DIY Christmas Mitten Ornaments (Free Mitten Pattern)

These DIY Christmas mitten ornaments are such a cute way to use leftover fabric scraps and add a little warmth to your Christmas tree. I made mine with plaid fabric, fluffy fleece cuffs, and a few simple decorations. And the best part? You can make them by hand, even if you don’t have a sewing machine!

I’m also sharing my free printable mitten pattern so you can make your own little pair. They look adorable hanging together, and you can change the fabric and decorations to match your Christmas tree.

The Story Behind My Plaid Christmas Mitten Ornaments

One year, I found three adorable pairs of wooden ice skates and fell in love with them. After hanging them on our Christmas tree, I thought, what could be cuter next to those little skates? Mittens, of course!

That’s how these plaid mitten ornaments came to life, with traditional Christmas plaid and fluffy white fleece cuffs.

I made the first pair for a handmade Christmas ornament collaboration, but my girl was already eager to help make more. After all, we had three pairs of skates, so we needed three pairs of mittens to match! LOL.

A Few Reasons I Love These Handmade Mitten Ornaments

Besides being ridiculously cute, these little mittens have a few things going for them.

• They’re great for fabric scraps. You don’t need much fabric, so those little pieces you’ve been saving can finally become something pretty.
• No sewing machine needed. I hand-sewed mine for this tutorial, using simple stitches. A sewing machine works too if you prefer.
• You can make them your own. Plaid, linen, cotton, little buttons, ribbon, twine… there are so many combinations.
• They’re not just for the tree. You can hang them from a garland, tuck them into a Christmas wreath, or add them to a handmade gift.

I also like that you can make them in different sizes. A few smaller mittens mixed with larger ones would look adorable on a Christmas tree.

How to Make DIY Christmas Mitten Ornaments

The full printable tutorial card is below, but I want to show you how I made these little mittens with the step-by-step photos.

The sewing is simple, although attaching the fleece cuff takes a little attention. Once you understand how the pieces fit together, the rest is pretty easy.

Supplies:

• Plaid tartan fabric: I used a wool-style plaid fabric, but you can choose another fabric you love.
• Polar fleece: For those fluffy white cuffs. I used polyester fleece.
• Polyester fiberfill: To give the mittens a little shape without making them too puffy.
• Small buttons: I used two buttons on the side of each cuff.
• Twine: For the little bows and the hanger that connects the mittens.
• Matching thread: Choose something that blends with your fabric.
• Free mitten ornament pattern: You can download it below.

Tools:

• Sewing needle
• Scissors
• Sewing pins
• Hot glue gun
• Sewing machine (optional)

Free Printable Christmas Mitten Ornament Pattern

Before you start cutting your fabric, grab your free mitten pattern!

Snag your Mitten Ornament Template HERE

The printable is free for personal use, and you can print it at home and cut it out with regular scissors. No cutting machine or special tools needed.

If you want smaller ornaments, you can reduce the printing scale. You can also enlarge the pattern for bigger mittens.

Just remember to use the same size for all the fabric pieces that belong to each mitten.

And don’t worry if the title or footer gets cut off when you resize the printable. The important part is keeping the mitten shape intact.

Instructions:

Step 1: Print and Prepare Your Mitten Pattern

First, print the mitten template and cut around the mitten shape.

Gather your fabric, fleece, stuffing, thread, and decorations so everything is ready before you start sewing.

I like having all the little pieces together because once I begin stitching, I don’t want to stop to look for scissors or buttons.

Step 2: Cut the Fabric and Fleece Pieces

Start by folding your plaid fabric with the right sides together.

Place the paper mitten pattern on top and pin it in place. Cut around the pattern, leaving approximately 1/4 inch (6 mm) for the seam allowance.

Folding the fabric lets you cut both sides of the mitten at once, giving you two matching, mirrored pieces.

For a pair of ornaments, you’ll need four plaid mitten pieces in total, two for each mitten.

Next, cut the fleece for the cuffs.

I cut two fleece pieces, one for each mitten. Each piece should be wide enough to fit around the opening of its mitten, with extra fabric for the seam.

For the height, I measured from the top opening of the mitten down to approximately where the thumb begins.

You can make the cuffs a little taller if you prefer a fluffier look.

Step 3: Sew the Mittens and Attach the Fleece Cuffs

Now comes the sewing!

Place two plaid mitten pieces together with the right sides facing each other.

Pin them in place and stitch around the outside edge, following the mitten shape.

Leave the top opening unsewn. You’ll need it to attach the cuff and add the stuffing later.

Next, take one of your fleece cuff pieces.

Fold it so the two short ends meet, then stitch those ends together to form a little tube.

Turn the fleece cuff right side out.

With the plaid mitten still inside out, insert the fleece cuff into the opening. The right sides of the fabric and fleece should be facing each other.

Align the raw edges and the side seams, then pin everything in place.

Sew around the opening to join the fleece cuff to the plaid mitten.

Now gently pull the cuff out.

Gently, turn the entire mitten right side out.

This is when it starts looking like a real little mitten!

Step 4: Stuff and Close the Mitten

Time to give your mitten a little shape.

Take small amounts of polyester fiberfill and gently push them inside the mitten, making sure the thumb gets some stuffing too.

I recommend adding a little at a time.

Don’t overstuff it! I wanted these mittens to look soft and relaxed, not like tiny stuffed balloons. LOL.

Once you’re happy with the shape, sew the remaining opening closed where the fleece meets the plaid fabric.

Keep the stitches tucked inside as neatly as possible so they won’t show when you fold the cuff down.

Now fold the fleece cuff over the top of the mitten.

And there you go! Your first little Christmas mitten is ready.

Repeat the same process to make the second mitten.

Step 5: Decorate Your Christmas Mitten Ornaments

Now for my favorite part, adding those cute little details!

I wanted to keep mine simple because I already loved how the red plaid looked with the white fleece.

I stitched two small buttons onto the side of each cuff and added a little twine bow just below the fleece.

And yes, I sewed the buttons but hot-glued the bows.

I was feeling lazy. LOL.

Of course, you can decorate yours however you like.

A pretty ribbon bow, a tiny jingle bell, or even a little wooden snowflake would look lovely.

I left the backs of my mittens plain, but you can decorate both sides if you want.

Step 6: Add the Hanging Twine

To hang the mittens together, I cut a long piece of twine.

I made a knot at each end and tied a decorative bow around the middle.

Then I used a little hot glue to attach each end of the twine to the back of a mitten, near the top edge of the cuff.

Let the glue cool completely before hanging the ornaments.

And that’s it!

You now have a cute little pair of handmade Christmas mitten ornaments ready for your tree.

I made each mitten in about 20 minutes when I wasn’t stopping to take photos or record the video. If you’re making a pair for the first time, I would allow around an hour, including preparing the pattern and cutting the fabric.

A sewing machine would probably make the stitching faster, but I really enjoyed making these by hand.

And look at how cute they are on the tree!

Different Ways to Make Your Mitten Ornaments

The plaid fabric was my first choice because of those little wooden ice skates on my tree, but you definitely don’t have to use plaid.

Here are a few ideas I think would look adorable:

• Rustic mittens: Try linen, burlap, or a neutral cotton fabric with twine bows and wooden buttons.
• Classic Christmas mittens: Red and green plaid with white fleece cuffs and tiny bells.
• Soft neutral mittens: Beige, cream, or light gray fabric with matching cuffs and simple ribbon.
• Colorful mittens: Use leftover cotton fabric with Christmas prints and mix different patterns for a playful look.

If you love making soft Christmas decorations, you might also enjoy my DIY Felt Ornaments for Christmas. They’re another fun project you can personalize with different colors and little stitched details.

Other Ways to Decorate With Christmas Mitten Ornaments

Of course, I made mine for the Christmas tree, but you don’t have to stop there.

I think they would look so cute tucked into a Christmas wreath, especially one decorated with greenery, pinecones, and a few rustic details.

You could also hang several pairs from a garland across your mantel or use a single mitten as a decoration on a wrapped Christmas gift.

And if you make a few in different sizes, you could hang them together in a little group.

They’re also a sweet project to make during a family craft afternoon. Older kids can help with the sewing, and younger ones can choose the fabrics, add stuffing, or help with decorations under adult supervision.

Storing Your Fabric Ornaments After Christmas

Because these ornaments are made from fabric and fleece, I would store them somewhere clean and dry after the holidays.

A small box works well. Just avoid pressing heavy decorations on top of them so the mittens keep their shape.

If the fleece cuffs get a little flattened in storage, gently fluff them with your fingers before hanging them again.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Christmas Ornaments to Try

If you enjoyed these cute DIY mitten ornaments tutorial, you might also love these other Christmas projects too:

I really love how handmade ornaments bring back memories from one Christmas to the next. That’s probably what makes me enjoy creating them so much.

And these little plaid mittens? They still make me smile when I look at the photos.

If you make your own Christmas mitten ornaments, I’d love to see them! Tag me on Instagram and leave a comment below with a star rating and tell me what fabrics and decorations you chose.

✂️ Tutorial

Do you have more handmade Christmas Ornaments ideas?

Yes indeed! Check out these amazing ladies’ Handmade Ornaments ideas for a boost of inspiration!

Before I send you off to visit all the other participating bloggers, I want to express my appreciation to Dianne Miller of An Extraordinary Day, Mary Beth of The How to Home and Jennifer of Celebrating Everyday Life.  Thank you, ladies, for all your help and encouragement in hosting this amazing blog hop.  I couldn’t do it without you!

Here are all 12 Bloggers in order of their appearance:

•  An Extraordinary Day – Day 1
• The how to Home – Day 2
• Celebrating Everyday Life – Day 3
• Atta Girl Says – Day 4
• Hunt and Host – Day 5
• Lovely Etc. – Day 6
• Pet Scribbles – Day 7
•  Sweet Pea – Day 8
• I Should Be Mopping the Floor – Day 9
• Remodelando la Casa – Day 10
• Live Laugh Rowe – Day 11
• The Crafting Nook (that’s me!) – Day 12

If you like this fun Christmas project don’t forget to share it with your friends!