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So, our church is always freezing and is extra so at the moment with the heating broken. (It's an ancient stone building from the 13th century and is way too big for the size of the congregation, and even in the dead of winter, it's colder in there than it is out of doors.)
The congregation dress for the Arctic, but the choir have to wear surplusses and albs and put up with it for the glory of God.
They see me sitting in my pew with my white fur hand muff, my hands clasped inside and so toasty warm that they are glowing, and they make a beeline for me after the service to tell me "That looks warm!"
So I decide that clearly what's needed is for me to buy some red material (to match their robes) and make muffs for the whole choir.
I come home and order a metre of heavy cotton (for the outside) a metre of red teddy fleece (for the inside) and a metre of thermal batting (to be hidden in the middle and give the muff that nice, round, plump look.)
Years ago DH had already been through the "That looks warm!" "I'll make you one," process, and I had made him an extra manly muff with army green fleece inside and camouflage fabric on the outside. But I had no idea how to do it properly, and I had just folded in the ends and seamed them visibly like some sort of amateur. (It kept him warm. He didn't care.)
But this time feels more public and I want to do it properly. So while I wait for the material to arrive, I find a website that gives me instructions on measurements and where to sew first and how to turn it out:
How To Make A Muff For Ladies And Girls
and I decide to make a practice one to see how it turns out.
As per the instructions, I grab some material from my stash left over from other projects and measure out a 17" by 13" rectangle from outer, inner and filling layers and sew them together in the order the website says.
What emerges is a very long, thin sausage. I can get my hands in it, but I have quite small hands, and it's hard to get them far enough in to touch each other. (Which they need to do if they are to share body heat like two MCs caught in a snowstorm.)
That's weird I think. Well, clearly it doesn't need to be 17" long, and it could do to be more than 13" around. Maybe I'll try it at 15" by 15".
So I delve back into the stash and make another one. Which is also too long and thin.
This is weird, I think again, it's almost like 17" by 13" is right, but you need to make the top the 13" and turn it out through the sides.
So I try doing that, and my third attempt results in a muff which is absolutely fine (and no visible seams!)
As you can see, the outer material of this is left over from my tartan dungarees, and the inner material is left over from the lining of DH's banyan.
On further consideration and like a flash of lightning, I finally realize that the original instructions had made a mistake in telling you to sew along the longer side first. You sew the short sides of the inner material and batting together (inner facing up). Then you place the outer material face down onto the pile and sew everything together along the long edges.
Then you turn it inside out and sew the inner/batting to itself, the outer to itself, leaving a hole you turn everything out of. Then you hand sew the hole closed.
The 17" by 13" dimensions were right the whole time. The instructions just told you to start sewing on the wrong edge.
So now my stash is much reduced, and I am ready to do the choir's ones as soon as the red fleece arrives.
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Date: 2023-12-09 05:19 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2023-12-09 08:20 pm (UTC)From:Thank you! It certainly felt like a bit of an epic journey at times :)
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Date: 2023-12-09 05:39 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2023-12-09 08:33 pm (UTC)From:Thank you :) Yes we were well below zero last weekend, so I was wearing three layers of thermal vests, leggings, thick dress made of sweatshirt material, 18th Century petticoat and overdress, snow boots and fur coat, because it can get cold sitting still in an unheated stone building for an hour and a half. And then there were the choir in two layers of cotton robes, looking like they were suffering. So it seemed like a good idea. I just hope the red fabric turns up before Christmas!
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Date: 2023-12-10 08:59 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2023-12-10 11:53 am (UTC)From:Ah no, to be fair I mean that they have to wear their robes instead of a coat, so they've still got street clothes on underneath, which I'm sure include a lot of thermal layers :) But not being able to wear a warm coat is a problem.
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Date: 2023-12-09 09:32 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2023-12-09 10:34 pm (UTC)From:Thank you! I hope so :) So far the men in the choir have said they don't want them (too manly for it, I guess) but I'm hoping that when they see the ones I've made for the women, they'll change their minds.
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Date: 2023-12-09 10:44 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2023-12-10 12:05 am (UTC)From:Thank you! :)
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Date: 2023-12-11 01:03 pm (UTC)From:I'm not a muff person myself, I need my hands separate, but I'm also not prone to cold hands, so mostly my self-knit fingerless gloves made from leftover coloured sock yarn are sufficient; I originally made them to be able to photograph at below freezing temperatures. But that's a great present for one or two people I can think of, so extra thanks for sharing! :o) *bookmarks*
and I had made him an extra manly muff with army green fleece inside and camouflage fabric on the outside
Ahaha, very manly indeed! XD My spouse's idea of manly would be something with fun or quaint cats or some comic figures. His favourite cravat is one with muted Carl Barks drawings of Mickey Mouse and Goofy, although he hasn't worn a cravat since decades. Might have even been his last job interview. *g*
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Date: 2023-12-13 06:09 pm (UTC)From:Thank you :) I've made the first two of the choir muffs now, except for the final hand-stitching them closed, and I must say they look very Christmassy!
I have very cold hands, which will not warm up once they get cold, unless they're in contact with a source of heat - so a muff is ideal for me in a way that gloves aren't. Being able to wear just fingerless gloves sounds wonderful, especially as I'm often called to play the pennywhistle out there, but alas!
Yes, DH's 'manly' muff was mainly made that way because our congregation are all very old and seem to think that men wearing muffs at all is gnc enough. (The men in the choir have so far all said no to my offer.) And DH is really not sure about how far he can push it.
Thoughts
Date: 2023-12-12 06:04 am (UTC)From:Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-12-13 06:13 pm (UTC)From:That is a thought! I have some microfiber gloves and balaclava for when I'm out cycling in the winter (so the balaclava can go under my helmet) and yes, they're fantastic. I'm not sure if I've ever seen it available in our local haberdashery though, and it might be a bit stretchy for me to manage with my ancient Singer. It would be warm though!
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-12-13 07:36 pm (UTC)From:Also worth looking for is an inner insulating fiber called Thinsulate (at least in America). It used to be the most popular for gloves and coats, but it's gotten harder to find. Thin, lightweight, and very powerful for trapping heat.
>> I'm not sure if I've ever seen it available in our local haberdashery though, <<
Do they order things? Often there's at least one catalog, or you can ask for specific things.
>> and it might be a bit stretchy for me to manage with my ancient Singer. <<
It's less the stretch and more the pile that will kill you. Like fake fur, microfiber can be made with high, low, or no stretch. The kind used for garments is often higher stretch than for blankets. When fabric shopping, check the label or the catalog description -- there's supposed to be something that tells you how much it stretches, because that determines what patterns it goes with. Anything with "knit" base will stretch more than anything with a "woven" base. Stretch is a solvable problem, if you can find a microfiber fabric with low or no stretch.
Pile isn't a solvable problem in terms of what you buy, because that's what traps the heat. Good microfiber is like fake wool, only not scratchy or allergenic. So to cope with the pile, there are different options:
1) If you want the most invisible seams possible, part the pile with your fingers and aim to sew in the ditch. This works great with the kind of pile that "breaks" naturally (look for little peaks in the surface) and not at all with the kind that strongly clings to itself (a smoother or almost felted surface).
2) Figure out exactly where you'll be sewing and shave a narrow line there. This works great with fake fur, at least the classic kind with straight pile. Microfiber is often woolly, though, which means it curls and spreads sideways. This trick might not work with that, or you might have to shave a wider line.
3) Combine the two. Shave a narrow line and then press the remaining pile away from the ditch or edge. This may be the best approach for microfiber.
I haven't looked up techniques for sewing microfiber or ordinary fleece, but surely people have posted such things. I do know that fleece is often marketed as "no-sew fleece" meant to be glued or tied instead; I don't know if that's also true of microfiber. If so, you might be able to work with the backside or a shaved edge, using soft fabric glue, and largely avoid the pile problem.
Another important point: Is your Singer old enough to have the control wheel? Like the one in your icon, it's on the right side usually. I get totally exasperated with modern ones that don't have that feature, because I learned on my grandmother's. There's nothing better for dealing with pesky fabrics or fussy little corners, because you can hand-turn that wheel and do one stitch at a time if that's what it takes. It lets you work as slow as you need, and electric ones just can't do that. So there are tricks you can do on an old Singer that you can't with a modern machine. That's very handy for working with nappy or piled fabrics.
... this is why I wind up hand-sewing, I don't have the patience for machine-sewing.
>> It would be warm though! <<
Yeah, it's all about how much air and heat the muff can trap. If you start with cold hands, though, it takes forever to warm up. In that case, I recommend handwarmers. Modern and archaic options work...
https://www.ocoopa.com/blogs/ocoopa/a-comparison-of-the-different-types-of-hand-warmers
I couldn't find the ceramic kind, although I've seen them at street fairs. A bun warmer or bread saver should work -- it's just a small piece of ceramic that you heat up and keep in your pocket.
Then there's the kind that are basically beanbags you heat up, like a miniature hot sock. My hot sock has crushed walnut filling, but there are many options.
https://happiestcamper.com/diy-reusable-hand-warmers/
https://alittlecrispy.com/2016/12/hot-pack-fillings/
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-12-14 11:21 am (UTC)From:LOL! I feel like I don't have the patience for hand-sewing. Invisibly stitching the hole where you pull the insides through on the muff is already more hand sewing than I want to do. Admittedly it took me quite a while before I felt more comfortable with my machine than with hand work but now I would rather use the machine if I can.
I've been managing with the fur - as you say - just by holding the pile apart as I sew, and going slowly. My machine does have a motor, but it will go slowly enough as long as I'm light enough on the foot pedal. I just don't really trust glue to hold anything permanently. If I glued a thing down, I would want to sew over the top to make sure, so that would be a bit of a duplication of effort.
Fortunately, as I'm making these to give to other people, they can deal with the question of handwarmers themselves. Just like, I've given these muffs little loops where they can attach a wrist strap or a neck strap according to their individual preference.
(I'll have to remember to tell them that, though. People can be surprisingly helpless around clothes, and not ever realize that you can tie a ribbon on here and make it more useful, or whatever.)
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-12-14 09:22 pm (UTC)From:I've had practice on sewing machines, but mechanical and electrical things in general just don't like me. If I've got someone sitting beside me to keep the thing running, it's fine, otherwise I'm faster by hand.
>> I just don't really trust glue to hold anything permanently. If I glued a thing down, I would want to sew over the top to make sure, <<
Good point.
>> so that would be a bit of a duplication of effort.<<
LOL I can't leave a seam raw except for those covered by turned collars or the like. I always wind up rolling or Frenching them.
>> Just like, I've given these muffs little loops where they can attach a wrist strap or a neck strap according to their individual preference. <<
Oh, good idea!
>> (I'll have to remember to tell them that, though. People can be surprisingly helpless around clothes, and not ever realize that you can tie a ribbon on here and make it more useful, or whatever.) <<
Yeah, a lot of modern clothing isn't very adjustable. When I make skirts for period garb, I use drawstrings, which can be any size waist up to the width of the fabric itself. <3
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-12-16 11:58 am (UTC)From:It has amused me no end to watch countless YouTube videos about how to make an 18th Century skirt where the lady in the video started with "I wanted to make a skirt that was adjustable so it would always fit whether you gain or lose weight," and then continued with "First measure your waist and make a waistband to fit." A bit contradictory!
As you say, my 18th Century skirts also have drawstrings (as well as overlapping front and back panels) and have gone with me up and down two dress sizes for years :)
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-12-16 12:09 pm (UTC)From:As one of my friends put it, all period garb is maternity garb.
>>"First measure your waist and make a waistband to fit."<<
LOL no!
>>As you say, my 18th Century skirts also have drawstrings (as well as overlapping front and back panels) and have gone with me up and down two dress sizes for years :)<<
Overlapping panels are clever. :D Most of my stuff is just shaped with simple drawstrings (skirts, chemises, etc.) but I've got a few that are done up with lacing.
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Date: 2023-12-14 04:31 am (UTC)From:(Though annoying that the initial directions steered you wrong!)
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Date: 2023-12-14 11:26 am (UTC)From:Thank you! Yes, well, I'm not sure what to do with this finished test piece. I wonder if Gran would like it as an extra Christmas present?
I have at least managed to unpick the first test subject and re-use it, and the second should be suitable for a child. Maybe I'll put them on Ebay or something. And yes, I suspect that the initial instructions being wrong has actually given me a lot more practice and will result in the final products being much better, so I can't complain about that either.
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Date: 2023-12-15 03:46 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2023-12-15 06:36 pm (UTC)From:But the road to it sounds like quite the journey! ;D
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Date: 2023-12-16 11:44 am (UTC)From:Thank you! Yes, figuring out exactly how to do it from instructions that I didn't know were wrong was quite a thing. But I think I understand the principles of it better for the initial confusion. Hopefully I will not make these mistakes again :)
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Date: 2023-12-26 06:04 pm (UTC)From:I think that's really sweet of you that one of your first thoughts was to make muffs for everyone else. From what I read here, sounds like they are very helpful for everyone else.
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Date: 2023-12-27 08:52 pm (UTC)From:Ooh no, that's great! Thank you :) Sorry for the slow reply - we've not been on the computer much over Christmas. Too much socializing and also a cat on my lap :)
The recipients of the first two muffs were extremely pleased and they're now getting together a list of names for the next ones. I may be able to get back to the sewing machine tomorrow so I'll be able to get out a few more before next Sunday. Thank you!
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Date: 2024-01-01 11:29 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2024-01-01 12:36 pm (UTC)From:Thank you! But no, it gives me a lot of pleasure to see people enjoying things I've made, so it's not as unselfish as all that :)
Thank you very much! You've made my day.
Date: 2024-01-02 07:45 am (UTC)From:Re: Thank you very much! You've made my day.
Date: 2024-01-02 10:11 am (UTC)From:I'm so glad :) Yes, DH bought me my white one from a Christmas fair, and it is fantastic. I used to wear gloves, but then my hands got cold in the gloves. Nothing has really worked until the muff.
I'd love to see a picture of yours when you get it done :) (Just remember when following these instructions to sew the short sides first, then the long ones, unlike what the pattern says!)