Today, we’re going to learn how to sew mittens. Where I live, we are currently in the depths of winter. As I type this, the temperature of my hands lies somewhere between frosty and frigid. Now is the season for bundling up, and the Mistletoe Mittens Pattern from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop is just the thing for my cold, cold hands. Let’s take a quick look at the pattern:
The Mistletoe Mittens Pattern includes an optional lining and a seam across the palm for optimal comfort and easy movement. It includes 13 sizes (infant to men’s large) and can be made from fleece, minky, knit, thermal, or even upcycled sweaters. Click below for more info:
The Mistletoe Mittens are a big hit with our customers. Check out the listing and see tons of reviews showing how easy they are to sew up. Let’s make a pair together, shall we?
How to Sew Mittens Using the Mistletoe Mittens Pattern
Mitten Supplies
- Mistletoe Mittens pattern
- Sewing machine (serger is not recommended for most steps)
- Iron and ironing board
- Pins or clips
- Main fabric: fleece, sweater knit, minky, PUL, thermal, etc.
- Lining: fleece, cuddle, minky, etc.
- Cuff: knit with at least 30% horizontal stretch
Measuring for the Mittens
I don’t know about you, but I am not as familiar with my hand measurement as I am with my waist. To get the most accurate fit for this pattern, you will need to measure the recipient’s hand from the wrist bone to the tip of the middle finger. If you can’t get measurements, don’t worry – the size chart includes an age guideline that can help you make an educated guess. My hand measured about 7″, which makes me a size I or women’s small in the pattern.
Choose Your Mitten Options
You can make the Mistletoe Mittens with or without a lining and with or without a thumb. For this how to sew mittens tutorial, I will be using a lining and thumb pieces.
Cutting the Mitten Pattern Pieces
Next, let’s cut out our pattern pieces. For my fabric, I used a cozy sweatshirt fleece for the main fabric and a thin black cotton spandex for the cuffs and lining. I used a projector to cut out my pieces, but the pattern also includes print-at-home pieces and an A0 file.
Make sure you mirror your upper front and lower front pieces so you have pieces for your left and right hands. You’ll end up with 4 back pieces (2 in main, 2 in lining), 4 upper front pieces (2 in main, 2 in lining), 4 lower front pieces (2 in main, 2 in lining), and two cuffs. Now, you’re ready to sew!
Sewing the Mittens
First, place your lower front and upper front pieces right sides together (RST) and sew. Then, trim your seam allowance to 1/8″ and press your seams open. Pressing can be a little tricky depending on your fabric type, so just take it slowly. Repeat for the second mitten.
Next, lay the mitten front on top of the mitten back RST and sew along the curved edge, and again trim the seam allowance to 1/8″. Make sure not to get the thumb piece caught in the seam. Repeat for the second mitten.
Turn the mittens right side out. You can try them on now to give you an idea how they will fit. Remember, adding a lining will make the fit a little more snug.
Now, let’s move on the cuffs. Bring one long edge of the cuff over to the other side RST and sew along the edge. Here, it’s okay to use a serger if you’d like. When serging cuffs, I like to fold the cuff in half longways and snip the seam along the fold right up to the outside stitch without going through that outside stitch.
Then, when I fold the cuffs in half I can nest the seams in different directions to reduce the bulk. Repeat these steps for the second cuff piece.
Now, place your cuff over the top of your mitten with RST, stretching it slightly to fit, and baste the cuff in place. I used a 3/8″ seam allowance for basting so it would be easy to remove my basting stitch later on. Repeat for the second mitten. Now, put those to the side while you work on the lining pieces.
For the lining, you’ll repeat mostly the same steps as you did for the main fabric, with one important exception. First, sew your lower front piece to your upper front piece RST and then trim the seam allowance to 1/8″. Repeat for the second mitten.
Now place your mitten front on top of the mitten back RST and sew along the curved edge, but leave a 1-2″ gap near the top of the mitten for turning right sides out. If you have a bulky fabric, a larger gap will make turning easier. I like to place the gap along a mostly straight edge. Trim the seam allowance to 1/8″, except along the gap. Repeat for the second mitten.
Now we get to put all of the pieces together! Slide the mitten lining over the top of the outer layer/cuff piece RST. The cuff will be sandwiched between the lining and main fabrics. Stretch the edge of the cuff to fit the lining piece and sew. I used a serger here since we don’t need to trim the seam allowance. Repeat for the second mitten.
Using the gap in the lining, turn the mitten right side out. Remove your basting stitch if visible. (I basted with a straight stitch, and removing it helps the cuff to stretch without breaking the thread.) Repeat for the second mitten.
Where you left the gap in the lining for turning, take those raw edges, fold them under, and press them flat to hold them in place. You can either topstitch along the gap or hand sew it closed. Since no one will be seeing the lining, I chose to simply topstitch it shut. Repeat for the second mitten.
Finally, push the lining inside the mitten. Make sure to tuck that thumb lining into the main thumb piece to get a comfortable fit. Repeat for the second mitten.
Great job! Now, you have a completed set of mittens, ready to keep your hands toasty warm!
Other Patterns
Big thanks to Shara for highlighting the Mistletoe Mittens patterns and going over all the steps of how to sew mittens. If you enjoyed this pattern, you might also enjoy some of these:
