Miscellaneous sewing

Oven mitts from Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing, from this thrifted, and stashed away for far too long, barkcloth fabric:

E had picked out a kids' cookbook with a gift certificate he received for Christmas so he's been all about cooking huckleberry pancakes for breakfast lately.  It's a DK book that starts off with pictures of the various ingredients and kitchen tools that one might need while cooking so, when he saw a pair of oven mitts pictured, he insisted that we needed some of "those big mittens."  And, really, he was right.  We did.

The palms are natural linen, with a layer of cotton quilt batting and one layer of sherpa-type polar fleece since that's the only synthetic batting-like stuff I had on hand.  The backs of the mitts only have one layer of cotton quilt batting since I figured that the don't need to be as thick.  They're trimmed at the wrists with linen/cotton scraps.

I suspect the pattern might be a little "off" from the project picture in the book.  The mitt shown seems slightly shorter than mine turned out, and I ended up cutting the binding piece for the cuff twice as wide, 4 inches, instead of the 2 inches called for, and still it seems more narrow than the one pictured.  These, and the hanging loops I added, were sewn on by hand.

I'm happy with the outcome of these and am thinking that these might be fun to make, in more of an assembly line fashion, as Christmas presents, choosing different fabrics for each recipient.   More, by others, here at Flickr.

Just curious, does anybody else do this or something similar? :

I learned this from watching a friend of mine do this.  She never cuts into a sewing pattern, particulary if there is more than one size included in the pattern envelope.  Rather, she lays a strip of waxed paper over the top, taping more than one strip together if necessary, and traces the pattern she plans to use with a Sharpie pen onto the waxed paper, using that, instead, as her pattern.  This way any adjustments can be done on the waxed paper and all the pattern sizes will still be intact if she ever wants to make another size in the future.  Sure it's one extra step, but ever since seeing her do this, this is how I always start a sewing project from pattern, too.   Sometimes, for bigger patterns, you have to give the Sharpie a rest every now and again to get it to keep writing on the waxed paper.

And lastly, more mending:

C asked me if I could repair the pocket edge of a pair of "perfectly good pair of pants" that he had caught and ripped out while coming down a ladder one time.  The edge was pretty shredded and so continued to catch on things, making them annoying and unwearable.  As it was, I just happened to have some "Carhartt brown" canvas on hand, cut a bias strip from it, folded it in on itself twice and sewed it on by hand, encasing the torn edge.  There.  A perfectly good, pair of covered-in-stain-and-wood-glue-pants, once again.  That's life with a woodworker. 

 

Comments

[strikkelise]

I love your mittens. That fabric is so pretty, and looks very appropriate for your house in the woods :)

I always use wax paper for tracing patterns like this. As you say, it's easy to adjust the pattern a little if you need to. You can also stick as many pins in the paper as you want, without being afraid of ripping the pattern itself.
I have a see-through pattern paper on a big roll, but usually I use wax paper because it's readily on hand in my kitchen drawer.

[Chrissy]

The oven mitts are great. I haven't sewn for a while, but when I did I used very thin interfacing and a biro or texta to copy patterns.

[Celina]

Have fun baking with your boy!
I copy my patterns now, I use either these big sheets from Burda, or tape tissue paper together to get the size I need. This way I use a favorite pattern through several size changes. I haven't used wax paper, I wonder if it is easier to see through.
That is a lovely patch, I could hardly see it. I have a stash of jeans for patch material, to keep the ones we have going a bit longer.

[Tola]

i dont used waxed paper, but i use sew-in interfacing. i used to work in a fabric store and there was a big roll of it for 49 cents a yard. even at $1.20/yd its worth the money i spend to keep the original pattern intact, especially the multi-sized Kwik-Sew patterns. love the mending job, looks great!

[Ellen]

I never thought about doing the waxed-paper thing to patterns, but it would certainly help with all those cut-into-the-new-pattern jitters. Does wax paper hold up (I'm thinking of large patterns like a skirt where you fold and refold.) But you have challenged me to get out my copy of Lotta's book and do something with it other than ogle it on the bookshelf.

And the pants...hmmm...from another woodworker's & project's wife...I'd say they look pretty good!

[katie]

Another vote for interfacing--saves the patterns and I find it's a lot easier to cut out the final fabric with it than with the tissue. I'd imagine wax paper is also more substantial than the tissue patterns. Great mitts and fabric!

[Heather]

I haven't tried wax paper, but my friend taught me to use clear plastic sheeting. It works great, and we seem to always some hanging around that needs to be re-used.

Love the fabric you used for the mitts, isn't it great when you can make something so useful out of bits and pieces that you had on hand.

[stephanie]

love that barkcloth so much! once i finish my shop-sewing, i am moving on to oven mitts for myself and my sous-chef (miles).

i use freezer paper for patterns. i trace then just iron the pieces onto the fabric-no pins needed. i make my softie patterns on freezer paper as well...so much easier to cut out the little tiny pieces.

[Charity]

The finished mitts are great! And thanks for the tip about the wax paper, what a great idea! :0)

[Rebecca]

The oven gloves are lovely and the pattern idea is excellent and leaves me rather kicking myself for not having ever thought of it!

[tanya]

THANK YOU for your inspiration! I have been looking for a lacy but not lacy scarf to do for my daughter and your grey razor back scarf (you also made a neck warmer from the pattern) was perfect.
It's working up quickly, it is a very rewarding pattern, it's pretty on the needles and it looks just like my fairy-like daughter. I am using a wool/soy blend (rowan tapestry) with a V E R Y gradual colour change from grey to beige, and i am adding clear beads with silver interiors as i knit. It's going to be beautiful.
had it not been for your blog i would never have found this.
thanks!

[Andrea]

Nice mitts! I'm gonna have to make those since I've already got the book. And thanks for the wax paper idea. I'll probably try it!

[Susana]

how I enjoying staring at the unique pattern of those oven mitts! great work!!

I'm writing a cookbook for kids, been at it over a year. I'm juggling writing recipes with marketing research. Does your clan like the DK books?

[PICAdrienne]

I also use interfacing for tracing patterns. It works really well, and it is really nice for customizing the pattern. If I am suspicious of an alteration needing made, I use the interfacing and pin it on the target. My kids live in mortal fear of a missed pin.

The oven mitts are really nice. You could also add a handknit dishcloth to the package to really customize it to the receiver.

[Jean Marie]

I, too, haven't tried freezer paper, but I have used interfacing - the tru-grid version that has a 1 X 1 inch grid printed on one side. I took a chance on an order of Swedish Tracing Paper last fall, and except for missing the grid, I like it better - seems sturdier than the interfacing, and doesn't stretch as much. I've been tracing my patterns which allows me to alter without losing the original, probably for two or three years now - so I can always start over again if needed!

[Berlinswhimsy]

Again, I love that pattern on the fabric. It works perfectly for the mitts!

Have fun with baking! I wonder if we have the same cookbook----we have a children's cookbook from dk. My daughter loves it.

I have always been fanatical about copying patterns. I never cut the original. It's kind of a hang-up of mine. I don't know that I ever could cut the original pattern up. Weird, I know...

Those mitts would make PERFECT presents! Just today, I was looking thru a quilting catalog my Mom gets and they had a Christmas section----it said something about "get a head start on Christmas!" I just about gagged! Ack!

[whatweneed]

I've always used tissue paper, and it works great - transparent, and a regular pen or marker works fine. The mitts are really sweet.

[Amy Lu]

I second Swedish Tracing Paper!

You can buy it on Amazon :http://www.amazon.com/Sewable-Swedish-Tracing-Paper-Yard/dp/B000PNEWVU

[VaxGirl]

Your mitts are lovely and I think that's a brilliant idea with the waxed paper. I bet it hold up better than the original patterns too. Thanks for sharing it.