With a simple homemade knitting loom made from a cardboard tube and popsicle sticks, kids can create these fingerless gloves in under an hour. They’re quick to make and great for keeping hands warm while leaving fingers free for typing, writing, or texting. No needles or prior knitting skills required.
Total time = approx. 1 hour
I’m excited to share the fingerless gloves my daycare kids made using cardboard looms we fashioned from everyday items.
Check out our collection of easy yarn crafts for more kid-friendly projects.
These children, who haven’t learned traditional knitting or crochet, made gloves they can actually wear using looms made from things we had on hand:
- Pringles can tube
- Breadcrumb container
- Roll of duct tape
I first tried this idea after teaching the kids to knit on a toilet roll loom last year. That method created thin bracelets and hairbands, and I wondered what we could make with a larger tube. A trial with a Pringles can worked really well and led to these gloves.
The Pringles tube produced a slim glove suitable for the smallest child, while the breadcrumb container and duct tape roll gave larger circumferences for older kids. Because the looms are larger than a toilet roll, the gloves knit up quickly—most children can finish a pair in an hour or less, especially if they make a shorter version that covers just the hands and wrists.
It’s so rewarding for kids to make something they can wear.
Written instructions are below, but if you’ve never tried loom knitting (French knitting) before, watch a basic toilet roll knitting video to learn how to make the loom, cast on, knit, and cast off. A project-specific video is planned and will be added when available.
How to Loom Knit Fingerless Gloves
Supplies:
- Cardboard tube (Pringles can, breadcrumb can, duct tape roll)
- Serrated knife (to cut the tube)
- Popsicle sticks
- Hot glue gun
- Small buttons (optional, to keep stitches from slipping)
- Wooden skewer
- Plastic sewing needle
- Yarn
Instructions:
Time needed: 1 hour and 15 minutes
How to Make Fingerless Gloves on a Homemade Knitting Loom
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Make Your Loom
Cut a cardboard tube to about 3″ in length. Evenly space and hot-glue eight popsicle sticks to the outside of the tube to form pegs. Optional: glue a small button to the top of each stick to prevent stitches from slipping off. Use a larger tube for bigger hands.
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Knit Your Glove
Cast on around the pegs and knit until the piece reaches the desired length. If you’re new to circular loom knitting, watch an instructional video to learn casting on, knitting, and tension.
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Cast Off Stitches
When the glove reaches the length you want, cast off the stitches. Cut the yarn leaving a long tail, and secure with a knot.
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Make the Thumbhole
Try the glove on and decide where the thumbhole should be. Push your thumb through the knitting at that spot to mark the location.
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Stitch to Secure
Thread a plastic sewing needle with the long tail from casting off and make several stitches to cinch and secure the yarn between thumb and forefinger. Weave the remaining tail into the knitting to hide and secure it.
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Repeat
Repeat the same steps to make the second glove.
Easy and fun—kids will love how quickly they can make wearable gloves and feel proud to wear something they crafted themselves.
More projects kids will enjoy
- Weaving on drinking straws (bracelets, headbands, bookmarks)
- Circle weaving on a cardboard loom (trivets, coasters, wall art)
- Pipe cleaner and yarn trivets
- Toilet roll knitting (bracelets, belts, headbands)
- Paper plate woven bowls
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