Sew Comfy Wristwarmers Tutorial

Who says wristwarmers or fingerless gloves need to be knit? I've been knitting a few pairs of wristwarmers/fingerless gloves (whatever you like to call them) for xmas pressies and the other day I got to thinking that it would be way faster to just sew a pair up. So this sleep deprived mama said to heck with all the other items on my to do list it's time for a tutorial!


If you follow me on facebook or read yesterday's post you know I fought and I mean fought for the light to take the pics of these sewn wristwarmers. I had to wait until 2:30 or so again and then mad woman dashed around the house sweating and sewing and racing around to get at least a few decent shots for you folks. So bear with me if the pics are not my best shots ever, I hope they at least get the message across. Please feel free to ask me any questions in the comments or to email questions my way. I'm more than happy to clarify any oopsies I may have made in my lack of sleep and over caffeinated haze :)


Sew Comfy Wristwarmers Tutorial:

Materials:

- Fabric approximately 22"L x 12"W for wristwarmers outer lining. I used flannel. Make sure your fabric is pre-washed and shrunk before starting project, it sucks to have to do this, but it's very important.
- Fabric for wristwarmer inner lining approximately 22"L x 12"W. I used an old t-shirt.
- Any supplies you would like to use to snazz up or personalize your wristwarmers.
-needle and thread
-scissors

*All seam allowances 1/2"

**Copyright 2010 www.luvinthemommyhood.com
All rights reserved. For personal use only. Please do not sell items made from this tutorial, it's bad karma :)

1. Download and print the pattern template for the wristwarmer. Adjust width or length as necessary for your arm/hand size.

Bottom Wrist Warmers

Top Wrist Warmers


If you choose not to print the pattern piece out here's another way for you to all whip one up as well:

1. Using a knit wristwarmer as a guide for shape, trace the outline on a piece of paper and then flip the wristwarmer to the right and continue tracing. Doing this makes an open version (unseamed) of your knit wristwarmer. This will be your starting guide. From this shape add at least 2 inches all around to make up for the lack of stretch in your outer lining fabric. Mine was about 9 inches wide at the bottom and tapered in smaller at the top. See the picture above & blelow as an example. Where the fabric curves in is approximately where your wrist will go. Remember the top part should be a smaller width than the bottom as your hand (width of your 4 fingers - not your thumb base) is not as big as your forearm.


2. Pin template to your fabric placing pattern piece fold along the fabric fold edge. Cut out 2 of these using your outer fabric. Cut out 2 more of these with your lining fabric. I used flannel for my outer (oooohhh comfy) and a soft t-shirt for the lining.


3. Pin the outers to the inners with right sides facing each other. Imagine the nice print of your fabric kissing the nice soft side of your cotton t-shirt. You should have two wristwarmers pinned and ready to go visit your machine :)

4. Sew all four sides using a zig zag stitch making sure to leave at least a 2" opening to pull your wristwarmer through later on. I used a zig zag stitch due to the fact that I used a stretch fabric and also because I wanted a little give in the glove area for my thumb to move around without ripping the seam open. Be patient with the sewing and be sure to pin well. The stretch moves a bit but if you hold it just right and don't pull or stretch the t-shirt material while sewing they match up quite nicely together.


5. Time to pretty it up. Trim your edges as close as you can get to your zig zag stitch without cutting it. Make sure to cut your corners as well so your edges are nice and pointy when turned right side out. Turn the wristwarmer right side out by pulling it through the 2" opening you left unsewn. Using a sharp object push out your corners and iron the wristwarmer nice and flat, then pin your opening shut. Using an invisible stitch hand sew the opening closed (ignore the fact that mine isn't in the pics below i was racing the light and was desperate to get my pics done).


6. Fold the wristwarmer in half with your outer fabric facing each other. Slip your arm inside and mark with a pic or fabric marker where you would like the opening for your thumb. You want to mark the base of your first finger sort of where the webbing of your thumb starts if you stick your thumb out sideways and also make a mark at the starting point of your wrist. *You will not be sewing this area. Pin the rest of the way down the wristwarmer and also pin the area between your first mark and the top of the wristwarmer. The areas that are pinned are where you will be sewing.

7. Bring the wristwarmer back to your machine and again using your zig zag stitch start sewing from the top of your wristwarmer down stopping at your first mark making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of your seam a few times. This will help to make the seam nice and strong. You are going to be wearing these lovelies a lot :) This is a thick amount of fabric and it will feel weird at first to sew with this. Make sure you use an appropriate needle for your machine for the thickness and type of fabric you decide to use to make your wristwarmers. I had to tug mine a tad to get it going at first but it made it over the hump.

8. Starting at your 2nd mark sew again with a zig zag stitch down to the bottom of your wristwarmer again using a zig zag stitch. My wristwarmer is 9 1/2" L x 4"W when sewn up.
And then....


GOOD JOB! You're done! Yippee! Wasn't that soooo easy? Super fast and so much fun! I decided to add some buttons on to mine because, well....I love buttons. These wristwarmers are a great basic way to have a starting point to go all willy nilly with! Use your creativity! Make them reversible, or make them foldable to shorten the length sometimes. Add ruffles or applique. Embroider fun sayings on them or quilt them. Do patchwork with shapes or strips..heck the world is your oyester. All I know is that these have not come off since I made them. So comfy and warm for the winter months and even better when worn while sipping some yummy coffee or tea!

*Terms of use: This tutorial is for personal use only. Please do not sell items made from this tutorial - it's bad karma :) Thank you.*

Happy wristwarmer making! Hmmmm...I feel another Comfy Sews VS Cozy Knits coming on..haha. How about making one of our Infinity and Beyond Scarves to go with your fun new wristwarmers? Have you made sewn wristwarmers before? Come join our flickr group and show off your handmade goodies! Click here to join.

Infinity & Beyond Scarf Tutorial

i'm so excited to share this with all of you! this scarf has been on my mind for a long time now. i've sketched it a few times, daydreamed about it, dreamt about it at night and finally, finally found the time to make it happen (thanx jer). i've been drooling over the infinity scarves out there right now but just couldn't find one i loved enough to buy. i knew i wanted something warm, comfy and snuggly. i also knew i didn't want a knit one and that i wanted to be able to wear it a few ways.


i wear my pj's a lot when i'm at home, what can i say - i'm just a jammy girl. i figured what better material to use than a soft flannel that reminds me of a fave pair of jammies. how comfy would that be! i thought the flannel would still be soft enough to drape, but strong enough to hold the buttons and loops i wanted to use to be able to style this scarf the way i had imagined.


in total so far i have styled this scarf 13 different ways and show them all in this post, but i'm sure there are tons more. i repurposed an old elastic headband for the loops and some old buttons to add a sublte pop of color. this infinity scarf is designed to be worn a variety of different ways, use the loops and buttons and get creative! as moms we don't always have time to change our outfits during the day but we can have fun with our accessories and whip this scarf into a new style and instantly change our look. it will keep you warm, stylish and it's also fun to wear. i know if i spotted one of you lovely ladies in a grocery store line up with this on i would ask you where you got it.


there are a lot of possibilities for you to add your own personal touch to this scarf. applique, fabric choices, button picks, loop style and placement, heck if i had more time in my day a ruffled one would be gorgeous as well. i hope you all enjoy it and let's see if we can give cozy knits a run for her money this week and thanks to my gorgeous baby sister camille, for modelling for me even though she was sick with a cold - luv ya!


Infinity & Beyond Scarf Tutorial

Materials:
-Material for scarf. I used flannel. Make sure your fabric is pre-washed and shrunk before starting project, it sucks to have to do this, but it's very important.
-Elastic headband, or (3) hair ties or elastic/fabric/etc to be used as loops for buttons.
-3 buttons
-needle and thread
-scissors and pinking shears (optional)

*All seam allowances 1/4"

**Copyright 2010 www.luvinthemommyhood.com
All rights reserved. For personal use only. Please do not sell items made from this tutorial.


1. Lay your material out flat and cut the length you would like your scarf to be. I cut my scarf to be 10"w (when folded & cut like pic above - 20"w if layed out flat) x 64 1/2"l. To style the infinity scarf in the styles shown in this post I recommend using this length. I cut my fabric as shown incorporating the fold into the scarf so my lazy self didn't have to sew up 2 side seams. I also trimmed my short sides with my pinking shears to help prevent unravelling for us non-serger gals (more on that later).


2. Fold your material right sides facing each other (you will see your wrong sides). Pin along long edge. I like to pin as shown in the pic due to it being so easy to remove pins as you sew, but it's not the only way to pin.


3. 1) Grab your elastic headband & buttons. I wanted a simple, quick way to do the button loop & even though I love elastic headbands they look horrible on me and always slide off my head so I was happy to cut mine up!
2) Try a corner of your elastic headband around your button to determine the size you need to cut your loops. My loop was 1 1/2" long.
3) Hold onto where you made your loop test and cut along the base. Cut (2) more of lengths of elastic the same size. You will have (3) pieces of elastic now.
4) Next determine where to pin your elastic loop onto your scarf. I placed the button card near the end of my scarf & then simply placed the loop onto the scarf to see where I wanted it. I wanted a bit of stretch to the loop so I made my button loop a bit bigger than I normally would have. Pinch your fingers on the loop where you want to pin on the edge of scarf.

4. Now place (sandwich) the loop in between your two pieces of folded fabric like in the photo. When you sew your side seam this cute little loop will be hidden inside just waiting to pop out after and say hi! It feels weird to pin it this way but trust me, it will turn out ok.

5. Pin all loops onto your fabric as shown in the picture above. Make sure your pin goes through both sides of your fabric and also through both pieces of your loop. It's a bit tricky but I used a long pin and it worked out ok. I pinned the left and right loops 1 1/2" from each edge and the middle loop approx. 4.75" from long edge.

6. Bring scarf to machine and sew only this short side. It was a bit tricky to get the hair elastic under the needle but a gentle push of the fabric helped to give it that extra oomph to make it through. I backstitched over them a few times as well for extra strength.


7. Now sew the long side seam. Now if you aren't lucky enough to have a serger like me, when you are done sewing the seam simply trim along it with your pinking shears to help with unravelling. I know it's going to be inside the scarf, but I plan on washing mine and can't stand the idea of all these unravelling threads inside it. If you don't have pinking shears you could also zig zag stitch along this as well.

ok...we're almost there......

8. Before you sew up the final short edge, you are going to turn the scarf right side out and admire it, pet it if you like...maybe wrap it around you for a minute, ahhhh, so warm :) Ok, back to work. Now while wearing your soon to be new scarf, mark where you would like your buttons to go with a washable fabric pen/pencil. Sew your buttons onto only one side of the scarf making sure not to go through both pieces of material. *Remember to use a button that is raised so you can actually loop around it. Make sure to place the buttons far enough away from the edge that you have room to actually machine sew your seam closed.

9. Turn the scarf inside out again (right sides facing together) Pin your short seam closed. Sew this seam making sure to leave a 2" opening to pull your scarf through. Clip your corners so that you can have nice clean points for your scarf. Ok...pull that lovely scarf through, gentle now, we don't want to rip it. Get out whatever handy little notion you would like to use to push your corners out, even the end of a ball pin will do or the point of a knitting needle. Once right side out simply hand stitch your opening closed using an invisible stitch. If need be, gently iron the scarf and then...voila!!!! you are ready to go....TO INFINITY & BEYOND!!!!!


If anyone is interested in learning how to wrap all 13 styles shown in this post, let me know and i may just put together a pdf with instructions.

**Ok, ladies, a PDF has been requested, glad you all want to learn how to wear it! I've been busy working on it but it's taking a while to get it all put together. Bear with me and hopefully I'll have it ready in the next few weeks :)

*Terms of use: This tutorial is for personal use only. Please do not sell items made from this tutorial. Thank you.*

make sure to add pics of your projects inspired by the tutes below to our flickr group! i love seeing all of your creations!

so, what do you think? you like? are you gonna make one? what's your fave way to wear it? i heart the scoodie version. i can't wait to see yours! hope you all had a great, comfy, cozy weekend and stay tuned this week for more tutorials, giveaways and round 3 of our comfy sews VS cozy knits! fun!

**all images copyright luvinthemommyhood

pj's to summer tunic tutorial!

i have been spotting all the cute tunic shirts with a drawstring lately and decided that i wanted to make one of my own. after i couldn't find a pattern that i could actually understand i decided to wing it - my fave thing to do! the result was a pair of my favourite jammies providing me with inspiration, a splash of fun colour and an easy way to make a stylish, customizable tunic, romper, or dress! so go get out your fave pj’s or raid La Senza and sew your way to a stylish summer must have!

(the pics for this post were tricky - they don't do the shirt justice. i'll post better pics later if get some.)

for those of you new to the "newbie sewing series" we provide a tutorial geared towards anyone who sews, but mostly for those who are learning, like me. you get a pdf download of the tutorial and also a handmade video of lil'ol me making them. there may not always be the correct terminology, or the best process, but that's what it's all about when you are learning to sew, it's not always perfect, but it's sure fun.


click here for the pdf download

and here for the video tutorial.

let's have some fun and think outside of the box. we all have tons of interesting materials at home that can be refashioned into something we want to wear and love again. your favorite pair of jammies don't need to be turned into cleaning rags or donated, why not use the much loved fabric to make something you are sure to wear for the summer and with a cute cardigan for the fall. our creativity is a powerful thing that we can all use together to fight the effects of the economy and the environment.

so whip out the sewing machines and show me your creativity in full swing! make sure to join our luvinthemommyhood flickr group and share those projects that you have refashioned! happy sewing!

{all images luvinthemommyhood}

shirt sleeves to yoga capris - the tutorial

i'm really excited about the newest tutorial in the "newbie sewing series" called "shirt sleeve to yoga capris". yes, that's right, i made pants from a pair of sleeves. nuts? nope. fun? you betcha! i got so many comments about the first tutorial in this series (click here for the tute) stating that they wished they could make pants in an adult size, that i couldn't stop thinking about it. i remembered one day a week or so ago that my hubby had thrown this soft, blue cotton polo in his donation to my sewing pile and a light bulb went off in my head. the sleeves stretch! they could fit around my thighs, ok, possibly fit, so i tried them on. mackenzie had a great laugh, jer thought i was nuts, but i persevered. i love how they turned out.


this tutorial requires you to think outside of the norm. we usually wear pants with a seam that goes from front to back in the middle of our bodies, well not these pants. they go from side to side from the inseam outwards. i find it super comfortable and kind of like a pantie line you are allowed to see! during the process i realized that having the seam go on an angle upwards was a leg lengthening trick that is used on bathing suits and with the low rise waist, they could be great for yoga or just lounging in. the best surprise is that they turned out be a great maternity pant as well. no, i'm not pregnant, but i can easily see someone who is being able to wear these around the house during the whole 9 months and after. they are easily adjustable due to a drawstring hidden in the inner waistband and no constricting or tight fabric. i swear i lived in a pair of jammie bottoms that fit almost like this during my whole pregnancy.

so raid your closets, hit up the thrift stores and try a pair. go wild with it. open up your imagination and make yourself your own pair of comfy, fat day, bloat day, live on the couch and eat ice cream, meditate and do sun salutation day pants.

for those of you new to the "newbie sewing series" we provide a tutorial geared towards anyone who sews, but mostly for those who are learning, like me. you get a pdf download of the tutorial and also a handmade video of lil'ol me making them. there may not always be the correct terminology, or the best process, but that's what it's all about when you are learning to sew, it's not always perfect, but it's sure fun.

***Copyright 2010 www.luvinthemommyhood.com
All rights reserved. For personal use only. Please do not sell items made from this tutorial unless permission has been given.


click here for the pdf download

(please let me know if you have a problem downloading, we were having technical difficulties last night. that's why there is no preview here.)

and here for the video tutorial.

so come along for the ride, use your creativity and remake, repurpose or refashion something into these comfy capris and then lounge, meditate, stretch and pose your little heart out! these pants are made to be custom fit to you!

send us your pics! we would love to see if you make any of the projects in the "newbie sewing series" - please email your creations to luvinthemommyhood@yahoo.ca it's inspiring to see what all of you have been making!

there's no such thing as leftovers - the pants

when repurposing or refashioning an item, there is no such thing as leftovers in my house. after having so much fun making dresses from men's shirt's, (see previous post) i created these pants from the sleeves to utilize all the pieces of the shirt.


i decided to try my hand at making a tutorial for all of you as part of the "newbie sewing series". this is my first tute, so please be kind with me, i am still learning as well, and don't worry, the dress "in bloom" is coming next. i decided to use the pants as my trial run.


during the process of making this tutorial i decided to have a little fun with it. what you are getting is the actual step by step of the very first time i tried these pants. that is how things work when we really sew - some things fail, some things succeed, and sometimes we make errors. these pants started out in my mind as being capris, they aren't. they were also supposed to have more of a flat waistband, they don't - but i love em' anyways! this is what i find to be the most addicting part of making clothes from a whim, i just go with where the process takes me.


since i am a newbie sewer and have to admit, i don't know a lot of fancy terminology, i decided to add a new feature to your average tutorial. i tend to be a very visual learner, the more pictures the better, but sometimes that isn't enough for me, i need to see it being done, not just explained. in pondering this during my daily strolls with mackenzie, i decided hey, why not add in a video of me humiliating myself to go with my equally embarrassing attempt at a tutorial? so i did, i decided to give it a shot and see how you all like it. it's not a blockbuster hit, it's just me and my camera (no tripod, i couldn't find it), the tv in the background (some kid's show to keep mackenzie quiet), i have bronchitis - so i sound funny, and of course, i thought they were going to be capris - until i tried them on her..haha.

you will be able to:

1. download the tutorial in a PDF and print it out

PDF DOWNLOAD - there's no such thing as leftovers - the pants

2. watch a video of me talking about the process on you tube or view them in this post.

VIDEO ADDITION TO THE TUTORIAL

***Copyright 2010 www.luvinthemommyhood.com
All rights reserved. For personal use only. Please do not sell items made from this tutorial unless permission has been given.


so have fun with it - experiment, create and let your imagination go wild, but most importantly, trust your instincts, you don't need to be an expert sewer to create a great garment.

please remember to take that much needed second look at items we already have in our homes and rethink their purpose. it truly is a creative journey that we can all share, learn from, and inspire each other with, as a newbie sewer or as an experienced sewer.

so share with me - your thoughts & your pictures, i can't wait to hear from you all! happy sewing!

newbie sewing series & a sneak peek

the response to our take on the men's shirt dress into a toddler dress (back to front) "in bloom" has been overwhelming. thank you all for your wonderful comments and lovely emails, it has meant so very much. in reading your comments, i have decided to try my hand at a new tutorial series called "newbie sewing series". yes, i called it that..he he. i figured that's what it is, so that is what it should be called. i am a newbie sewer and a newbie at writing tutorials.

i have a few new and exciting repurposing/refashioning projects on the go at the moment and hope to have them all up in the series for you to enjoy. there will be a surprise twist to the tutorials so stay tuned for that as well. hopefully i can get my hubby who actually has a few days off (miracle!) to give me a few solid hours, child free, uninterrupted (also a miracle) to get things finalized and online for all of you.

in the meantime here's a sneak peek at my newest project.

ohhh, what's it gonna be? all i have to say is i am super excited to show you and it's lots of fun to make!

what are you working on? i'd love to see!

in bloom - men's shirt to toddler dress

i finally finished mackenzie's birthday dress. a little late for her birthday, but hey, we don't mind. this dress is repurposed or upcycled if you will, from one of my hubby's dress shirts. this time, instead of using the button panel for the front of the dress (see previous post here and here), i reversed it. when dreaming up how i wanted the dress to look, i fell head over heels for the pleat in the back of his shirt and knew right then and there that i wanted a little empire dress with cap sleeves. the rest came to life from that moment.

i originally had envisioned a boat neckline, and had sewed it that way. unfortunately, my little one was too small to keep it on her little shoulders - bad measuring on my part, so i waited it out for the solution to come to me. at first i tried adding the adorable yellow button to the cap sleeve to take it in a bit, but no luck. finally, last night while watching the worst made for tv movie ever (they seem to bring me inspiration) i decided to add another layer to the neckline and put in an elastic casing to just close things up. it did the trick!

the flower applique is amy butler and i just couldn't resist adding that little yellow button to the center of the flower and to the hook on the front pleat of the dress. to finish things off i sewed in a dainty, yellow ribbon to add a bit of colour to the back of the dress. perfect for summer, light and airy - she loves it and looks adorable in it. bonus for me is it's one less stained shirt in the donation pile :)

if you haven't tried one of these men's shirt transformations yet give it a whirl. they are loads of fun and super addicting. if anyone is wondering where to find a tutorial for one of these dresses, go check out dana's at made. if you are interested in a tutorial for this one, let me know, i just may be able to whip something up even with my newbie sewing skills to help you along.

have you made one yet?

newbie sewing series - list of tutorials

for those of you new to the "newbie sewing series" we provide a tutorial geared towards anyone who sews, but mostly for those who are learning, like me. you get a pdf download of the tutorial and also a handmade video of lil'ol me making them. there may not always be the correct terminology, or the best process, but that's what it's all about when you are learning to sew, it's not always perfect, but it's sure fun.

make sure to add pics of your projects inspired by the tutes below to our flickr group! i love seeing all of your creations!

click here for the pdf download and video tutorial.

click here for the pdf download and video tutorial.

click here for pdf download and video tutorial.