Friday Favorites + Free Ethel Gloves
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you’ve most likely heard about my love for Ethel Gloves. If you haven’t heard me talk about how wonderful and comfortable they are, you’ve probably noticed them in my photos, they are truly beautiful gloves. Ethels are the perfect gardening glove, offering a great fit that gives you dexterity while gardening. You can do everything from heavy digging to pulling out teeny tiny seedlings in them.
My Ethel’s get plenty of wear, in the summer they are used a couple hours a day. I’ve already worn through 2 pairs in the last 2 years. I now have a pair of their leather gloves that I’ll be using for the tougher tasks in the garden, like building all those rock walls.
One of my favorite features of Ethel Gloves is their washability. I’m sure all of you gardeners know the pain of gardening gloves that get wet and then are stiff as boards, never again allowing the dexterity that they had when new. This is not the case with Ethel Gloves, they get slightly stiff after getting wet and drying, but all you have to do is throw them in the washer and when you get them out they’re soft as new.
In October I got a pair of the new Ethel Utility Gloves. I’ve never been a fan of rubberized gloves for gardening and I thought they wouldn’t allow the dexterity that regular Ethel’s offer. The dexterity is slightly less, but the warmth is much better, which for us northern gardeners is a huge deal. I used these gloves for all of my fall gardening chores and they were perfect since fall chores here in the North tend to be wet. I also used them when decorating the front of the house for Christmas, which is a task they work beautifully for as well. I now love the utility gloves as much as the Signature Ethel Gloves.
Ethel also is developing an insulated gardening gloves in the works, which I’m testing at the moment. How perfect is this for us Northern gardeners, especially those of us that want to do more winter gardening.
Ethel Gloves make a wonderful Christmas gift for that gardener in your life, I was so excited to receive my first pair from Mr Chiots 2 years ago. Use coupon code: HOLIDAY25 to save 25% off your order. Ethel was kind enough to send me a pair of Traditional Gloves to give away on my blog. Comment below and you’ll be entered in the drawing for a free pair of Ethel Gloves. I’ll announce the winner on next weeks Friday Favorite.
What’s your favorite kind of gardening glove?
UPDATE: Just got a call from the friendly folks at Ethel and they’re going to give away 4 more pairs of gloves in this contest. So now there are 5 pairs in the giveaway…your odds just got much better!
I love my Ethel’s but after a years worth of use, I finally got a hole in one of the fingers :(
to Jennifer Finch's comment
My Mom would love a pair of these gloves! Great gift idea for her!
to Carla's comment
these are beautiful! i just use my bare hands because my hands are quite small and i have never been able to find a pair that would even fit, nevermind look nice!
to leanne's comment
Sounds like just the thing to end my gardening glove woes!
to Wendy's comment
Have not yet found the “perfect” glove. Maybe these Ethel’s are the one?
to Kat's comment
I have been using deer skin gloves for about 3 years. Once they are broken in, they are heavenly! But, you’re right, if they get wet (like leaving them out in the rain–oops) they are never quite the same again.
to Carrie's comment
Any gloves that last longer than a week!!
to heidi's comment
I haven’t found a gardening glove that I even like, let alone love. Maybe Ethels are in my future?
to kaela's comment
I struggle using gloves in the garden – they don’t allow me enough flexibility. I would love to try these, though!
to KimP's comment
Gloves that last longer than a season. I tend to get holes in my fingers from digging. The rubber tipped ones don’t last me much longer.
to Jenny C's comment
Awesome! I can use a new pair of gloves. I have taped covering the holes in my current pair!
to Joan's comment
These look so cool, I know what you mean about the dexterity of the rubber gloves. Since I am also a Northern gardener, warm gloves are must but hard to find ones that do well for the garden.
to Grant's comment
My wife would absolutely love these gloves
to Daniel's comment
I usually buy atlas gloves from Gardener’s supply bc I can’t find xs size gloves else where. I almost always garden in gloves, as much as I enjoy digging in warm soil, I hate dirty fingernails. I looked for the Ethel gloves last winter at Lowes, but unfortunately, they only had M & L.
Thanks for the etsy link. Ordered a walnut spatula last night. Can,t wait to cook with it.
to Patti's comment
never had a pair of ethel gloves, but i have wanted to get a pair! The look very comfortable and very nice.
to Shannon ball's comment
Those look like great gloves. I don’t really have a favorite pair – I guess any pair that doesn’t have holes it in and I can find.
to Katherine's comment
I just switched to wearing gloves while gardening a few years ago. I used to prefer doing it all bare handed. Now I like Atlas.
to Kjirsti's comment
I buy cheap gloves throughout the year…none that I am loyal to. I could use a good pair that will hold up!
to Michelle's comment
my favorite gloves are any pair that have still have the finger tips intact. My very favorite pair of leather work gloves were repaired over and over again with bits of duct tape. They finally gave up the ghost when the percentage of duct tape exceeded that of leather.
to Cecilia's comment
As someone new to gardening I’m always looking for recommended products that do the job well. These look great. Thanks for sharing.
to Karen's comment
I’ve not heard of Ethel gloves before. Even if I am not lucky enough to win a pair I’ll have to give these a try.
to Roberta's comment
Wow, those look like great gloves! And I do need a pair… my big box store ones barely made it through the season :)
to Renee's comment
oh, I would love to win a pair of these gardening gloves! thanks for the opportunity
to Peggy R.'s comment
I don’t really have a favorite pair of gardening gloves because I have never splurged on anything more than the cheap ones at the hardware store. My favorite heavy duty ones (wood cutting/stacking etc) are my Carhardts or the pair that I got from Duluth Trading because of the fit. I really need to protect my hands due to the fact that I am a nurse in a surgery setting and am very concious about how they appear to my patients.
to Terri's comment
I never considered washing my garden gloves. I wear them until they wear out. Then, they are handed down to the scarecrow. Thanks for the tip.
to MAYBELLINE's comment
Please enter me for the gloves!
to Brenda's comment
I would love a pair. I’ve never had gardening gloves that I have been able to tolerate. I just get annoyed at the lack of flexibility and yank them off, only to gripe and groan about dirt imbedded in my knuckles and chipped nails. You make these sound perfect; I might just have to try them out.
to Seren Dippity's comment
I buy cheap cotton ones from the hardware store, as they get so gross so fast. Would love to try Ethels however!
to Ginger's comment
I would love to try these. I hate cold hands and the insulated ones you’re testing look really comfortable.
to Gretchen's comment
I haven’t really found a “favorite” glove — I do like leather, however, like you, I don’t like it when they get all stiff after washing!
to Loree Watanabe's comment
What a wonderful item to start the New Year off with… Garden Gloves :)
Perfect!
to mavis's comment
As a newbie gardener, I don’t have a favorite glove yet. Right now I am just using some inexpensive rubberized ones. These look heavenly though!
to Tee Sims's comment
I can always use more gloves, and the way you make these sound, I may not have to replace the Ethyls every few months ;)
Thanks for the give-a-way!
to Kay's comment
These gloves look great. I’m going to have to buy some for my mom, since she goes through several pairs of cheap gloves a year!
to Janelle's comment
I love these gloves. Stylish but durable.
to Katie's comment
I would love to try the Ethel gloves!!!!
to Connie Giovanni's comment
Those are great! Pick me.
to Kim's comment
I hope I’m not too late to get in the drawing for the Ethel gloves! I don’t do anything out in the yard without some kind of glove on and I’d love to give these a try (never heard of them until you mentioned this brand).
to Amy @ Homestead Revival's comment
I’ve tried a number of different gloves. My worst problem with most of them is that they make my hands stink! This has happened with both rubberized gloves and leather ones. Furthermore, washing my hands won’t make the smell go away.
Anybody else had trouble with this?
to Daedre Craig's comment
Pick me Pick me!! I can never seem to find a comfortable pair of gloves!!! The pair I used this past garden season was a mans pair and as I was pulling weeds- I spent more time looking for my lost glove, because I could not seem to keep them on!! Please help me :0) Pick me :0) ps I love this blog!!!
to Tanya Miller's comment
I use the cheap cotton ones so that when they get dirty I can toss them. The more expensive ones always go stiff and unusable on me, but I don’t want to throw them away because they are too expensive. So I end up going back to the cheap ones.
to Sheila Z's comment
How wonderful to have found you! You did a fabulous review on these gloves! I ready enjoyed! I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!
to Melissa Lawrence's comment
We are just getting into serious gardening (not just dabbling here and there) and these would be perfect for me! I have heard say how wonderful they are and would love to try them.
to Mandy's comment
I would love to have these gloves. When working in the gardening planting then having to take the gloves off to get the weeds is a pain. It would keep my hands looking nicer, being able to keep the gloves on the whole time.
to Vicky's comment
I got my first pair two years ago and they are holding up great. Thanks for
introducing me to Ethel gloves. They are great. But could always use
another pair. Thanks for the chance to win another pair.
to Karen's comment
Always love reading your blog anyway. This is just icing on the cake. Thanks for the giveaway.
to Carolyn's comment
I found your website originally when seeking out elderberry recipes for my enormous bounty of elderberries this year. Thanks for the great recipes! Please add my name to your Ethel Glove giveaway contest. I’d love to own a pair myself, but I’m afraid I’d have to give them to my mother, whose name is… Ethel.
to Dawn's comment
I think the dirt that is so ingrained into my skin that I can’t scrub it out is a good sign that I need some good gardening gloves! Thanks for the heads up on a good product.
to Michele Yamano's comment
I just buy the cheap $1 gloves and stock up each year. I’d love to win a pair of these beauties!
to Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Ordinary's comment
Every pair of those look wonderful. I’d love to give them a try and I’m going to pass the tip along to the local Master Gardener list serve, could be a great last minute holiday gift!
to Heather's comment