Advent Day 23: Buying Mittens and felted wool mitten ornaments

Book: Buying Mittens
by Nankichi Niimi (scroll down) and illustrated by Ken Kuroi

Activity: Felted Wool Mitten Ornaments

Buying Mittens is such a precious story with gorgeous detailed illustrations by Ken Kuroi that you will fall in love with it as soon as you open it up. A mother fox sends her child into a town to buy mittens but warns him to be aware of the humans. The author, Nankichi Niimi, is considered the Hans Christian Andersen of Japan and has many stories to his name; it's a tragedy that he died at only 29 years old.

Activity: Felted Wool Mitten Ornaments

Supplies:
•felted wool sweaters: 3 coordinating prints
•cardstock if you want to print a pattern to trace, otherwise print on regular copy paper
•pattern
•embroidery floss to accent the felt
•embroidery needle
•scissors
•air soluble marker if you want to trace the cardstock pattern
•button that coordinates with felted wools

Step 1: print pattern; print on cardstock if you want to trace the pattern onto the felted wool or print on copy paper if you want to pin the pattern onto the wool

Step 2: using your pattern, cut out 2 mitten pieces from your main felt and 2 circle pieces - one from each coordinating wool

Step 3: stack circle pieces on top of each other and put the button in the center; stitch to the wrist area of one of the mitten pieces

Step 4: using a running, whip, or blanket stitch, stitch the pair of mittens together

Step 5: make a loop with your embroidery floss in one of the upper corners of the mitten to use as a hanging loop

Step 6: simple, cute, and fun! these make great package decorations too!

Comments

[Patty]

Thanks, Cassi, for all the fun projects and great books! Have a Merry Christmas!

[Sue]

I have really enjoyed your Advent posts. I love these mittens. I must get my daughter to make some (she's the real crafty one, not me)!

We have this book in Japanese. It is really captivating, but my kids always wonder why the mother fox is sending her little child fox to buy mittens by himself from the scary humans. Surely their Mama would never do such a thing!

[Tina M.]

Love the mitten ornaments! I'm making these (in a bigger version) for gift-card giving.

[stitchin sista]

Thank you so much for introducing one of the Japanes kids' all time favorites in such beautiful manner. We all grow up reading/listening this hart warming story.
I'm happy that you like it, too.

[kat]

I think I need to find that Buying Mittens book! Ken Kuroi's illustrations remind me so much of Ivan Gantschev! If you like Kuroi-san, please take a look at Gantschev's works!
here's Moon Lake c/o Amazon
http://preview.tinyurl.com/2prg7m
take care!
~kat

[Pochi Poronchi]

awww lovely mittens :)

poronchi :D

[molly]

How funny! I just posted about a mitten project last week. I found your blog through Mollycoddle's post on Momformation. I love the wreath made from felted squares. I'll definitely be coming back. Happy Holidays!

[molly]

How funny! I just posted about a mitten project last week. I found your blog through Mollycoddle's post on Momformation. I love the wreath made from felted squares. I'll definitely be coming back. Happy Holidays!

[Tracey]

What a beautiful book! Those illustrations look absolutely stunning.

[Ravenhill]

Thank you for all the great tutorials! I love the mitten ornaments!

[debra cooper]

Thank you so much for taking the time (and I know it takes lots!) to share your books and ideas--what a treat for us! I hope you make a link on your sidebar so we can come back next year and be inspired again...hint, hint...nudge, nudge ;-)

[dollybelle]

I love your posts! Have a wonderful holiday! Sweetest blessings to you1
XOXO
Dollybelle

[Becky]

Thanks for all your wonderful activities. I have enjoyed checking in and reading some of the books, too!

[jen]

thank you bella dia for all these wonderful posts this month - i don't know how you kept up with everything at such a hectic time of year! merry christmas!