Accesorize! Gauntlet/Bracer type things.

[CaptainRiley]

I actually made these a number of years ago...



...but do remember exactly how it was accomplished.

1) I created a pattern by measuring my around my wrist, around the point on my forearm that I wanted the things to end, and the legnth I wanted them to be.  Then I subtracted how much space I wanted between the laces from the first two measurements (because laces look cool), and drew a lovely polygonal pattern. 

2)  Next step was cutting.  With said pattern I cut four pieces of black fabric and two of fusable interfacing...

3) ...heated up the ol' iron and fused those suckers together (fabric-interfacing-fabric, of course).

4)  Enter sewing machine.  I took some legnths of black double-fold bias tape and stitched it around the edges for that suave finished appearance.

5) Eyelet time!  There are somewhere between fifty and sixty eyelets between the pair.  I punched a quick hole, stuck the thing through, and hammered it to death with the eyelet tool whilst languishing cross-legged on my kitchen floor.  Add in periodic feline interferance, and it was quite the feat.  I also managed to hit my hand over seventy times.  I'm graceful and coordinated, really!

6)  Embellishments.  I simply fired up said ol' iron again and produced a couple of coordinating Wal*Mart-ian iron on patches.  A little ribbon for laces, and voila!  Prettiness!

I plan to make another pair over the summer, and would be willing to attempt to assemble a step-by-step picture tutorial if anyone would be interested.  Problems encountered with my initial attempt oh-so-many years ago include:

-Rough edges on the eyelets.  I sanded them on this pair, but would be interested in perhaps using very small grommets next time (if they make them)

-With so many eyelets, putting these things on takes forever and a day (with considerable effort).  I'd be interested in trying something like velcro, though I love the look of laces (it was the original reason I started this whole thing).

-As iron-on patches will do, they have begun to separate from the project.  While I'm sure I could fix that with the proper glue, it also leads me to think of other forms of embellishment.  Perhaps using a contrasting bias tape?  Make my own patches?  Use a more interesting fabric to begin with?

Comments?  Suggestions?  Witty one-liners?

[sagaciousblonde]

Those look really cool!  Were they inspired by anything in particular?

What might be neat (and what I might now try) is to incorporate the design elements- the embellishments, the eyelets and laces- into larger arm or wristwarmers (though I suppose the whole open, laced-over gap defeats the purpose of said warmers).  Or to mod a pair of long black gloves for the same effect...

[CaptainRiley]

So they're nonfunctional arm"warmers", at least they'd look cool. 

I was thinking to try a rather complex idea where they'd go all the way up to my biceps, like opera gloves, and maybe have the lacing be more a spiral pattern around the arm than an actual functional set... if that made any sense.  I can only imagine how difficult that would be, though. 

[Amalia]

i cringed when i read your grommet story!! poor dear. I have this great little tool that makes grommeting about a billion times easier. It looks like a hole puncher, but it actually inserts grommets. you put a piece of the grommet on both sides of the fabric and squeeze the puncher... saves a lot of time. that way, you can keep the awesome lacey part of those arm dealies. which are super cute btw.

[twitching_cheerio]

omg those are so cute!!! i wuv things like that. they are uber awesome. and yes, i would be interested in a tutorial featureing pictures because i am instructionally challanged without pictures. well...not completely but still...also that grommet puncher  Amailia posted about

i cringed when i read your grommet story!! poor dear. I have this great little tool that makes grommeting about a billion times easier. It looks like a hole puncher, but it actually inserts grommets. you put a piece of the grommet on both sides of the fabric and squeeze the puncher... saves a lot of time. that way, you can keep the awesome lacey part of those arm dealies. which are super cute btw.

that is very cool because, like CaptainRiley, i am o-so graceful and talented. i hate putting in grommets cuz my fingers get al brused...

[Jera]

Those are pretty. What kind of fabris did you use?

[CaptainRiley]

Scrap fabrics left over from making a skirt for RenFair, so I'll guess some form of cotton.  I can't remember the exact specifications, but I think most any form of fabric would work, if only the sewer is skilled enough to handle it.

[Poprocksandcoke]

those are cute. I like the roses.

[virtuoso]

interesting. I enjoy arm warmers mucho!

Hey, I'm a newbie here, can you tell me how to post my own posts?!~!

thanks!

[DontEatCrayons]

muchly koolio