Monday, December 14, 2009

My First GIVE AWAY and also a TUTORIAL: How to Make Hand Warmers

So, arm warmers are a pretty big seller in my store. I use old wool sweaters and I felt them by washing them and drying them. This creates a dense fabric with edges that do not fray, even when unfinished.



There is a limited amount of sweater that is usable for arm warmers, so I also like making purses, pouches, wallets, baby hats, baby shoes, and anything else I can think of with the remaining felt scraps.

I have a HUGE collection now, though many of the sweaters I have in my stash still have parts that are good for making arm warmers.

I also received a custom order for a pair of hand warmers this weekend, which seemed like an excellent opportunity to use some of the smaller scraps that I have.

So, to start out you will need some felt scraps from a wool sweater. If you need to make them, wash and dry a sweater on high heat a few times.



Trace your hand on a piece of paper to make the pattern, then add seam allowance. I used 1/4 of an inch. Draw a straight line with a 90 degree angle on either side across where your knuckles will be and also where your wrist will be. Draw a curve from the top of the thumb to the bottom. Then cut out your pattern.


Then pin your pattern to your fabric. You will need a total of 4 pieces. if your fabric is doubled just cut the pattern out twice. If it is not- for example I did not have enough of this black sweater to double it- then cut 2 with your pattern face up and then cut 2 with your pattern face down.


It is not necessary to put an applique on your hand warmers, but I think it looks way more awesome :). If you ARE going to put the applique on the easiest time to sew it on is BEFORE you sew up the sides of your hand warmers, but I usually do it after wards because I think that placement of the applique is easier after the hand warmers are sewn. I often wish I had done it BEFORE sewing up the sides when I am working on ARM warmers and my hands are cramping up, but since there is better access into the hand warmers it makes little difference when the applique is sewn on. This applique was made from my own original drawing of a heart, Iron-On transfer paper and recycled poly felt.


Sew up the sides with a regular stitch. Try them on and make sure you like how they fit. I made these smaller because they are really stretchy and they felt better that way. When you are happy with the fit zigzag stitch over your original stitches (make sure that you back stitch at the beginning and end of your seams so that they do not unravel) and cut off the excess fabric.




This is what the custom pair looked like when I was finished. Pretty awesome.

I shipped them out this morning. :)


SOOOO... I am pretty sure I said GIVEAWAY:

I have been meaning to have one of these for a while now, and have actually created my own arsenal of great AcrylicandSteel.etsy.com Items to give away. In Lu of the tutorial just given I decided to make a pair of hand warmers to give away.

one reader will receive these cute blue whale arm warmers . The felt on these is VERY dense making them a little tighter than the other pair I made using the same pattern, but they will stretch as far as you make them. I think a young girl... or even a teenage girl would just love these. I am 26 and I love them!




To enter:

1 entry- Follow my blog
3 entries- Go to AcrylicandSteel.etsy.com and post a link in the comments to your favorite item
10 entries- purchase ANYTHING from my store during the duration of this giveaway or ANYTHING from any of my friends at the christie cottage's buy and sell thread (There is a new one daily today's is http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6377432&page=26), the Booty buy and Sell Thread http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6363199or The Crazy buy and replace thread http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6377598&page=29. (12/14/09-12/28/09)

Please post a comment for each of the above ways to enter and provide your etsy shop url in the comment as well, or some other way to contact you if you win. If you make a purchase from any of these stores please also leave the transaction ID in the post.

A winner will be picked December 28, 2009. I will also Feature the winner's store on my blog, unless the winner does not have an etsy store or requests that I do not feature their store.

21 comments:

  1. I follow your blog :)

    I love the whales ^^

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1.
    I love these ! I am all for medical puns

    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35648565

    ReplyDelete
  3. 2.
    favorite item
    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35648565

    ReplyDelete
  4. 3.
    favorite item
    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35648565

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am following your blog :) Very cute little gloves!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I also love this purple octopus print! So cute.
    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34938518

    bijouxrouge@hotmail.com
    http://bijouxrouge.etsy.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm following your blog! That tutorial makes it look so easy and I might just try making a pair :)

    aestraea [at] gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Then...favourite item in your shop is this 'Bionic Doll Face Robot Girl Necklace'. It's awesome and slightly eerie at the same time, which makes it even cooler (imo anyways)!

    aestraea [at] gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm following your blog!

    Those are so CUTE, I hope to win them. :)

    spektorish @gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the HerbieSqueak The Tiny Love BOT robot necklace, it is adorable!

    spektorish@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. following and loving the whales also awesome tutorial. My favorite item is this http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37047283
    I would love to use these in my art cave to hold up stuff they are to cute.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Blog Follower :)

    http://memoriesforlifesb.etsy.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love your Cute little Owly Owl Key chain!

    http://memoriesforlifesb.etsy.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Erica, I'm following you, too. Love the way the dress is coming together - what a great project, to be able to use such fabulous materials!

    Had a hard time choosing a favorite in your shop. I think I'll go with the darling little bag http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25910286 , but I also love the bearing necklaces. And the knives are gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am pretty much in love with this Graceful Hand Forged Knife:
    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21538077

    I just love the curves, and the fact that it's surely useful as well as beautiful.

    carapacenator(at)gmail.com

    I'm at http://carapace.etsy.com, if you want to visit me there.:)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Why on earth would I NOT follow your blog? You give nifty tutorials!

    Although, wool sweaters are thin on the ground 'round here...

    carapacenator(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm a follower.

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love the Abec 7 Bearing UPcycled into a Pendant With Mother of Pearl Center

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sorry, here's the link:

    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36278339

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Following your blog!!


    Elizabeth W
    MIMIBUNNY11@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. The Red Beaded Sugar Skull Necklace is so cool!!!!!
    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35444562

    Elizabeth W
    MIMIBUNNY11@aol.com

    ReplyDelete