It's a Glove, It's a Mitten, IT'S a GLITTEN!

Hey folks,  This 'ible for the SEW WARM contest can help others (yes, you can help kids learn!).  I work with Newton North High School Greengineers,  greengineers.wikispaces.com/, steering the algae to biofuel project.  One of their other fabulous projects is recycling plastic bags into reusable totes.  The sewing machine that is the grand prize for SEW WARM, will be used for this project.  So please vote, for the kids.

So I love mittens for the warm fingers, but also like having the option of using my fingers.  Most glove/mitten combos out there give you a mitten on top, but keep your fingers separate inside.  This prevents the benefits you get from having your fingers together in a mitten to stay warm.

I made these glittens in two forms, single layer and double layer.  This instructable will walk you through how to make a simple pattern, and how to make a slightly more difficult pattern.  We'll do the simpler, single layer first, and then the double layer.

Step 1: Bill of Materials

 The things you'll need
Tools:
Sewing machine
scissors
pins
rotary cutter (no necessary, but if you don't have one, get one, you'll love it!)
Paper
Marker

Material:
I used fleece for a few reasons:
1. it's warm
2. it's cheap
3. it's incredibly forgiving!  It's easy to cut, easy to sew, it doesn't show bad seams, fleece is your friend!

Step 2: Making the Pattern

 A pattern if something you use a guide to cut your material.  It's helpful when your are cutting anything other than rectangles (which can be measured easily, and are straight lines)

For this pattern, I just used standard paper, you can use newsprint, construction paper, whatever, as long as the pieces are bigger than your hand.


1. trace your hand on the paper. Go from your wrist to somewhere between your first and second knuckle, this will be pattern #1

2. Cut out pattern #1 and place it on a fresh sheet/area

3. Put your hand back down on the pattern and trace a "mitten" shape around your fingers, from the space between your first and second knuckle, this will be pattern #2

4. Cut out pattern #2

5. Put #1 on a new sheet and trace it with about 1/2" extra (you'll need the extra for seams)

6. Flip #1 over and trace, so you make your pattern into a beautiful butterfly. (you can also trace, and then fold in half and cut, like cutting valentine hearts, so that each half is even.)

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 with pattern #2

Step 3: Cutting Out Patterns

 So normally I would stress how important it is to wash and iron your fabric, but I'm working with fleece, and hope you are too, trust me, it's magic.

I've double layered my fleece, so that the cut of each mitten will be identical (cut it while it's doubled over, then separate to make 2-one layered mittens)

1. Fold the fleece over so that it is straight.

2. Pin the fabric together, so that it doesn't shift when you cut

3. Lay the pattern down, lining up the straight edges of the pattern with the straight edges of the fabric

4. Pin the pattern down to the fabric

5. Cut carefully along the patter, making sure you get through both layers of fabric

NOTE: Although my rotary cutter is the coolest thing ever (seriously, I love it so much, I might marry it)  it doesn't work so well in the small curves of the thumb, perhaps just use scissors, and don't tell your rotary cutter you're cheating on it.

6. Do steps 1-5 with both your pattern

7. Once you've cut both patterns, separate the layers

Oh my goodness, you've almost got glittens!

Step 4: Sew It Up Baby!

 Now sew up those glittens hunny!

I used a tight stitch so they would be strong enough for wearing every day.

1. Pin and sew. 
NOTE: Double check your seams to make sure there are no holes.

2. Trim those edges

3. Hem the bottoms

Step 5: Final Countdown

 Now, before we get started on this step, I must warn you, the sewing gets a bit funky. You may want to hand sew this part. I say this because I found the sewing involved my fingers being very close to the foot of the machine, which is a bit sketchy...

Anyhoo
1. Put your mitten top over your glove to gauge how far down it should be sewn, mark this spot for the next step.

2. Put the mitten top, right side out, on top of the glove, also right side out, where you just marked

3. Sew one layer of the mitten top ONLY to the top layer of the glove.
Careful, don't show the glove together!

Also, my first time round, I made two for the same hand, so, make sure you don't do that, make one glitten for each hand!

Step 6: Double It Up!

 So, now you've learned how to make a basic pattern. You ready for more?
I thought you would be!

So, now I'm going to go through making the same glittens, but they'll be 2 layers of fleece, for when it gets really cold.

Now, since you are a pattern-making pro, we'll adjust the pattern from the first go round, to accommodate another layer of fabric

1. Take your #1 pattern from last time, and this time, trace your butterfly with a full inch of extra

2. Do the same with your #2 pattern

3. Check yourself, before your wreck yourself.  The wrist will now be much to big. To fix this, I
-put the pattern on the fabric and
-marked the outsides of the wrist.
-then wrapped it around my wrist and noticed it was about 1 1/2" too big
-I went back and cut down my pattern

-You could also measure the distance around your wrist, add about 1" and cut your pattern accordingly

Now, this time, cut the double layer of fabric just like the first time, only, don't separate it!

Sew everything up the same as before

Oh my goodness, you just cut a few patterns AND made glittens! You crazy kid, you!