1, turn. (40 sc)

Row 3: Sl st in each sc across. (40 sts) Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail.

Strip measures approx. 1 in wide x 9 in long (2.5 cm x 23 cm).

Ribbon Appliqué

Step 1: Lay the mitten flat with the back of the hand facing up (the side without the seam ridge).

Step 2: Position one gold strip diagonally across the back of the hand, starting near the wrist on one side and ending near the opposite side at mid-hand, creating a gentle S-curve or loop. Pin in place.

Step 3: Using the 5.0 mm hook and matching gold yarn, sl st the strip to the mitten surface along both long edges, working through the strip and the mitten fabric. Alternatively, whipstitch with a yarn needle.

Step 4: Fold one end of the strip under by 0.5 in (1.3 cm) to create a finished ribbon tail; tack down with a few stitches. Repeat for the other end if desired.

Step 5: Repeat on the second mitten, mirroring the curve direction for a symmetrical pair.

Assembly and Finishing

Weaving in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto the yarn needle and weave it back and forth through the wrong side of the fabric for about 1 in (2.5 cm), then trim close to the fabric. Never knot your ends — knots create lumps that press into little hands.

Blocking: Lightly mist each mitten with cool water (or gently wet it in a sink and roll it in a towel to remove excess water). Shape it to the finished measurements — 6 in (15 cm) around and 6.5 in (16.5 cm) long — and lay it flat to dry. Do not hang the mittens while drying, or the weight of the water will stretch them out of shape. Blocking smooths the Tunisian fabric and evens out the color blocks.

Optional hanging loop: Add a small gold sc chain loop (ch 8, sl st to the starting point) at the wrist edge of each mitten for hanging.

Care: Hand wash cold with gentle detergent, reshape, and dry flat.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the palette: Swap the sunset ombre for any four DK colors you love — try icy blues and silver for winter, or pastel pinks and mint for spring. Keep Color E metallic or bright for the ribbon contrast.
• Adjust the size: For a slightly larger child, add 2 chains to the foundation (ch 24 = 23 sts) and add 2 rows to each color block; this adds roughly 0.5 in (1.3 cm) in width and length. For a smaller toddler, subtract 2 chains and 2 rows per block.
• Substitute yarn: Any DK weight yarn works — acrylic is machine-washable and great for kids, while a merino/alpaca blend is extra warm. Always re-check your gauge swatch when changing yarn.
• Make it a mitt without the ribbon: Skip the appliqué for a simpler everyday mitten, or use a contrasting scrap yarn to add a simple embroidered star or leaf on the back of the hand instead.