It's Sew Sunday--Sweater Mittens

For Christmas dC got me a new sewing machine!  I have been in a sewing slump since my old machine was acting up - having a new one meant that I could get back to having some fabric fun.

I'm not proclaiming to be good at it, I just like to follow patterns, sew straight lines and fix things!  I've made all of the curtains in our house (straight lines) but now that I have this fancy new machine, I'm going to dive into some different types of projects and maybe some not so straight lines!

Today I am making Sweater Mittens.  They are sooo fast to make.  I had an old wool sweater in my closet that I no longer wore due to a hole.  I had grandiose ideas of felting it and making it into a pillow, but as Fender and I were walking home from school, I felt his little hands as we crossed the street and they were freezing!  He had lost one of his mittens and it was time for a new pair! 

If you'd like to make them too, here's what you'll need:

An old sweater (Thrifting for this would be fun!)

pencil

scissors

freezer paper (my new best friend)

iron

sewing machine

matching thread

the hands you'd like to mitt

Begin by laying out a piece of freezer paper and trace the hand in a mitten pattern onto it.  Leave a good 1/2 inch seam allowance around it and make sure to leave an inch allowance at the wrist.  Aren't Fender's little fingers cute?

Cut out the pattern and place on the sweater.  I used the bottom edge of the sweater since it had a naturally knitted pattern I thought would be cute for the wrist of the mitten.  Using a dry setting, iron the freezer paper pattern shiny side down onto the sweater.  The plastic on the shiny side creates a temporary bond to most fabric.  Fender added a little decoration to his pattern!

Cut out the pattern through both layers of the sweater.  Remove the freezer paper re-iron onto another area of the sweater and cut out the second mitten.  Cutting through both layers saves a lot of time, since you'll need 4 patterns for 2 mittens.

Putting right sides together pin the mittens with pin heads facing out for easy removal while sewing.

Then starting at the bottom edge sew a straight stitch around the perimeter of the mitten.  Slow down around the thumb and raise and lower the presser foot turning the mitten each time to create a smooth, round corner.  Be sure to lock your stitches at the edges when you begin and end.

I went around the mitten twice just to ensure the sweater stitches were locked and wouldn't fray.  Cut any extra seam allowance off to remove the bulk.  Repeat for the second mitten!

PS~I would normally use matching thread, but I used contrasting so you can see the stitches (curvy and imperfect for sure!)

Turn right side out and press the seams to finish the mittens!  They are as warm as the sweater you made them from!

I'm linking up to Funday Monday!  Check it out on the link above!

Happy Sewing!