How to get oversized mittens to fit properly?
November 17, 2006 9:17 AM   Subscribe

Is it possible to adjust mittens so that they have a closer fit? I received a beautiful pair of mittens, made of wool, with fleece lining. The colors are beautiful, and they are really warm, but they are a bit too big. Specifically, they can't be adjusted on the wrist, it's a bit too wide and has no elastic on it, so I feel the cold air getting in, and sometimes I feel they are slipping. I already tried throwing them in the drier, and although they shrank a little, they are still too wide in the wrist. How could I modify the mittens so that they fit in better?
posted by irian to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (15 answers total)
 
Can you attach a strap with Velcro on it so that you can since them up around the wrist?
posted by willnot at 9:29 AM on November 17, 2006


Wash them by hand in really hot water, then put them in the dryer again.

If that doesn't work, you could sew a casing around the inside of the wrist with flat elastic in it. (The casing is a tube of similar-colored fabric that keeps the elastic from chafing your wrist.)
posted by ottereroticist at 9:30 AM on November 17, 2006


Can you sew some elastic into the wrist?
posted by stefnet at 9:30 AM on November 17, 2006


Don't! Oh, please don't put them in the dryer again. If you don't know what you're doing you can really shrink them or turn them into fleece!

You can try blocking them if they're just a little too big, by wetting them and laying them flat while squishing the wrist area and then letting them dry.

Otherwise there are things you may be able to do with the stitching, depending on what the liner is like. I would take them to someone you know who knits.
posted by bohdel at 9:37 AM on November 17, 2006


Best answer: Buy some elasticized trim at any craft or fabric store, and weave it in and out between the yarn, all the way around the wrist of each mitten. Then adjust it so that it will fit snugly when on, but stretch enough to allow you to slip your hand in. Tie it in a knot, trim off the excess and tuck the knot to the inside. No sewing required, easy.

You could also buy these elastic cord things (also sold at craft and fabric stores) and weave them through and pull on the plastic thing to adjust them.
posted by iconomy at 9:50 AM on November 17, 2006 [1 favorite]


Elastic thread woven into the wrist would probably help, but unless you're very good at it, or the gloves are a light colour, it'll likely show, since it is usually white.

Another option would be to sew a small piece of sewing elastic - probably the thin stuff used in underwear and swimsuits would be sufficient, though it might create a more obvious gather than a larger, waistband style elastic - into the inside of the wrists. This would let them stretch over your hands, but then pull the mitts back around your wrist, while remaining largely invisible since it would be inside.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:22 AM on November 17, 2006


Response by poster: The mittens have a very colorful pattern, pink, brown, beige, blue and violet. Really pretty, but I guess a white elastic on the outside would stick out. Weaving an elasticized trim sounds like a great idea, I'll check at the craft store if there is anything that will kind of match the mittens. If not, I'll probably try to sew an elastic on the inside, with a casing so that it remains comfy.

I'm not particularly skilled at crafts :(
Let's see how this turns out.
posted by irian at 10:32 AM on November 17, 2006


Elastic comes in lots of colors besides white now. It doesn't have to be elastic per se, just some trim that's elasticized. Extra-bouncy, as it were ;)
posted by iconomy at 11:18 AM on November 17, 2006


Locate somebody that owns a serger or sewing machine. They can sew the inside down a bit.

Is the wool a knit or woven? If the wool is a woven then a regular sewing machine stitch or serger is probably going to be sufficient. If they are knit--as in knitted yarn, then you might need a person who knits to adjust for you. If they are a knitted wool fabric (think tight weave sweater knit or jersey) with a tighter weave then a sewing machine will work also.

If they are loose knitted yarn you may need a friend who knits and sews, because you probably will need to alter the lining if you alter the knitted yarn.

If you are going to place elastic inside the cuff you will probably want a casing. You can make a casing with twill tape you buy in a package. Or you can stitch the elastic directly inside the cuff with a zig-zag stitch with thread that matches the mittens. Measure the circumference of your wrist and let that be your guideline.

Holy cow, this probably seems complicated. Bring them to a person who sews. She will help you. Good luck.
posted by LoriFLA at 12:31 PM on November 17, 2006


Depending on how the mitten and the lining are sewn together, it may be fairly easy (for someone who sews) to undo the seam and stitch the inside of the lining so it will fit you better. If you're not particularly crafty yourself, someone else might be able to:

-Rip the seam that holds the mitten together
-Turn the lining inside out
-Stitch a seam in the wrist area, a few millimeters away from the original seam.
-Turn it right side out and sew it all back together again.
posted by eleyna at 1:15 PM on November 17, 2006


Best answer: Hair elastics might be just the right size. Put one on the inside of the wrist, and use a piece of yarn to sew it to the inside of the mitten wrist. Or find someone who crochets and can do it in a sturdy manner.
posted by theora55 at 2:30 PM on November 17, 2006


Elastic is a good idea, but even simpler (if this is a typical knitted mitten) is to get a cord of matching or complementary yarn (braided, maybe?) and weave that through the cuff, then use it to tighten the cuff on your wrist and tie it in a nice bow. :)
posted by litlnemo at 4:09 PM on November 17, 2006


Best answer: How about wearing a thin pair of gloves or mittens underneath the mittens?

Might be too warm, but that's the reason we used to do it at home (arctic climate) during winter - wear home knitted mittens underneath oversized wind/waterproof ones.
posted by rpn at 5:57 PM on November 17, 2006


And with the correct match, the inner pair will look (well, they won't really be visible) and feel just like a proper inner lining for the mittens.
posted by rpn at 6:01 PM on November 17, 2006


Response by poster: Ended up getting a nice looking hairband that sort of complimented the mittens, and sewed it on the outside. The result is functional, and it even looks cute, in spite of my lacking skills.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
posted by irian at 10:39 PM on November 22, 2006


« Older Who is the mysterious goose egg caller and why is...   |   fur=murder? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.