Warm & Wooly

Hat

Use the full-size pattern to cut one hat from a sweater front or back aligning the hat lower edge with the sweater lower edge.

Abut the two ends and hand stitch the seam to the top of the crown using the yarn and a simple joining stitch (1). Don't tie knots in the yarn. Bury the yarn ends within the fabric thickness or weave them through the surface on the wrong side.

Sew the remaining short crown seams (2). For a hat that accommodates a ponytail, see Set the Pony Free.

Roll a small towel into a head-shaped ball and place the hat over the ball. Steam the hat with an iron held just above the surface; pat and mold the hat into shape.

Add embroidery to the hat if desired. See Embellish With Embroidery.

Mittens

Cut two mittens from the remainder of the sweater. To use the sleeve, cut the sleeve from the sweater along the armseye seam, and then cut it apart along the underarm seam and lay flat. Place the mitten patterns so the grainlines align with the vertical ribs of the knit. Make sure to reverse each piece for the second mitten so you get a mitten for each hand.

To sew the mittens, start with the palm piece. Place it right side up on a flat surface. Fold up the thumb section along line A (3).

Fold along line B to form the thumb. Align the edges, matching the diamonds and circles as noted on the pattern. Stitch around the thumb curve to the diamond, and then to the lower edge (4).

If you'd like to add embroidery to the mitten back, do so before stitching the back and palm together.

With wrong sides facing, place the palm and back together, and then stitch the outside edges leaving the thumb free. Repeat to make the other mitten. If desired, finish the cuff edges with a blanket stitch.

Laundry Care

Brush the fabric (or items) with a clothes brush to remove loose dirt and raise the nap that may flatten from wear. Dry-clean or hand-wash felted items.

To wash felted wool by hand use cool water and a mild soap. Immerse the item in the water and squeeze a few times; let soak for 10 minutes. Rinse the item thoroughly with cool water. Gently squeeze the water from the item, and then roll it in a clean towel. Reshape and let air-dry. Wet wool stretches and distorts easily, so don't wring the fabric or hang to dry.

From the Sew Up the Holidays 2006 issue of Sew News magazine.