Have you ever wanted an easy, quick, and fun project to make with your daughter that would allow you time together without having to worry too much about the depth and instruction involved in teaching the project? Here’s your answer!

These adorable and inexpensive little newborn mittens can be used for your daughter’s favorite doll as she learns how to take her first stitches or while she spends time sewing with you. They can also be given to someone who is expecting a new baby and are so simple you could easily make several pairs as a baby gift.

Similar to the cloth infant mittens you find in stores, these are handmade using felt and ribbon but have no irritating elastic to rub against baby’s delicate skin. Felt is ultrasoft, too, and won’t rub or irritate baby’s skin. An added benefit is that these mittens can be stored in a hope chest for years ahead of time without worrying that the elastic will dry out and crumble since ribbon is used to tie them to the baby’s wrist.

These mittens are easy enough for anyone who has never lifted a needle before to sew and set aside for future children or grandchildren or to give as gifts. Also, they are an excellent starting project for young children who want to learn to sew but have few options other than very detailed projects to begin with. And what little girl wouldn’t love to sew her doll a pair of baby mittens?

Items Needed

1 piece of 12" × 9" felt in your color choice
1 skein of embroidery floss matching
your felt, but in a darker shade
1 yard of ribbon matching your felt, but a darker shade
1 large embroidery needle (you need a needle with a large eye) 1 pair of scissors
Less than one hour of time!

Instructions

1. Trace the pattern provided onto a piece of paper and cut out.

2. Fold your felt in half lengthwise. Position your pattern over the felt so you will be able to get two cuttings from one piece of felt. Pin the pattern in place with straight pins. (Hint: If you do not have straight pins, in a pinch you can use extra needles in your packet as pins. Just remember to replace the needles back into the needle pack when you are finished.)

3. Cut around your pattern. You should have two pieces when you are finished cutting. Set aside.

4. Place your pattern on the leftover piece of felt and repeat the pinning and cutting process.

5. You now have four pieces, two pieces per mitten.

6. Thread your needle with a 25-inch length of floss and knot the end of your floss. (Note: Embroidery floss comes in a long, continuous length with six strands of thread that makes up one piece of floss. In some projects the strands need to be separated. In this project we will use all six strands together.)

7. With your two pieces of cut felt, begin a running stitch starting at A and going around the entire edge of the mitten until you reach B. (See diagram for running stitch and how to hide your knot from showing on the finished mitten.)

8. When you reach B, make a knot and secure the thread by taking several running stitches through the seam and cutting the thread. This will prevent the ends of the thread from showing at the mitten’s cuff later.

9. Turn your mitten inside out very carefully. Use your scissors or a pencil eraser to gently push out the thumb part of the mitten. If you push too hard, your stitches may pull out and you will need to start all over. So go carefully and slowly. (Although babies won’t be keeping their thumb in that area, it adds character to the mittens.)

10. Once the mittens are turned inside out, the next step is to use a blanket stitch around the entire cuff of the mitten. This not only adds a decorative border but also helps prevent stretching and tearing of the felt. (See diagram for blanket stitch.) This may be too hard for very young children, so don’t push if they begin to get frustrated. The blanket stitch is very simple to use but can be confusing for children under 7 years of age.

11. To start the blanket stitch, cut another length of floss about 25 inches long. Thread your needle and knot the end of your thread. Begin the blanket stitch at one seam and work all the way around to where you started.

12. To end your blanket stitch, you will slide your needle beneath the top layer of the very first stitch and pull through. Do this one more time, but before you pull the floss all the way though place the needle through the loop that is formed (it’s best if you place the needle through the loop twice) and then pull gently as the knot slides down the floss and secures along the cuff where your last stitch was taken. To hide the threads from showing on your finished project, take a few running stitches along the inside of the seam and cut your floss about one inch from the cuff edge inside the mitten.

13. To finish your mitten, take a 16-18 inch length of ribbon and fold in half to find the middle. Once you have the middle of your ribbon, place this over the wrist of the mitten as shown. Each mitten has a front and a back. The ribbon needs to be secured with a few small stitches to the front, then wrapped around the mitten and tied on the back side as shown in the photo. This way the ribbon will not get lost, and the mitten can be adjusted depending on the baby’s wrist size.

14. Secure your ribbon by placing your threaded needle inside the mitten and taking 2-3 stitches straight through the felt and ribbon in the same holes. This is called tacking. 15. Once this is done and your ribbon is tied (tacked) in place, your mitten is finished! Repeat for the second mitten and you have a pair.

Hand wash only. Line dry.

Do you have a larger baby to make mittens for? Enlarge the pattern by 20% using a scanner or printer. Once a baby is able to suck and chew on his fingers or is teething, most infant mitten use should be discontinued.

STITCH DIRECTIONS

Running Stitch
Work from right to left for this very basic, up-and-down stitch. Place your needle down through the fabric and then pull the thread all the way through until the knot stops it. Bring your needle up through the fabric approximately 1/16-1/8 inch from your starting point. Pull the thread all the way through until it stops. Place your needle down through the fabric again approximately 1/16-1/8 inch from the previous stitch. Repeat this pattern as you follow the outline of the mitten. Once you get the basic idea of how the stitch works, you can practice taking multiple stitches before pulling the needle all the way through the fabric. This means you will be working on the top of the felt only, not going up and down continually. This is much easier, but when first learning the stitch don’t hesitate to use the up and down stitching to get started. When you are done with your stitching it should look similar to the diagram shown.

Blanket Stitch
Sew from left to right, beginning at one of the mitten’s seams. The diagram shows how to create this stitch. It is very simple. The one thing you need to remember is to place the needle through the loop before pulling the thread tight. If you do forget (and young children often do), simply loosen the last stitch and then slide the needle through the loop and continue on. Each stitch should be about the same length and about the same distance apart. This takes a little practice, but if you pay very close attention when you place your needle tip down for a new stitch, you should do very well the first time. To end this stitch, simply place two stitches in the same hole where you started, then use a running stitch down the seam as you did before and secure your thread. Cut your thread.

Rebekah and her husband, Edward, homeschool their eight children and enjoy spending time together as a family. Rebekah has written several books on hope chests and hand sewing, hoping to share her passion for both with families everywhere. See much more at her website at www.hopechestlegacy.com.