Have you seen Sweater Mittens yet? Frugal gift idea!

I recently read another reader's comment over at The Prudent Homemaker's blog where she mentions someone else having made some sweater mittens. I did an internet search and found some simple directions... Simple enough even for someone as inexperienced with a sewing machine as myself. The following day I and a co-worker were having lunch in a local pizza/coffee shop. They have a few gift items throughout their cafe. One of those items were sweater mittens. Now if that's not a clear enough sign to try something... Later that night I checked in with my daughter on Facebook where I discovered she had received - you guessed it - a pair of sweater mittens that one of her roommates had made for her!

Well, between J and I, there isn't a sweater between the two of us. I did, however, have a 100% wool jacket that I'd bought at a thrift store months ago that I'd washed in cool (evidently not cool enough) water and hung to dry. That lovely, $8 wool jacket shrunk. I tried stretching it to no avail. I tried soaking it in cold water with a touch of conditioner... No do. It had been hanging in the laundry room ever since, waiting for a second life. Which I gave it today. I got two pair of sweater mittens out of the jacket. Plus I removed the zipper and stashed it in my sewing tote in case... Well, you never know. I even kept a few scrap pieces that I'm considering making into catnip toys for our two furry brats for Christmas! Ha ha!

I'm not sure if the pattern pieces I used were what affected the slight "not-quite-right" feel, though I suspect it was the fact that I used wool rather than a knitted fabric. It just doesn't move the same way. But they still turned out adorable and warm. So just do a search and you should get plenty of pattern ideas. I used one that has 3 pieces.

For lining them? I've had a pair of J's longjohns sitting on my dryer for months that had a hole-y knee. Perfect. Oh. Yeah, you know it. I kept the elastic from the waist. And the buttons came from Dad's inherited button collection from Grandma!