Before we start the mitten tutorial, I want to share my favorite story from the mitten class. Marie was using a sweater that belonged to her grandmother. She was making mittens for all 5 of her sisters from the sweater, so they could all have a memory keepsake of their grandmother. Sniff, goosebumps, smile. Love it!
If you go to the new and improved version in the link below, the link to the pattern isn’t working, so you can download the old pattern here.
Click here for my new and improved version of this mitten tutorial.
So many possibilities~ Have fun!
First choose and old sweater. For your warmest mittens, it should be at least 60% wool, but it works with many other sweaters as well.
Use your pattern to cut 2 of each piece from the sweater and 2 of each piece from some fleece for the lining. Make sure you are cutting opposite pieces so you will have a right hand and a left hand.
Also, cut 3 or 4 inches from the bottom of each sleeve to use for the cuff of the mitten.
Cut off a sleeve and open it.
You can get 2 mitten top pieces from each sleeve.
This is what your mitten pieces will look like so you will have a right and a left.
Next, sew pieces 1 and 2 (the two thumb pieces) together. Starting at one notch and ending at the next. Right sides together.
To make sure you have a right and a left, make sure you place them on top of each other like this:
Notice piece 1 (the rounded piece) is on the bottom and piece 2 (the flat piece) is on the top.
Then, placing right sides together. Stitch the thumb pieces to the mitten top by sewing around the entire edge.
Now repeat this process with the fleece lining pieces.
Turn the fleece lining pieces inside out and attach the cuffs, right sides and rough edges together. (Remember, the cuffs are the 3 or 4 inches you cut from the bottom of each sleeve.) Then stitch around the rough edges.
Once the edges are stitched together, turn the lining inside out again.
And turn your piece mitten right side out.
Place your hand inside the lining section and slide it into the mitten section.
Fold the cuff over the bottom of your mitten.
Attach a button to hold all the sections together.
And you’ve got a great new pair of mittens. Oops, how’d that hat get in there? For directions on how to make the hat, check out my hat tutorial.
You can download the mitten pattern here.
The Renegade Seamstress 