Hi all. For this holiday season I have busily been making mittens as gifts for relatives and friends. I have people choose a pair themselves. For our relatives in VA, I laid out all the mittens on the floor, numbered them and made a video of the choices. Our grandneices got a kick out of picking their own. They told me I should open a store. Here is a photo of the mitten display, minus the ones the VA family chose. It's been a lot of fun making these.
nice. I was looking for gardening gloves this week and just ended up using old mittens But sure never would have used ones I got as a gift. those look nice and warm.
Wow! Those are lovely, and the patterns, oh the patterns! You are a great knitter, and an even better gift-giver. You must be a favorite at the local yarn shop !
Oh boy could I do with a pair of those right now!!! It's so cold here that when I go out my fingers turn bright red and I can hardly feel them. What wonderful gifts you make!! I've already picked out at least three or four pairs that would find a home with me.
Thank you all for your kind words! They have been a lot of fun to make. And I do wish I could pass them out among you all! @marlingardener Oh I should have clarified! These have all been made from old sweaters. Not my knitting at all! I have knitted an occasional cuff or two if I could find an appropriate color. But otherwise they are all just from old sweaters.
Wow! Cool Stuff! Here is a coating you can put on the gloves for gardeners. Its a liquid rubber. There are many colors.
@Cayuga Morning - Lovely lovely mittens and such a wonderful idea. How do you stop the sweater material from running? and how are you able to keep the seam (on the inside) small? I've never tried this (I have too many questions I'm not sure about) but would definitely like to give it a go And - when you're looking for sweaters is there any kind that is better to get than others?
Oh my word! Cayu--those are marvelous-looking. Just the thing for the winter. Are they lined with something? Not only do they look warm, but the colours and patterns look good as well. Chapeau. Well done you.
Thanks all! Island, there is a video link that walks you through the process. Wool sweaters are best but wool blends are pretty good too. I have also used acylllic (sacrilege!) if I really like the color/pattern. You shrink them by washing in hot water then dry in the dryer. This makes them thicker/warmer. For each pair of mittens, you actually make two sets:. The outer mitten that you see and an inner lining. You never feel any seams because the inner liner is inserted into the outer mitten inside out. So your hand only feels the soft, seam free lining. I generally use cashmere for the lining. Very soft and comfy. If I can't get enough of that affordably, I use fleece for the lining. It is almost as soft, a lot cheaper and has the advantage of being Warmer. Let me know if you want the link. When I am home I can dig it up. And, and I tell folks to wash them in cold water and hang to dry. Because they are made of different wools, the material can shrink unevenly.
I do like the looks of them and would appreciate the link. I never thought about their being two linings but now that you say it it makes sense. I like projects that have a practical use when finished and this one definitely fits that
I would love to see the process. I will probably never make them but it would be interesting to see. do you thrift store for your sweaters? I have found several cashmere sweaters.at goodwill.
