Hand made mittens

[benjy]

Last Saturday, I had the serendipitous idea to sack off doing my phd thesis corrections and made some mittens instead. Given the subsequent drop in temperature over the last week, this has been a very fortuitous decision.

I used the basic design from here, made a few templates from fleece material and adjusted the width and length to suit me. Once I was happy enough with the fleece version, used the same templates to make leather outers. The final version has a fleece inner and leather outer, which are not attached so the fleece can be removed for cleaning.

The results:

Not a bad first effort. The leather outers are quite taught at the base of the thumb, so the design may need tweaking. However the fit has been getting better over the week with more usage.

I plan to attempt this again, but will move the seam on the palm further towards the wrist as I think this will aid the fit of the leather outers. I'll also taper the top more, currently a bit too much spare material.

Best thing is, they are really very warm!

 

[topknot]

Looking good so far.

Topknot

 

[Toddy]

Ah,
Talk about coincidence I spent a couple of hours this afternoon drawing out mitt patterns with a friend and my take on that style was the pattern he was happiest with

I made my own in fleece for the inner and goretex for the outer mitt and they are very good.

I think that pattern needs adjusting. Not so much the seam, since that's the base line of the thumb too, but the oven glove look to the finger part, and it needs more 3D shape of the 2D material to make it fit over the meat of the heel of the hand and thumb. The thumb looks a wee bit long too.
When you cut out the thumb, where there is a right angle in the pattern pieces, take a 5p coin and curve that angle just enough to take away the L shape and it'll sew together and lie much more smoothly. Fleece is very forgiving and the right angle isn't such an awkwardness with it, but with anything stiffer it's not so comfortable.

Looking forward to seeing how you get on with the next set

cheers,
Toddy

 

[TurboGirl]

They look fab! I wonder why they placed the seam across the base of the palm tho? Seems stange but then I'm used to knit patterns which are inherently different as they're a constructed rather than remade fabric.... MOST eyecatching, Benjy, you won't be loosing those

 

[benjy]

Thanks for the tips Toddy, when I find some free time I'll give this another crack.

 

[Toddy]

Turbogirl, it's an easier way of creating a thumb that fitting in a trank and gusset, and with this mitt style you truthfully aren't aware of the seam across the heel of the hand.
There is another pattern that creates the same kind of mitt, but the seam there runs from the thumb back to the wrist so you have three long seams......very good for sheepskin incidentally

Benjy I really appreciate the work that folks put into making their own kit the pattern sounds easy, but I know it's a fair amount of work putting it together tidily, especially in leather.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[forestwalker]

Turbogirl, it's an easier way of creating a thumb that fitting in a trank and gusset, and with this mitt style you truthfully aren't aware of the seam across the heel of the hand.

I agree fully here. My "quicke try" mittens made from cheap suede is this design, and the only time I notice the seam is when I ride my bicycle and hold my hands in a certain way. Theis pattern also gives a mitten with no seam around the base of the thumb, something that I do appreciate. Now, if the quickie test will ever wear out I can make a new pair from fur (with suede or thin leather for the palm, I get my furry palms the traditional way ). Only about a dozen years, any year now...

 

[TurboGirl]

Now, if the quickie test will ever wear out....any year now...

QED for the pattern, then!! I'll remember that, Toddy, I bet there's many offcuts which could accomodate this pattern better than a 'long thumb' style

 

[forestwalker]

QED for the pattern, then!! I'll remember that, Toddy, I bet there's many offcuts which could accomodate this pattern better than a 'long thumb' style

But since the current ones are ok and work there is no pressing need to make fur ones... The danger of trial items.

The pattern is from the Conovers book, looks like the ones benjy made. Mine have four differences from those, though:

1. A welt in the seam. Absolutely essential if you want them to last.
2. Wider around the wrist, fits outside a parka sleeve.
3. Shorter, mine are "chopper" style, and are basically the same lenght as the lovikka mittens inside them.
4. A loop for the idiot string.