One of the other favorite things I like to do on vacation is knit. I rarely find the time most evenings at home. My mom and two sister-in-laws have all become knitters over the past few years. In the evenings at the cottage we sit on the porch or around the dining room table and work on our various projects.
This year I decided to take along a small project (instead of bringing the big bulky sweater that I started last spring and have yet to finish…) and chose the Fiber Trends Felted Clog. I had yummy left-over yarn from this sweater that I thought would be perfect. I packed the yarn, the instructions, and my needles last minute. I was all set! Or not….
As per my usual M.O., I neglected to read the instructions fully or I would have realized that it called for double stranding the yarn. So I only had enough yarn to knit one slipper so far!
Here it is in it’s floppy unfelted glory. Can you believe that until now, I have never knitted an item to felt? I always felt things that are ABK (you know, “already been knit”).
So there I was, on vacation, knitting away, and I ran out of yarn. And here is that sweater again, (the one that took me a year to finish only to be told “it’s itchy”) being frogged. That’s right, I’m frogging it for my other slipper! I kind of kills me to frog it since these things take me so long, but I do so love this yarn. It’s Araucania Nature Wool and I hear it felts beautifully.
Of course, I have to finish the second slipper before I try it. No tellin’ when that might be, although it is a pretty quick knit.
i am just listening to your podcast with craft sanity, to the bit about knitting. interesting stuff, i am still yet to find a 100% wool jumper in a charity shop to have a go at felting but will keep looking, i’d really like to have a go at your shibori tutorial.
I love the whole knitting to felt thing- making mittens as large as oven gloves and then shrinking them in the machine! I hope that the second slipper turns out as beautifully as the first!
Too bad you had to frog such a cute sweater to finish your clogs! But hey, if he doesn’t wear it, better use the yarn for felted clogs you’ll get to wear a lot! I have knit this pattern for my boyfriend a while ago, and just got around to knit it for myself lately – and wow! I’m not a fast knitter, but after making the big ones, knitting the smaller size made what is already a quick knit really seem to fly off my needles in no time at all!
Enjoy the magic of felting your knitting! Maybe it will give you ideas and provide inspiration for cute little things you could whip up and felt for the shop…
i love those colors … very much like a kiwi.
Oooh, I love those clogs. It’s better to put that beautiful yarn to better use. I rip stuff out all of the time and it doesn’t bother me a bit. Hope you are well.
I have part of an undone mini sock started but still undone cause i’m learning how to knit a sock on the round.I guess i’m not too interested right now but I might get back to it later. Hope you’re recharged from your vacation. Your clog looks cute!!Hope you get to do the other side soon.
The perfect slippers for winter! It’s fascinating that you never felted anything you have knitted before, but I like your recycling philosophy. Oohh…to take that wonderful jumper apart, but your clogs will be lovely.
Believe it or not, I have made 10 pairs of these slippers! I started with a pair for myself and pretty soon everyone that saw them wanted a pair. I love love love them – hope you do, too
Cool! I love the colors. Those clogs are going to be great!
And ‘No’ I can’t believe you’ve never knitted anything to felt before – that’s crazy to hear coming from you!
Good luck with the other clog!
Jill
Love the clogs…I need to get my knitting on this winter! You inspire me, and sad that you are leaving WI. I am just north of you, an had always hoped we’d connect sometime…maybe we will yet.
That picture of the sweater reminds me of the weezer song with the line “if you want to destroy my sweater, pull the string as I walk away, and then I will soon be naked…”
I also wanted to tell you that I bought your cup of joe kit from etsy and had SO much fun making it! I’m really excited to get your book when it comes out!!
I love that song and it’s perfect for this! Altho’ now it’s stuck in my head…
Emily, P.S. Glad you had fun with the kit!
Love your creations. All the way from Malaysia…Come visit me at http://yoonie-at-home.blogspot.com/
Gorgeous things happening over here! I just stumbled upon your blog! Lovely! ~Laurie!~