clothing

Tanks for the slippers
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Tanks for the slippers

One of those things that happen once you start to knit is people asking you for certain knit items. I’m pretty happy to oblige. I love making something for someone that I actually know for sure they’ll like. Actually, I really love getting any gift for someone that I’m certain they’ll like.

Of course, one of the other things that happens is you get requests for something in a craft you don’t actually know because people can’t tell whether something is knit or crochet. I got one such request for Christmas for these awesome PANZER SLIPPERS. Normally I just shrug off the request for crochet items because, while I’d like to learn how to do that as well, I have too long a list of knit projects to put the time into that right now. This just happened to be a request from my brother-in-law who was about to leave for a deployment. The situation called for some extra effort, but I was pretty sure it would take years for me to develop enough skill to attempt this pattern. I had to call in an expert.

My awesome cousin Rachel, crocheter extraordinaire, graciously agreed to make the slippers. Really, how awesome are these? I had a major geek out when I opened the package they came in.

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IMG_4629Here’s a little action scene I set up with one of them:

panzerLooks pretty realistic, right? That’s just how good Rachel’s skills are.

With the possibility of projects like this, I really must learn to crochet one day.

Birthday Girl in a Fluffy Skirt
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Birthday Girl in a Fluffy Skirt

Felicity, my middle child, turned 5 on Sunday.

IMG_4549This was the first of my children’s birthdays that I managed to knit a gift for, and it was a long time coming. Way back in… September-ish-time, I stumbled upon the pattern for Smokey the Bear. It was one of those I need this yarn immediately moments.

(Aside: This is akin to the I need to own all Neil Gaiman’s novels and children’s books immediately moment I’ve been in for a while now. I must be growing some self control since that hasn’t happened yet.)

Now, a yarn shop is not usually a place I like to take the younger kids if I can help it. They like to touch everything. Okay, can’t blame them much there. It’s a very tactile experience. But it’s very distracting trying to pick out the yarn  I actually need whilst simultaneously ensuring that don’t totally rearrange the store… However, it was one of those addict-needing-a-fix moments, so Sammy and Lissie came with me to The Ball & Skein Shop.

There happened to be a ruffly purple and green skirt on a mannequin in the window of the shop. Lissie thought it was SO BEAUTIFUL! So, after Christmas, the ruffly skirt became one of my top priorities in time for a February birthday.

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The pattern calls for one of those ruffly novelty yarns like you most often see used for scarves to make the ruffles. It turned out pretty cute, but I don’t think I’d do it again. It was kind of a pain to work with. I did measure her waist, but you can tell it’s still rather on the big side. It does at least stay up, though, and should fit her for a good long time.

IMG_4564I must say, I’m rather glad that Savannah didn’t show interest in having one of these for herself.