Knit Fabric Hand Warmers

Sewing fingerless gloves is a great and easy project.  These Knit Fabric Hand Warmers from Jen Hagedorn keep your hands nice and warm and leave your fingers open for writing, typing, or crafting! 

Materials:

• 1/2 yard knit fabric, with at least 25% stretch
• Standard spool of thread
• Large piece of paper for making your pattern
• Standard sewing tools and supplies
   

Instructions:

1. First, create your pattern.  Measure around your palm at the widest part, not including your thumb.  This number is your palm measurement.  Now measure the around your arm where you'd like them to end.  That number is your arm measurement.  Next, measure from that point on your arm down to your knuckles, or wherever on your hand you want them to reach and ADD 1".  That number is the length. The seam allowance will take care of making the width just a bit smaller than the actual width of your arm, so they'll be just snug enough.  If you are working with an especially stretchy fabric, you may need to subtract 1/2" from your palm and arm measurements.
    
2. Draw a vertical line equal to your length line on a large piece of paper, like wrapping paper or tissue paper.  Now center a horizontal line the length of your palm measurement across the top.  To do this, divide by 2 and make that the point that intersects the length line.  Do the same for your arm measurement at the bottom.  Connect the side lines.
    
3. Cut around your pattern piece, and fold it in half along the length line.  Now draw a cutout for the thumb hole.  For an average hand, the top of this cutout should be 2.5" from the palm line.  Centering a standard spool of thread on the edge makes a perfect size. You can even look through the hole of the spool to be sure it's perfectly centered on the edge.  If you can't find a circle the right size, use a ruler and sketch a half circle roughly 2/3" wide and deep.
   
   
    
4. Now cut 2 of these shapes from your chosen knit fabric, being sure you are cutting so the stretch goes across the width of the pattern.  Also cut 2 strips from the same or a coordinating fabric 5" wide (stretch direction) by 1" long.  These are your binding strips.
   
   
   
   
    
5. Hem the top and bottom of the armwarmers by pressing under 1/2" and sewing with a narrow zigzag that goes just off the raw edges of the fabric.
   
   
   
   
    
6. Fold the armwarmer right sides together and sew a 1/4" seam with a zigzag or stretch stitch, or serger from the arm edge up to the thumbhole and stop.
   
   
    
7. Turn the armwarmer right side out.
    
8. You should be able to open up the thumbhole so that it's fairly straight and accessible for sewing. Pin a binding strip, right sides together, along the entire length (or "around") the thumbhole.  Sew using a longer-length straight stitch, about 1/4" from the edge of the hole.
   
   
    
9. Press the binding first toward the hole, then wrap it all the way around the raw edges to the inside of the armwarmer and press again, and pin in place.
   
   
   
   
    
10. "Stitch in the ditch" from the right side of the fabric, using a longer length straight stitch.  Trim any excess binding from inside the thumbhole to 1/8", and any excess over the side seam.
    
    
     
11. Turn the armwarmer inside out once more to finish the side seam with a zigzag or serger, again using a 1/4" seam.
    
    
     
12. Right it once more, and repeat for the other side - now go enjoy your warm, crafty arms!