How to Make Vintage Wrist Length Nylon Gloves
Sewing gloves can be a challenging, yet rewarding experience. Vintage patterns for wrist length gloves are available online for the ambitious do-it-yourself person or seasoned seamstress. Glove making reveals a wealth of unfamiliar words: tranks, fourchettes, gussets, quirks, points, stab stitch, thonging, press studs and gauntlet. All are important terms to learn when using vintage glove patterns. Nylon gloves are considerably easier to make than leather gloves, but exacting measurements and stitching are essential to any glove-making project. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Vintage gloves pattern
- Nylon fabric
- Thread
- Sewing machine
- Cardboard
- Trim
- Beads
- Lace
Instructions
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Wrist-length vintage nylon gloves complete a vintage look. Choose a vintage pattern that is suitable for nylon gloves. Many online retailers sell original vintage patterns. To find ideas, browse through old pattern books from fabric stores. Pattern magazines issued by pattern manufacturers may also provide further information on vintage-glove making techniques and styles.
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Learn common glove-making terms and definitions, especially those used in vintage patterns. The trank is the largest glove pattern piece, consisting of the back, palm, wrist and the tops and bottoms of the fingers. The fourchettes are long, narrow strips of fabric that join the finger tops and bottoms. A gusset is a small triangle of fabric used to improve the glove's fit. Glove gussets are called quirks. The gauntlet is the portion of the glove located above the wrist.
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Today's fingers may be longer than a vintage pattern's fourcettes. Prepare the pattern. Vintage glove patterns are often designed for smaller hands. Resize the pattern for your hands if necessary. Most often, the finger sections of the pattern will need lengthening. Some seamstresses prefer to paste stiff cardboard onto the backs of the glove pattern pieces before cutting them out, to prevent tearing of the pattern pieces' thin tissue paper. Let the glue dry thoroughly before cutting.
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Smooth fabric and cut carefully. Lay out the pattern pieces on the fabric and cut the fabric. Work carefully. Because the pieces are small, glove making calls for exact measurements and precise cutting. Making nylon gloves is somewhat forgiving, because nylon fabric will stretch a bit.
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Hand sewing may be necessary. Sew the glove pieces together according to the pattern's instructions. Hand sewing may be more appropriate for some of the stitching. Become familiar with the stitching methods required for each task. Stab stitch is a common method of right angle, hand stitching used in glove making. This sewing technique prevents pulling of the fabric.
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Beads and lace are the final touch. Add trim and decoration, if desired. In vintage glove making, points are the decorative lines on the back of the glove. Thonging is decorative lacing on the backs of gloves. Press studs are snaps. Add beads, lace or edging to vintage nylon gloves for a formal look.
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Tips & Warnings
When adding lace to a formal nylon glove, look for glove patterns with cutouts, or create cutouts in an existing pattern. Buy finished lace sections for cutouts to save time in cutting and hemming.
Bridal shops sell a variety of lace and beading suitable for glove decoration. Bead stores will have a larger selection of beading trims and beads in more colors.
Gloves are one of the more dangerous garments to make on a sewing machine because of the close work involved on tiny garment pieces. Keep your concentration and take frequent breaks.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit White wedding glove close-up on black background image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com woman with a wineglass image by Vasiliy Koval from Fotolia.com hands and fingers image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com red fabric background image by vnlit from Fotolia.com needle image by Radu Razvan from Fotolia.com lace and beads image by Tatiana Belova from Fotolia.com
