Knitting: DONE
Last night I was 7/8th done,
and ran out of yarn...I hadn't started with a full skein, and had
another, but had to rummage through the stash to find it. So the
last few rows were completed this morning.
The results are HUGE. I think I made
the wrong size. But too big is better than too small, and I have
seen some felted objects shrink down to almost half size, so maybe
they are not too big. But they sure look like it right now!
The pattern comes in a range of
sizes—from -1, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, +1 (or if you prefer, 21) and +3 (or
23)--My slippers are size 3. I wasn't sure if I should make size 1
or size 3, and decided on size 3. If they end up too big after
felting, the girls can grow into them. Too small, and well, that is
the end of that.
So I went bigger, and I'll see in a few
days whether I went too big or not.
Step 2—Coming up next, sewing each of the
stacks into a slipper. Some what like the baby surprise sweater, the
knitting gets folded, and seamed, and something that doesn't look at
all like a slipper, magically becomes one.
This is the hardest part—I will need
markers, and uninterrupted time to get this done, but fortunately
there isn't much sewing to do.
Step 3-- Will be the felting. I am at a
disadvantage here, I don't own my own washer, and have to use what is
available—Fortunately, it is a top loading washer, and hot water in
the building is really HOT. It cools a bit as it rises up in the
pipes, but the laundry room is right next to the furnace/water
heaters—and the laundry room water is scalding hot. The washer
cycles are all the same length, but there is a heavy setting for
denim, and gentle setting (with much less agitation) (with 2 other
setting between these) so I should get good felting with just a
single wash. I might pre-sock in cold water and then shock them by
adding them to the hot water...
I'll plan on getting up early and
trying tomorrow AM. I might toss them in the drier, too if I think
they need it. (it has to be early or late afternoon—Saturday is a
busy laundry day.)
Once I am done, I will evaluate, and
plan for the next pair (or pairs). I still need to pick up a tube of
silicon caulking too, for the soles. These slipper shoes will be
good for wearing in the stroller, and for walking about indoors—but
indoors for them means slick hardwood floors. Non slip footwear is a
must.
