I designed something! November 12, 2008

Last year for Christmas I bought adorable Buffalo slippers for both my son and little cousin.  They were warm and fuzzy and super sweet.  But alas they’re both a year older and quite a bit bigger, so something new is needed.  I began by sifting through the millions of cute patterns on Ravelry, but none of them were really catching my eye.  So I did what any other person would do.  Measure the baby’s feet and have a go at it with some leftover yarn.

For those of you who are interested, this is the pattern.  Please feel free to use it and pass it along, but don’t claim it as your own (not that anyone would)!  Thanks!

This is written for a toddler who wears a size 9 shoe

Needle size: US 8 DPN’s

Yarn: Cascade 220 wool

Cast on 30 stitches to 1 needle

Work in garter stitch (knit every row) for 23 rows to equal 2 1/2″

With second needle pick up 13 stitches for back and with third needle pick up 28 stitches along other side.

**Do not join in the round; you will work both WS and RS rows**

You will begin with a WS row.  Work in stockinette stitch (purl the WS and knit the RS) for 10 rows; that should equal to 1 inch.  If you need it taller, continue to work until work is tall enough.

At desired length, knit 14 stitches, bind off next 14 stitches, bind off back 13 stitches, bind off 14 stitches on second side and then knit last 14 stitches.

Graft 14 stitches on both sides together.

Graft the front end together.  It will look rectangular; that’s okay.

Pick any contrasting color yarn (I used some scraps from my MIL) and do I-cord until it measures a couple of inches.  Graft the i-cord to the bottom side of slipper.

**to make I cord cast on 4 stitches to a DPN.  With working yarn on the bottom, knit.  When you reach the last stitch, take the needle with stitches and turn upside down so the yarn is on the bottom again; repeat.

Take white yarn and make eyes.

Voila!  Hope this works out for everyone!

Project Finito! June 3, 2008

I finished up Heidi’s purse today and I am sooooo relieved!  The entire project felt as if I were just relying on that last little bit of yarn or luck to pull me through.  I didn’t have enough yarn to make the strap long enough to be worn messenger style, but it looks cool nonetheless.  My son wanted to help me bead the front of the purse and as a result I stabbed my palm a few times.  Ouch!  I made a removable liner (it’s just pinned in with safety pins) so she could take it out and wash it since the purse itself is spot clean only.  Plus I’m pretty sure I would have shattered more of my sewing machine needles attempting to do it that way.  My sewing machine hates me some days.  Once I was all done and finished, I wrapped it up and wrote her a cute note, slapped it on the some scrapbook paper, put some of those cute swirly rub ons around it and chopped it up with frilly borders.  I knew that if I didn’t give it to her today, there was a huge possibility that I would keep the purse for myself.  I did manage to take a few pictures before though and I’ll work on getting those put up tomorrow.  But hurray!  I’m done!

My next project is a pair of baby slippers from Knitty.com.  Today I tested myself to see if I would even get the pattern right before I went full force into it.  So far so good until I got to the part where you connect the sole of the shoe with the toe.  There was only one stitch that managed to get right in between, otherwise everything went awesome.  So I feel confident that starting tomorrow I’ll go full force with it.