Sun dogs are an optical phenomenon that consists of a bright spot on one or both sides of the Sun within a 22° halo. They are a somewhat common occurrence here in the winter. When trying to come up with a name for these mitts I wanted something that reminded me of winter and potentially came in pairs. “Sun Dog” was pretty much a perfect fit!
In making the Sun Dog Mitts pattern I did have one tester comment that at first they thought these were mitts for their dog. ”Sun”……..dog-mitts. (I see it now – but the name stayed because I really did want to use the “Sun Dog” term.)
With this pattern I was able to create sizes that worked for Kids XXS – Miss XL (we’re talking hand lengths between 4 1/2″ – 8 1/4″). The mitt is pretty basic/classic, but what are the features and options on this one?
There are 3 things that I would consider features for these mitts (and 2 of them are entirely optional). The first is the pieced thumb. These pieces actually contain 2 invisible darts to help create shaping. Imagine that seamline sort of like a princess seam on a bodice. On a bodice it would bow out to create bust shaping/space……on this mitt it bows out to create shaping/space for the thumb pad; allowing for a more comfortable fit and a better range of motion.
The second and third (optional) features are the leather/faux leather pad and the double cuff/inner cuff. The leather pad covers the “gripping” section of the mitt along the fingers and thumb. It makes for both a nice visual accent as well as functional added durability.
The “double cuff” simply refers to the fact that you have the original cuff section (separated from the rest of the mitt by the elastic at the wrist), as well as a fitted layer of cuffing/ribbing to help with better wind and snow resistance.
Fabric options for the outer layer are up to your imagination – but I highly recommend something like softshell, polar fleece, wool, heavier coating fabrics, etc. Lyndsay chose to make her mitts out of upcycled knit sweaters. She found that choosing a sweater with a tighter, stable and thicker knit made for the ideal sew.
The lining fabric really does need to be sherpa or a thick polar fleece of some sort. You’re going to want something that will add at least SOME bulk to the inside of the mitt or you’ll find that it’s a lot more spacious than the draft intended.
The back of these mitts presents a fairly blank canvas. We encouraged our testers to try adding some fun details of their own in this spot.
We hope you’re keeping warm this winter and we’re happy to help you do it! If you decide to make your own Sun Dog mitts we hope you’ll tag and share your pics with us over in the Sofiona Sewing Group on Facebook or on Instagram (@sofionadesigns). #sofisundog #sundoginthewild #sofionadesigns
I am Mami de Sofiona 