Tips and Tricks for Sewing 529 Glov-itts

A few weeks ago, we had a customer email to ask for some clarification about making our pattern 529 Glov-itts (& Finger-free Gloves).  This sewing pattern creates a set of finger-free gloves that can be made with a mitten-like cover to keep your hands warm while allowing accessibility for the fingers which might be needed when texting or working.  They are made from fleece and can have an optional palm protector fabric sewn on.  

Normally, I can look at a pattern's instructions and pattern pieces to figure out what extra help a customer might need when answering their questions.  However, I could not figure this one out.  The question had to do with the gusset, and I decided to go ahead and make one to see what the issue was.  Now, I am totally confident that the pattern is correct because Green Pepper patterns are well-drafted and illustrated, and have been around long enough that if there were any issues, they were solved by now.  And I figured if I was going to make one glov-itt, I may as well make a pair.

I solved the issue that the customer was having when I realized that you really have to pay attention to the labeling on the gusset.  The pattern pieces tell you exactly where each side is intended to go, and this helps tremendously with lining everything up to make a glove (or half-fingered/fingerless glove in this case).

I learned a few tips and tricks when making my set of glov-itts and I am going to pass that along to you. Do note that I did not add a palm protector to my pair.  I was trying to get this done quickly, so I left it out.  

Tips & Tricks:

• You need to use fleece or a sturdy stretch fabric to make these gloves (fabric needs about 25% stretch).  However, the thicker the fleece, the harder it will be to get precise edges and to get the seams to line up when sewing them together.  
• The gloves may run a little large.  I have a 7" hand, so I made a size medium, and it is a little large (but totally functional). If your hand measurement lands on the edge of the size guide, you may want to go with the smaller size.
• Cutting out the pattern requires very accurate cutting. Use very sharp scissors with a fine point. And be sure to cut exactly to the ends of the lines between the fingers.
  
• Note all markings and labels on the pattern pieces.  The pattern says to mark with small clips, but the seam allowance for the whole pattern is 1/4" which is not a lot of room. And, I find it hard to see clip marks in fleece.  You could use a marking pencil, soap, or marker instead.  I used pins to mark my pattern pieces because I find marking some fleece difficult. 
• Line up cut edges precisely (or as precisely as possible) when putting pieces together to sew.  This is hard to do because the pieces are small and the edges are short. Using lots of pins can help.  Or if you are having trouble, I like to hand baste pieces together before machine sewing them.
• The gusset construction is not intuitive. Be sure to mark which side is the right side of your pattern piece and which side is the ring finger. The edges of the pattern piece are labeled, and this is important when attaching the gusset and putting it in place with the fingers. The edges that are marked/labeled make up the sides of the fingers.
• Check your seams after each time you sew them.  The seam allowances are small and it is easy for a section of the fabric to get missed by the stitching.  If that happens, just go ahead and re-stitch the seam or that section, making sure to catch the section that was missed in the first stitching.

I hope these tips and tricks help you make these glov-itts.  I love the pair I made and find them very useful and warm.  Have you made them before? Let us know what fabric you used and how they turned out!

And if you have any other questions about this pattern, put them below or email us at info@thegreenpepper.com.

See the Glov-itts in action below on our YouTube channel!