Turn An Old Wool Sweater Into Cozy Winter Mittens!
Transform an unused wool garment into a perfect pair of mittens with these easy DIY instructions.
Quality wool is too valuable to discard. If your favorite sweater has a hole in it, or if an accidental spin in the dryer left it a few sizes too small, use the fabric to easily fashion a pair of wool mittens. It’s easy to do!
You’ll need:
- an old/unused wool or fleece sweater
- marker
- a pair of scissors
- straight pins
- sewing needle and thread (matching the color of the sweater)
Directions:
Step 1. Turn sweater inside-out and starting with your left hand, use the marker to outline your hand in a mitten shape on the lower left edge of the sweater, and using waistband of the sweater as the mittens’ opening. Do the same with your right hand on the right edge of the sweater.
Step 2. Cut out 1″ around the shape you just drew, cutting through both front and back panels of the sweater so each mitten has a front and back.
Step 3. Place some pins along the entire length of the outline to hold the pieces together while you sew. See Fig. 3.
Step 4. Sew a simple stitch along the trace, making sure the bottom is left open.
Step 5. Remove the pins, and carefully trim away unwanted material.
Step 6. Turn the resulting mitten inside-out. And you’re done! You can even embellish them with buttons if you’d like.
See how it’s done!
Amy Grisak
Amy Grisak is a freelance writer, blogger, and photographer specializing in gardening, local food, and stories about her home state of Montana. She enjoys sharing her experiences with self-reliant living and outdoor recreation. Her article on the "hugelkultur" gardening technique appears in the 2021 Farmers' Almanac. You can follow her topics on her site, AmyGrisak.com.
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Amy Grisak#molongui-disabled-link
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Amy Grisak#molongui-disabled-link
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Amy Grisak#molongui-disabled-link
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Amy Grisak#molongui-disabled-link
Use the sleeve if its still in good shape. The sweater cuff is used as mitten cuff and you just need to cut out the top of the mitten form and sew it up. Roll the cuff and cut up higher on the sleeve too. Makes a nice warm sturdy cuff for cold days and snow.
Dear Amy, this is so beautifully written about a pair of mitten~mitten! Audrey, thank you for your comment- how to turn into wanted an accident. harkerheights~and nhs, agreeing with you is easy to confess! Thank you, farmersalmanac, wizard of natural habitat! Sandra from Naumburg, Central Germany
To make these mittens even more warm, I would recommend washing the old sweater in hot water and dry in the dryer prior to making the mittens. This will shrink the wall and will make it much thicker, last longer, and warmer. Thanks for the idea it is awesome