Supplies needed – a sewing machine that works, (I always use button-hole thread); scissors, a discarded umbrella, about 3 feet of elastic cord or band that’s been lying around the bottom drawer of your work bench, or craft drawer, a coat hanger and some masking tape, and maybe some small vise-grips or small clamp (hemostats work well, for those of you who went to Grateful Dead concerts, and still have yours), and a glass of Chardonnay or your favorite beverage. 8-)
Hint - Getting the gauntlet material - On your next walk around the block, mall, park, neighborhood, pick up one of those compact umbrellas people seem to throw away with abandon. (I found mine in a park where we were walking our dog.)
1- At home, cut the threads holding the nylon material from the struts/leaves, wash the fabric, then again lay it out on the kitchen table, and separate it into halves, cutting the threads that hold those segments together (you want to end up with 2 half circles.) Sip some beverage. See the photo.
2- On the ‘straight’ side, sew a more or less ¼” to ½” hem, which ends up in a tube – but now sew the ends of the tube closed. Sip some Chardonnay. You should now still have something that lays flat, with a sew hem on the straight side (see the photo). Sew another hem on the straight side again, about a ½” more or less, no need to measure – but DO NOT sew the ends shut – You’ll be pulling the elastic through you’ve found in that craft drawer, in a minute.
3- Find that elastic, cut & straighten the coat hanger & bend a hook onto one end, shove it through the tube you’ve just sewn, hook the elastic to it, tape it to the hook so it doesn’t catch the fabric as you pull the coat hanger with the elastic on it back, and pull the elastic through until just a little is left exposed where you started. Sip a little more Chardonnay. Sew that end closed now, sewing through the umbrella material and through the elastic, securing the elastic in place.
4- Now, after you’ve determined how much elastic you want to leave in the tube, you will sew the other end shut, sewing the elastic in place, and then trim the elastic. To determine how much elastic you’ll want to use – use trial and error – clamping the elastic & material on the un-sewn end together, and to the sewn-closed end to make a circle (vise-grips are fine for this). (Trust me; it’s easier to do than to explain). When you figure out what you’d like to use, take two sips of wine, and sew that end closed, and then sew both ends together. If this needs some adjustment later, no big deal to have a re-do, that’s just ‘tuition’.
5- Bingo bango bongo, one side’s done. Do the other side the same way. Your rain gauntlets will be beautifully designed, longer on the top of your arms, pack into a tiny bag, and cost – nothing. Now, finish your wine, and email a photo to a friend.
A word to The Guys: Like most of us, my Mom tried her best to teach me a few things about life - but in sewing this is as far as I got - I call it ‘get-by sewing’. If this is your first try (do you watch the ‘Red Green Show’? – It helps.), be sure your wife’s not around when you do this. Besides her very real concern about busting her machine, you don’t want her to witness you sewing through your finger, or getting a finger smashed by that little thumb-screw on the side of the needle (who’s idea was THAT??
)- Don’t worry, the pain is not much worse than when you bought that new staple gun & pumped a staple or two into your palm (don't ask me how I know). Ok, here’s your mental framework- – if you can make sense of a blueprint (some say pattern), and have operated a shop machine – you can do this. Don’t hesitate to give this a try, just keep a few bandages nearby, maybe next to the wine so they’ll be easy to find …... Oh, a disclaimer – I think I was a little tipsy by the time I finished this so I may not exactly recall the steps perfectly. Before making your gauntlets, make sure the above makes sense to you, enjoy, and feel free to improvise & improve on my first effort!
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in the left photo, at the top is a finished gauntlet, in the middle, the elastic band I used, at the bottom, the 1/2 of an umbrella I found. On the right, what they look like slipped over the handlebars & levers & fluid reservoirs.. plenty long to cover my gloves, and they won't restrict your hands. I still have to test them in the wind though.
