Recycled Clothing Memory Mitten Ornament by Elizabeth at Twelve Crafts Til Christmas {Ornament No.3}

It’s my pleasure to introduce
Elizabeth from Twelve Crafts Til Christmas

Memory Mittens
{Handmade Ornament No. 3}
Welcome Elizabeth!

Hello Under the Table and Dreaming readers! My name is Elizabeth, and my little piece of blogland is called twelve crafts till Christmas. Typically, the weeks before Thanksgiving and Christmas, I want to be under the table and hiding (dreaming would be so much better) because there is so much I’ve left undone . . . shopping, wrapping, cooking, decorating, etc. But last year in January of 2010, I vowed to change that by spending the year making Christmas gifts (check out my tutorials/gift ideas here) and preparing for a simple but wonderful holiday season. By working on gifts, decorations and other holiday odds and ends throughout the year, I’m excited for our family to be able to focus on truly appreciating the season by focusing on traditions and time together this year. In fact, right now at twelve crafts we are focusing on sharing holiday traditions with one another.

That leads me to why I’m here with you today (which I am sooooo excited about because I LOVE this blog) . . .

Memory Mitten Ornaments

These ornaments combine two things I love around the holidays: memory-keeping and tradition-keeping. Each ornament is made from clothing that my children wore at some point during the year. Every time I look at these ornaments I will remember this year in their lives, and every year I will make a new ornament from another article of clothing. Then as we pack away the ornaments for safekeeping until the next Christmas, I will ask them to write down one memory from our Christmas celebration (or write it for them) to tuck inside the mitten. I imagine the Christmas celebrations to come as we read the memories tucked inside each mitten together.

Here’s what you need:
~sweaters or other clothes that your children/grandchildren have out grown and hold a special place in your heart
~yarn or embroidery thread
~a yarn or tapestry needle
~ribbon
~felt or other embellishments and hot glue/fabric glue (optional)

Here’s what you do:
1) Draw freehand or use a mitten to trace a child’s sized mitten shape onto the sweater. Make sure you position the mitten or draw the mitten shape so that the open cuff of the mitten will be either the bottom edges of the sleeves or the waist of the sweater.

2) Pin the front and back layer of the sweater together and cut out mitten shape.

3) Thread needle with yarn and sew the two layers together by using the blanket stitch to sew around the outside edge of the mitten. Make sure to tie a hidden knot at the beginning and end to secure the yarn.

4) Heat seal the end of your ribbon by running the ends very quickly through a candle flame. Push ribbon through one of the blanket stitches toward the mitten cuff and tie into a bow. Secure with a dot of craft glue or hot glue in between the folds of the center so the bow doesn’t come undone.

5) Use felt and/or embellishments however you want to decorate the mitten. I cut out my daughter’s initial and secured it with fabric glue.

6) Add your memory.

Done!

I would love to see you over a twelve crafts! Come share your own holiday traditions.

As I say over at twelve crafts . . . Craft on!

Thank you Elizabeth! What a precious way to preserve memories; I love the idea of using a special piece of clothing and having your child get involved by writing thier own special memory…this is so sweet.

I’ll be back tomorrow with our next guest blogger and ornament no. 4;
in the meantime head over to the Twelve Crafts Til Christmas and say ‘hi’ to Elizabeth!

Elizabeth’s attention to every little detail is incredible. She definitely has a knack for creating one of a kind special gifts {made with love}. One of my favorite ‘themed’ sets, the restaurant pretend play set {tutorials found here} includes a chef’s hat, apron, oven mitts, waiter’s apron, and ordering pad. Each piece with its own full tutorial! This would be such an adorable gift!

Just imagine the hours of imaginary play with her themed mail set {tutorials found here}. I simply adore every single piece she has created for this series. A fabric mailbox ~ Mail Bag ~ Fabric stationary with envelopes ~ and yes even velcro stamps! {love, love, love}

There is much more to come ~ Enjoy!

Comments

Kelli @ RTSM :

November 22, 2010 at 8:46 pm

This is totally adorable! I love it!

Ali @ Honey and Maple Syrup :

November 22, 2010 at 9:06 pm

This is SUCH a cute idea, especially for a sentimental sap like me =)

Beverly @ FlamingoToes.com :

November 22, 2010 at 9:06 pm

I love this ornament!!! What a great idea. I don’t have anything of my kids’ I could use but I could find something at the thrift store. Thanks!!

MJ :

November 22, 2010 at 9:18 pm

so cute! i love it

Modern Country Lady :

November 22, 2010 at 9:20 pm

How adorable!!

michelle :

November 22, 2010 at 11:10 pm

Cute idea!! I just love little mittens!!

Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door :

November 23, 2010 at 2:00 am

What a simple and sentimental ornament! Thanks for having Elizabeth share it with us!

Gina at Gigi's Creative Designs :

November 23, 2010 at 4:46 am

Hi Stephanie Lynn, I have an award Id like to give you and you can come over to my blog to pick it up. I love your blog and all that you do.

http://www.gigiscreativedesigns.blogspot.com

Sherree :

November 23, 2010 at 7:14 am

I wish that I would have known about this when each of my girls were born. They are now 35, 34, 17 and 14. This would have also been a great way to keep a picture of them each year. Thanks, I am still brainstorming how I could still do this.

Emily @ Finding My Aloha :

November 23, 2010 at 8:02 am

What a darling idea! I have a couple of my sons baby clothes I might try this with!

Susan :

November 23, 2010 at 2:47 pm

The mitten is so darling!

elizabeth @ twelvecrafts :

November 23, 2010 at 4:40 pm

Thanks for your kind comments! And thanks, Stephanie Lynn, for including me in this incredible week of ornaments. I’m so excited to see what other great ideas are added to the list!

Good Time Charlie :

November 23, 2010 at 4:47 pm

That is adorable, what a great way to use worn out or outgrown things. I love it, using child’s clothing can continue on to add love to your home through this ornament. Thanks for sharing.

Jenni :

November 24, 2010 at 3:32 am

What a sweet ornament! I love how it turned out, and all of the wonderful details you added to it! I love how you used a special piece of clothing to make it, too! That is so much more fun than simply tucking it away for safe keeping! Thanks for sharing this!

mermaid :

November 25, 2010 at 9:30 am

Oh, this is so lovely idea!
I think I will start this tradition as well. My daughter is only 5 and I have kept some of her clothes… so it won`t be difficult to make 5 little mittens.
Thank you!