Learn How to Sew: Sewing Gloves

sewing machine stitching grey fabric
  • 2-4 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 200-300
What You'll Need
Sewing machine
Tape measure
Fabric, 12x18 inches per glove
Color-matched thread
Sharp scissors, pins, needle and contrast thread
Newsprint paper,pencil and marker
What You'll Need
Sewing machine
Tape measure
Fabric, 12x18 inches per glove
Color-matched thread
Sharp scissors, pins, needle and contrast thread
Newsprint paper,pencil and marker

Consider sewing gloves in a knit fabric or polyester fleece for yourself and as gifts. Create customized glove patterns and sew gloves from the directions below.

Step 1 - Measure the Hand for the Pattern

Measure the person's hand width around the widest part of the palm, across the knuckles. For length, measure the hand straight down from the tip of the middle finger to the center of the wrist. Measure both hands, using the larger measurements for the gloves.

Step 2 - Trace an Outline of the Hand on the Newsprint

person cutting fabric

Fold a piece of newsprint vertically and place it under the person's hand with the fold under the index finger. Lay the hand on the newsprint, on a flat surface, so the person's thumb is beyond the edge of the paper. Keep fingers close but not touching each other. Trace the fingers from the outer side of the index finger, over it, and down to the base of the middle finger and so on. Trace down the outside edge of the hand to the wrist bone. Darken the tracing with a black marker. Add a 1/8-inch seam allowance to the outside edge with a dashed line (- -). Trace both the left and right hands and label the tracings left and right.

Step 3 - Create the Glove Thumb

Take three measurements on the thumb: The distance around the lowest knuckle of the person's thumb, below the thumb web, the vertical length from the center of the thumb tip to the base of the thumb at the wrist, and the base curve length, upward from the base of the thumb to the center top of the thumb web. The thumb cover fits into the glove body along this line. Draw these measurements on a vertically folded piece of newsprint, adding a seam allowance of 1/8 inch around the outer edge.

Step 4 - Cut the Fabric from the Pattern

Unfold and pin the pattern on the wrong side of the fabric and cut the body and thumb out carefully. Turn the fabric over, right side facing upward.

Step 5 - Baste the Glove Together

Baste up the side and little finger edge of the glove by hand in a contrasting color, and try it on for fit across the hand width. Release the thread and turn the glove wrong side out to continue assembling it.

Step 6 - Make Finger Gussets

women working at sewing machines

The finger gussets give the glove fingers depth. Measure each finger length and divide by three for the gusset width. Length is from the left-side base of each finger to the right-side base. Mark the placement of the three gussets for each glove as index finger, middle finger, and ring finger. The little finger will have a half-gusset from base to tip. Make patterns of these on the newsprint with 1/8 inch seam allowance and cut them out of the fabric.

Step 7 - Sew the Glove Together

Using a sewing machine, stitch the finger gussets and thumb cover on each glove. Sew down the outer seam of the glove along the little finger, and gently turn the glove right side out.