This Christmas, I wanted to get my girlfriend something special. Something priceless, something you couldn't find in a store. I talk of course, of something hand made (specifically, by me). A good while back, I saw this idea briefly mentioned in an episode of Threadbanger, but had not seen an Instructable made on the topic. Thus, I present to thee the couple's mitten (or 'smitten') as it is sometimes called.

Step 1: About the Smitten

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but holding hands is so delightful. The smitten is essentially a mitten with room for 2 hands instead of 1 (and 2 sleeves instead of 1). It is intended such that couples can hold hands in the cold, and makes a rather cute gift for your significant other out there.

Step 2: Materials

For this project, you will need...

1) Fleece (pick your favorite color, a yard should be enough)
2) A sewing machine, and all of the related items (thread, needles, scissors, etc.)
3) Stuff with which to decorate the basic mitten design (patches, sew-on doodads, etc.)
4) Paper and Pencil

Got your stuff? Then let's get started!

Step 3: Step 1: Draw Your Pattern

To begin, sketch up your pattern on a piece of paper. This can be done by laying your hand flat on the paper and roughly sketching around the outline, leaving sufficient comfort space as well as half an inch for seam tolerance. Repeat for the other side of the mitten. When you are done you should have a vaguely heart-shaped pattern. When you are satisfied, cut this out, trace out a duplicate, and save patterns for the next step.

Step 4: Step 2: Making the Glove Halves

Take your yard of fleece and fold it over so that it is 2 layers thick. Now, take the patterns you cut out in the previous step and pin to your fleece, and cut them out. Now, one pin at a time, carefully remove the patterns from the cut fabric (repinning the fabric after a given pin has been removed from the pattern). Sew the 2 layers of fleece together, leaving you with 2 halves of the glove.

Step 5: Completing the Glove and Embellishing

With your 2 glove halves completed, sew the halves together (leaving sufficient room to comfortably get your hand in and out, of course). Once this is completed, turn the smitten inside out, hiding the excess seams from view.

Now, go ahead and decorate it, adding patches or buttons, or whatever you feel like.

UPDATE: Went on a walk with this thing with my girlfriend...very warm, does a great job. Consider adding a layer of felt between the fleece for windblocking.