Tutorial: Elbow Gloves for a Scroll Frame

Elbow gloves are covers for a scroll frame that double as "mittens" when stitching and cover your work when you're not stitching.

Here's how to make a pair. (These instructions are for personal use only.)

You will need about 1 yard [1 meter] of calico or other washable, non-fraying, non-linty fabric (depending on the measurements of your scroll frame), thread in a complimentary color, a little elastic about 3/8" wide [1 cm], and perhaps 2 small hooks and bars.

1. Measure your scroll frame and cut fabric.

B = the distance between the insides of the side bars.
C = the distance between the outsides of the scroll rods.
D = the diameter of the scroll rods. Remember that fabric wrapped around the scroll rods adds to the effective diameter, so add about 0.5 inch [1.25 cm]. (For example, if the rods are 0.75 inches in diameter, call D 1.25 inches.)

Cut 2 pieces of fabric. The dimension along the lengthwise grain of the fabric should be C + D + 3" [C + D + 7.5 cm]. The widthwise dimension should be B + 3" [B + 7.5 cm]. It may be helpful to pull a thread to get straight sides.

2. Measure the side bars and cut elastic.

A = the distance around 3 sides of the side bar (the side with the knobs and the 2 sides adjacent to it.

Cut 4 pieces of 3/8" [1 cm] elastic. The length of each piece should be A.

3. Press under the edges of the fabric. First press under 1.5" [3.75 cm] all around, then 0.5" [1.25 cm] from the raw edge. (You now have 2 segments 0.5" and 1" wide [1.25 and 2.5 cm] for the hem.)

4. Press the corners under. The gray dashed lines are your existing creases, and you will fold the corner along the solid red line.

The corners look like this after being pressed under along the diagonal.

5. Snip off the tips of the corners that extend past the inner fold lines.

6. Turn under along the outer creases and then along the inner ones, to make a hem. Stitch close to the fold (or blind-hem). Slipstitch the diagonal folds together at the corners. (This is optional, but the corners will pooch out once they're under tension if you don't do it.)

7. Determine the placement of the elastic. If you use your scroll frame on a floor, table, or lap stand, there is probably a knob in the middle that will get in the way of the elastic. In this situation, place the elastic so that it will clear the knobs.

If you don't use a stand, the elastic can be at or very close to the ends of the glove sides.

Fold a glove in half and lay on the frame and mark with a pin the placement of the elastic.

8. Place the elastic at the marked position on the back of the glove, allowing 0.5" [1.25 cm] of the elastic to overlap the glove. Pin another piece of elastic at the opposite end of the glove.

9. Stitch the elastic close to the edge of the glove. Stitch from one side to the other, then stitch backwards to the starting point so that the elastic is held securely. Zigzag over the end of the elastic so it doesn't fray (or hand-whip).

10. Fold the glove along the scroll bar dimension. Lap the other end of the elastic on the inside across from the first side and stitch as before.

11. If you use your scroll frame on a stand, parts of the stand may get in the way of the glove and cause it to gap when it is pulled closed across the frame. You can use small hooks and bars on the upper halves of the gloves to hold it closed.

Stitch one hook at each end on the back side of the upper part of one glove (the part that is above the needlework fabric), close to the edge where it meets the other glove. Stitch bars at the edge of the front side of the other glove, lined up with the hooks.

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