DIY Wool Mittens (from an old sweater)

This one has been making the rounds of Pinterest for a while, but I'm here today to confirm,

"Yes, you can make mittens from an old sweater."

The one thing those little pictographics don't tell you is that you should felt the sweater first. This will keep the sweater from unravelling when you cut. To felt a wool sweater, simply throw it in the washing machine and dryer - you know, those steps you absolutely avoid if the sweater is a keeper. Felting causes the threads to shrink up and meld together to form felt fabric. The most important part of felting is to make sure your sweater is 100% wool. Blends will not shrink down nearly as well. Ideally the individual threads shouldn't be visible when you're finished. Sometimes you need to repeat the washing step to reach ideal felting quality. Some people felt their sweaters in laundry bags to keep the fuzz from getting in their washing machine. I didn't do this, but cleaning out the tub by hand wasn't a big deal. 

In short, 

Step one: Felt a wool sweater.

Step two: Trace around your hand to make a paper pattern piece. 

I traced about a 1/4" larger than my actual hand, but I think I will do a 1/2" next time. I ended up having to stitch right on the edge to leave my hand enough room inside!

Step three: Pin your hand pattern to the sweater. 

Position the base of your hand right above the sweater's ribbed bottom. 

Step four:  Cut out your pieces, beginning at the sweater's bottom edge and cutting straight up. 

This will give you a nicely ribbed wrist. Why let that good ribbing go to waste???

Make sure you flip over the pattern to create the other half of each glove.

Step five: With right sides together, stitch around the edge of your glove. 

See how close to the edge I had to stitch? Live and learn. 

Make sure you like how the glove fits. I ended up trimming the main part of the hand so it wasn't awkwardly long.

Step six: Repeat to make another glove. Turn gloves inside out and voila!

I think I need to finish picking off the fuzz.

Bring on that 50* weather expected this week!! These gloves are so warm.