By Clara June
There’s something magical about settling into your favorite reading chair with a good book, a hot cup of tea, and a cozy pair of handmade mitts. These Victorian Reading Mitts combine the classic elegance of vintage lace with the practical warmth you need for chilly mornings at home. Whether you’re turning pages, typing on your laptop, or sipping coffee, these fingerless gloves keep your wrists and hands toasty without sacrificing mobility.
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Perfect for confident beginners, this easy crochet pattern uses a simple V-stitch to create a delicate, lacy texture that looks far more complicated than it actually is. The gloves start with a stretchy, ribbed cuff worked flat, followed by the hand section worked in joined rounds. You’ll have a beautiful new accessory in just a few hours!
Quick Stats:
- Skill Level: Easy
- Finished Size: Adult Medium (7.5″ circumference, 8″ length)
- Yarn: DK weight, approximately 150 yards
- Hook: US G/6 (4.0 mm)
Scroll down for the complete free pattern with mathematically verified stitch counts at every row!
What You’ll Need
- Yarn: DK (3) weight yarn in a soft fiber like Merino wool or an alpaca blend — approximately 150 yards total.
- Hook: US G/6 (4.0 mm) crochet hook
- Notions: Yarn needle, stitch markers, scissors
- Gauge: 16 sts and 12 rows = 4″ in V-stitch pattern
Tips Before You Start
- Gauge check: While these are forgiving, checking your gauge ensures the gloves will comfortably fit an average adult hand. If your mitts are coming out too tight, go up a hook size.
- Reading the pattern: The chain-4 at the beginning of the hand rounds counts as your first double crochet AND your first chain-1 space.
- Seaming the cuff: When slip stitching the cuff together, make sure you don’t pull your yarn too tightly, or the wrist opening will lose its stretch.
Pattern Instructions
Special Stitches
V-stitch (V-st): (dc, ch 1, dc) in the same stitch or space.
Picot: ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.
Notes
- Pattern is written for Adult Medium.
- The gloves are worked from the bottom up, starting with a flat ribbed cuff that is seamed together.
- The hand is worked in joined rounds along the edge of the cuff.
- Stitch counts are given in bold at the end of each row and round.
Cuff (Make 2)
Row 1 (RS): Ch 11, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (10 sts)
Rows 2-30: Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st across, turn. (10 sts)
Seaming: Fold cuff in half bringing first and last rows together. Ch 1, sl st through both the BLO of Row 30 and the foundation chain across to join the tube. Do not fasten off. (10 sts)
Hand
Rnd 1 (RS): Turn cuff so the seam is on the inside. Ch 1, work 1 sc in the end of each row around the top edge of the cuff, join with sl st to first sc. (30 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1 here and throughout), dc in same st, skip 2 sts, * (dc, ch 1, dc) in next st, skip 2 sts; rep from * 8 more times, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (30 sts)
Rnds 3-7: Sl st into first ch-1 sp, ch 4, dc in same sp, * (dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch-1 sp; rep from * 8 more times, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (30 sts)
Rnd 8 (Thumb Opening): Sl st into first ch-1 sp, ch 4, dc in same sp, * (dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch-1 sp; rep from * 6 more times, ch 6, skip the last 2 V-sts, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (30 sts)
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Rnd 9: Sl st into first ch-1 sp, ch 4, dc in same sp, * (dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch-1 sp; rep from * 6 more times, skip first ch of the ch-6, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch, skip 2 chs, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch, skip last ch, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (30 sts)
Rnds 10-11: Sl st into first ch-1 sp, ch 4, dc in same sp, * (dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch-1 sp; rep from * 8 more times, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (30 sts)
Rnd 12 (Edging): Ch 1, * sc in next dc, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, sc in next dc; rep from * 9 more times, join with sl st to first sc. (30 sts)
Fasten off.
Thumb Edging
Rnd 1: Join yarn with a sl st in any st around the thumb opening. Ch 1, work 14 sc evenly around the opening, join with sl st to first sc. (14 sts)
Fasten off.
Finishing
- Weave in all ends using a yarn needle.
- Block gently to open up the V-stitch lace and relax the picot edging.
Make It Your Own
- Size adjustments: To make the gloves wider, add rows to your cuff in multiples of 3 (e.g., 33 rows instead of 30). This will give you 33 sc in Rnd 1, which perfectly accommodates 11 V-stitches.
- Length adjustments: Want longer gloves? Simply repeat Rnd 3 a few more times before moving on to the thumb opening (Rnd 8).
- Color variations: These look stunning in a solid dusty rose or antique cream, but a slow color-changing yarn can add a beautiful modern twist to the vintage design.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much yarn do I need for these fingerless gloves?
You’ll need approximately 150 yards of DK weight yarn to complete the pair. A single standard skein of most DK yarns will be more than enough!
What size crochet hook should I use?
This pattern uses a US G/6 (4.0 mm) hook. If you crochet tightly, you may want to bump up to a 4.5 mm hook to ensure the gloves slip easily over your hands.
Can I use worsted weight yarn instead?
Yes, but it will change the sizing. If you use worsted weight yarn and the corresponding larger hook, the gloves will come out significantly larger. You would need to reduce the number of cuff rows and adjust the math to maintain a multiple of 3 for the V-stitches.
Is this pattern beginner-friendly?
Absolutely! If you know how to single crochet, double crochet, and chain, you can make these gloves. The V-stitch is very intuitive once you get the hang of it, and working into chain spaces is actually easier than working into standard stitches.
I’d love to see your finished Victorian Reading Mitts! Tag me on Instagram or share your photos in our crochet community group. Stay cozy and happy crocheting!
