I know that most people know this, but I wanted to put it here to make things clear and for something to share with others who don’t know or use to teach children the difference.
Mitts only cover the hands. They don’t have fingers. Most don’t have thumbs, especially now, so that we can use our phones, keys or carry things with better grip.
Mittens cover everything in one pouch and a thumb.
Gloves cover each finger and the thumb individually.
All these pieces are meant to provide some warmth to your hands when it is cold outside. Different situations call for different pieces to be worn. If you need your thumb and fingers then you’ll want mitts or flip top mittens. Flip tops are nice because you can keep warm while you’re not using your hands. Mitts are also good for when the weather is just cool but not cold.
Gloves are for when you need fingers but not the full grip and feel of your fingers. You can keep them warmer because they are covered but they are still free to move around and do some work. They would be a better choice than mittens when changing a tire for example.
While all the examples in this post are knit, you can also crochet mitts, mittens and gloves. I have patterns for both available for sale, some with matching hats, each image links to the page with more info and links to buy it.
Mitts, mittens and gloves make for great summer stitching. Small items that aren’t taking up a ton of space on your lap and making you hot, while making something that is going to be useful soon and make good gifts too!
Happy making!