Yesterday I told you all about my friend McCall’s snaptastic 365 photo project. I love it because every single day she delivers some new little inspiring tid bit of beauty. I’m amazed by the endless creativity she brings to the project.
McCall’s mad skillz don’t stop with photography though, she’s also one of the craftiest chics I know. Check out the post about her rad holiday decorations here. Today she’s going to show us how to make pretty much the coolest felted sweater mittens EVER out of, you guessed it, old wool sweaters.
(And if you can’t get enough sweater recycling like me, make some DIY sweater legwarmer/boot toppers next!)
Take it away, Caller!
Hello M&DC fans! I am flattered to be guest-blogging on this fabulous site (Jess- thanks for letting me “drop by”!) This felted sweater mitten project was inspired during a closet clean out session I was having one afternoon and, as I usually do while being productive, I found a distraction – “Hey check out this old 100% wool sweater I found down here that I have not worn in like 3 years! Let’s shrink it!” The red snowflake pattern screamed mittens to me, so away I went, leaving my closet spilling out all over the place. These mittens are a breeze to whip up and if you have a stash of old sweaters, they’re also basically free! Happy Mitting!
Felted Sweater Mittens Supplies
-felted sweater mitten pattern (Simply enter your email in the box at the bottom of this tutorial to gain instant access to this mitten pattern, plus all our other past and future freebies!)
-a 100% wool sweater
-a t-shirt (or similar soft fabric for lining)
-sewing machine (or your ambitious hands!)
-pins
-1-2 yards of wool yarn and a large darning needle
Instructions
1. Clean out your closet and find one or more old wool sweaters and an old T-shirt (or something soft to use as lining).
2. Felt old wool sweater(s) by putting each in a separate pillowcase and washing them in the washing machine on HOT. (Yes, exactly what you’re usually trying not to do.) Felting isn’t an exact science, so check them frequently. Get more details about how to felt sweaters here.
3. Cut 4.5 inches off both sweater sleeves for the cuffs. Set these aside for later.
Note: Your felted sleeves need to be about the same width as the mitten template, if your sleeves shrunk too much, you can use the bottom hem of the sweater by cutting a rectangle about 4.5 inches x 10 inches and sewing the short ends together to make a tube with a 10 inch circumference and 4.5 inch height.
4. Print out the felted sweater mitten pattern and cut it on the outermost line. (Later you’ll trim to the inside line and use the resulting pattern for the inside of the mitts.)
5. Pin template pieces to felted sweater(s) and cut out each piece, cutting 2 of the mitten backs.
6. Starting with the two palm pieces for either the right or left mitten, line up the thumbs with the right sides together (wrong sides on the outside). Starting on straight edge, pin around the edge of the thumb and down the side.
7. In order to mark how far down the side to pin, it is helpful to match up the palm pieces with the top piece. Line up the base and the top curve of the mitten and pinch the outside edge of thumb together until all excess the height of the palm piece matches the height of the mitten back.
8. Sew from marked point, around the thumb to the other edge of mitten, with ¼ inch seam allowance.
Wanna save this pattern?
We'll email you this so you can come back to it later!
9. Match up palm piece with mitten back, right sides together.
10. Line up and pin the edges. (It can be helpful to pin the thumbs out of the way, too!) Sew the edges with ¼ inch seam allowance.
11. Repeat steps 6-10 for the opposite hand mitten. Turn mittens right-side out.
11. Trim off the outer ½ inch of the paper templates you used for the outside, leaving just the lining portion.
12. Cut each template piece out of the lining fabric.13. Follow steps 6-10 with the lining fabric.
14. Put the lining on your hand (still right-side in) and slide the outside of the mitten over the lining. Wiggle your thumb and fingers to adjust the lining and tack into place.
15. Trim the mitten liner so it’s the same length as the outer mitten.16. Take the 4.5 inch long tube from the sleeve and turn it inside out. Slide the raw end (the end that you cut) about an inch into the mitten, inside both the lining and the sweater layer.
17. With a piece of yarn and darning needle, starting at one of the side seams, sew through all three layers, leaving a tail of yarn where you started. Sew around the mitten base two times, securely fastening the cuff to the inside of the mitten.
18. On the third time around, when you get to the inside of the wrist, flip the cuff up and around the outside of the mitten. Sew through all four layers in order to tack the cuff into place.
19. Continue to sew, only the inside three layers (not going all of the way through the outside cuff layer) until you get to the back of the wrist. Sew all of the way through all four layers, tacking the cuff in place and add a button or two if desired.
20. Continue to sew only the inside three layers around back to the seam where you left a tail of yarn. Tie off the yarn and trim short. Tuck tails into the cuff.
21. Sip hot chocolate and enjoy the winter!
And if you’re into adorable kids’ winter-wear, you might also like these free patterns:
Aspen Socialite Crochet Headband
Frosty the Snowman Hat
Just Like Mommy Knit Cowl
Santa’s Helper Crochet Elf Hat (With Ears!)
RELATED: Our Complete Guide to Temperature Blankets
Kris says
Thank you so much for the amazing directions. Looking forward to making these for my grandkids. I am having issues trying to print the directions. Would you please e-mail me the directions?
Thanks….
Tis the Season for mitten making 🙂
Make and Do Girl says
Hey Kris,
Just sent them your way.
Hope you enjoy.
j
Rhea says
I would be so grateful if you wold email me the pattern. Have tried to print from directions but my computer won’t let me.
Thank you so much fro these amazing directions. Looking forward to making these for my Grandsons.
Make and Do Girl says
Just sent it your way 🙂
Julia says
My friend at work – here in Norway – wore these to work last winter. I was all over them! I have been on her case ever since to get me the pattern from her friend in the US, who made them. And today I got the link. I’m so excited (feels like Christmas) and CAN’T WAIT to make a pair this weekend.
I love these mittens and plan to make them for the whole family. Winter is already on its way here – we’ll have snow before you know it! Thanks so much, these are truly amazing!
Make and Do Girl says
Julia,
When I think Norway, I think sweater mittens for sure! I hope you enjoy the pattern and it keeps your fingers toasty all winter.
j
Julia says
Hi again!
I have made about 20 pairs and am obsessed! Best thing that every happened my way. Perfect to keep me happy during the long dark winters!!! THANK YOU so much – your tutorial is wonderful and am making the most wonderful mittens ever. My sister in NY is now a happy mitten owner too :-).
Melissa says
Could you please email me the pattern?
Kim says
I am so excited to make these with all my extra felted wool that I have! I’m actually buying a new machine because mine is so old, just to make them. The question that I have is what size does this make? I’m just wondering. Thanks and I’m really glad I found this download. I bought a couple pairs just like this yesterday at an apple farm and didn’t want to have to take them apart for a pattern!
Make and Do Girl says
Hey Kim,
I’d say the size is a medium to large. It’d probably fit most women’s hands and smaller men’s hands. If you need it bigger or smaller though, you could simply adjust the percentage you print it out.
Hope you enjoy.
j
Robin Dilg says
Love your design. Would you please email me the pattern. Thank you.
Make and Do Girl says
I’d be happy to.
j
Make and Do Girl says
Thanks Brenda! Good catch! There was one mislinked in there. I checked and all the other links to it within the post are correct, so if it’s still un-downloadable, it’s unfortunately still due to the Firefox issue. Please let me know if you can’t get it though and I’ll happily email it to you.
Thanks again.
j
Linda Little says
If I use fleece for the outside then how do I do the cuff with no ribbing? PLEASE HELP
sandie says
pls send me your copy of sweater mittens patterns in my email cuz i cant get it thur this website…having problem with error 404 code? im an old school and understand little about techs. thanks!
Make and Do Girl says
You got it!
j
Jen Hoover says
hi there,
I use IE and I’m getting an error 404 code 🙁 would there be any other way you could share this pattern… I have used 2 other patterns and both felt awkward – so I designed my own to fit my hand, but I have a rather small hand. I’d like to try what you have come up with! 🙂
thanks!!
Jen
Make and Do Girl says
Good luck, Jen! I just sent the pattern your way.
j
Cathy says
I’m excited to make your mittens : ). I’ve already felted the sweater. Please e-mail the pattern. Is there a seperate pattern for my grandchildren in Wi.? Thanks so much !!!!!
Make and Do Girl says
Hey Cathy,
Great! Were you unable to download it from the post? As long as you use a browser other than Firefox, you should be good to go. I’ll email it to you also.
Have fun.
j
C.O. says
Hi, love the mittens…..can i get a copy of the pattern too
Thanks a bunch
C.O.
Make and Do Girl says
Just sent it your way.
j