Knitting mittens for a 1-year-old - thumbs or no thumbs?

[Groveregg]

Now it is a bit draughty, I've started thinking about knitting some mittens for my 13-month-old ds. Last year I just did little bags with a drawstring for the wrists but I am now wondering if he might get really annoyed about not be able to use his hands, should I knit a thumb separately or is it just too much faff to put on a wriggly hand? And does anyone know of any good patterns for them?

I'm doing some at the moment for my 16 month old. They have thumbs and I'm putting in drawstrings even though the pattern doesn't have them, because otherwise they won't stay on him for more than 10 secs. I had a look on the net for a pattern - there are LOADS of them, but a lot of them involve either stitch markers, or 3/4 double pointed needles, both of which sounded a bit complicated to me. In the end, I got a really old-fashioned one from my mum. I'd be happy to send you a copy if you want!

Thanks for that - I did find one on the net that looked pretty good and didn't need double pointed needles so I might go with that. Nice to know that you think that thumbs must be the way to go now that they are wanting to do more. And definitely drawstrings. If we want to keep the mittens for more than 5 minutes!

I'd say no thumbs

Ooh that's put a spanner in the works! Why, because they are difficult to knit or because they are impossible to put onto a baby's hand?

Can either of you put a link on so I can find a pattern? DS desperately needs mittens that stay on!

Thanks

glove pattern

Looks a bit weird but I have some more normal (and boyish) wool that is the right kind of thickness that I might use. Having said that a friend of mine showed me some great mittens yesterday that she bought for £1.50 at Ethel Austin, and now I'm wondering if it is worth the effort of knitting them when I have so many other things I am itching to get knitting...

I would say no thumbs. My boys always seem to end up with the thumbs flapping around uselessly and all their hand in the main section - despite lots of fiddling getting the thumbs in in the first place.

Thanks, Groveregg. I have to say 1.50 @ Ethel Austin sounds like a good deal to me!

Yes mamama, I'm afraid I chickened out and bought the ones for £1.50 (for two pairs, with thumbs!) yesterday instead. This gives me a bit more time to knit cupcakes for friends for Christmas instead!

Hmm hadn't thought of a slit for thumb-sucking Californifrau, but then my ds isn't into sucking his thumb at all - more interested in poking his fingers into anything he's not meant to...

thumbs deffo for 1 yo

my dd would be driven nuts by no thumbs

there is a marvelous mouse on on Magknits, it is on my to do knitting radar

Oh yes I've just seen the mouse mittens Fillyjonk, they look fab. I might manage to do them by the time ds is the right age for them; it gives me 2-3 years to work through my current stash...