How to Make Mittens Out of Recycled Wool
- 1). Felt, or shrink, the wool sweaters in a top-loading washing machine. You can do this by placing them in a pillowcase and washing them with a few pairs of jeans. Use hot water and 2 or 3 tbsp. of mild laundry detergent.
- 2). Remove the sweaters from the washing machine and let them dry flat on a clean towel or a sweater drying rack.
- 3). Cut a small slit at the sweater's neck or body hem and see if the knitted fabric unravels. It if does, run it through the washing machine once more. If it doesn't unravel, the fabric is sufficiently felted.
- 4). Stick your hand into one of the sweater's sleeve cuffs. Adjust your hand until the cuff's edge sits on your wrist where you want the edge of your mitten cuff to hit.
- 5). Note where the cuff hits on your wrist and remove your hand from the felted wool sweater sleeve.
- 6). Measure from the spot where the cuff will be to 1 inch beyond your longest fingertip. This measurement will equal the finished mitten's length plus a seam allowance.
- 7). Turn the sweater inside out and use straight pins to attach the sleeve's two layers together to prevent them from slipping.
- 8). Place the end of the measuring tape at the edge of the cuff and measure the finished mitten's length plus the seam allowance using your calculation from step 6. Mark your measurement with a disappearing ink quilting marker.
- 9). Cut straight across the sleeve at the marked point using a pair of sharp fabric scissors.
- 10
Place your hand on one of the cut sleeves and with your disappearing ink quilting marker draw a rounded mitten outline 1 inch away from the edge of your hand and fingers. - 11
Draw the thumb outline 1/2 inch away from the edge of your thumb. - 12
Make a mitten outline on the second recycled wool sweater sleeve using the same method. - 13
Place pins every inch along the inside of the outline. - 14
Cut along the mitten outlines with a pair of sharp fabric scissors. - 15
Cut a length of cotton-wrapped polyester thread and thread the cut ends through the eye of a sewing needle. - 16
Back stitch (see Resource) around the mitten shape, leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Allow the mitten cuff to remain open. - 17
Cut a dart in the seam allowance at the thumb joint. Just cut from the edge of the seam allowance toward the seam, being careful not to cut into your stitching. - 18
Turn the completed mitten right side out and finish the second mitten in the same fashion.
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