Friday, July 21, 2006

Resumption of normal service?

WHOOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEE I now have broadband! And a box in the living room with twinkly lights so I can take my laptop anywhere in the house or garden (bit hot out there at the mo) to go online!
Now I'm going to attempt a post about last week's felting course which I went on with my friend, Penny (we were the ones knitting together at Greenbelt last year).
This was making Felted Shoes and Hats, at the Old Kennels in Devon. A fantastic venue, set in beautiful countryside. As it was a nice sunny day (and not quite so hot that week as it has been this week!) we were able to sit outside.

I was astounded by the before-and-after-felting slippers they had as an example. I hadn't realised the size diffence was going to be so spectacular:



Taffy, the tutor, had brought along loads of yarn from the US for us to use. It was mainly Brown Sheep Company Lamb's Pride Worsted (which is available from Getknitted now in this country), with a little bit of Malabrigo around too. Plus some delectable Crystal Palace bamboo circular needles. The patterns were from Fibertrends.


And we sat outside in the sunshine and chatted away over the knitting. It was a big improvement on being at work for the day (the course was on a Wednesday!)

Admiring the baby alpacas in the next door field.


And talking to one of the many cats around.

I got to have my first go with a swift, and was totally smitten. A swift is now on my wish-list! I'd brought along two skeins of Debbie Bliss Maya (from my stash, hah!) and bought a skein of Lamb's Pride so I had enough for the slippers. I know I'm on Stashalong, but I decided that skein didn't count, as there's not much point going on a course and not being able to make the item, is there?! Plus I used two stash skeins at the same time!

Back home again I set Monkey on with plumbing in the washing machine:

So I could get the second slipper finished (making slippers for apparently giant sized feet did raise some eyebrows on the train back from Devon!)


Monkey and I then stared mesmerized at the washing machine. Would the slippers felt? Would the washing machine leak all over the floor? Would the rest of my wash be covered in bits of fluff?

The pattern instructions were written for US washing machines, which sound to me like the ones you get in a university hall of residence here - enormous and top-loading so you can lift the lid up. I just had to put the slippers through a complete cycle cos it can't be stopped once it's started a wash cycle!

Getting them out was a little scary. I'd put them in a mesh laundry bag to save the machine from becoming too fluffed. And they'd turned into two balls:


Which fortunately straightened out into a pair of slippers perfectly sized for my feet!
I'm really really pleased with them. I think they'll be very comfy to wear this winter (it's far too hot at the moment!) as they have a double thickness sole). I've never been able to wear this sort of open-at-the-heel slipper before either as my feet are so narrow they don't stay on. But these do cos they were made for my feet!


Fingers crossed blogger will let me post all these pictures. Still to come in future posts:
knitting over the last month (apart from on courses!) and bits of my new house. The tidy bits. I'm trying not to think about the other bits.

12 comments:

susoolu said...

Welcome back - those slippers are lovely, and it looks like you had a great time on the course. And congrats to Monkey for getting his plumbing right.

Mary Anne said...

I'm glad to hear you are back on line with broadband. Your knitting course seems like it was so much fun and what a lovely day to be outside. You must tell more about the swift experience in another post, please. Those slippers are lovely colours and look toasty warm.

Yay Monkey for being so smart with his plumbing skills! He deserves an extra banana. and maybe some ice cream...

Anonymous said...

Hiya,

Welcome back! Lovely pictures you've got there. Seems like you've been having plenty of fibre-y fun, and those alpaca look so cute, don't they?

The slippers came out so pretty, but yes, they did look somewhat scary all balled up fresh out of the washer. I think I'd have freaked out!

xx

Seahorse said...

The slippers are fab!

Anonymous said...

Yay! You're back in the land of virtual living!

The slippers look great. And the course sounds wonderful. (Note to self - start researching courses - I'd love to try a spinning course... shhhh - don't tell dh)

Steph said...

Groovy slippers - I bet they're toasty too!

KnitYoga said...

That course sounds and looks fab and the slippers are great! I must try felting but it does seem a bit scary! Love the outcome though. Glad you're back on broadband and getting settled in and really looking forward to meeting you at next MK meeting.

Iris said...

Welcome back!

Great slippers (they are now on my already endlessly long to-do list) and it sounds like you had a fab day at the course!

Piglottie said...

Welcome back and hooray for broadband! Love the slippers - I have this pattern too but have yet to knit it up (needs to be cooler). Re: the Crystal Palace bamboo circs, did they have sharp points - I love bamboo circs but get so miffed when the points are really blunt, the only ones that seem to be sharp are the Addi Bamboos?

Nic said...

Wow you have been busy with your courses. You'll be running courses for KnitLincs soon ;o)
Sorry I've been a bit slow on the old commenting but i think I might be back now.
Those slippers look ace but I would be scared about them fitting my feet-all a bit hit and miss? I have only felted a booga bag before and that was funky but it didn't matter how big (or small) it was going to be.
DP is on holiday soon so I am going to escape to Lincoln for knitting at KL.
Nic
xx

Ruby Girl said...

What a lovely way to spend a work day, knitting outdoors with a group of like minded people, and your slippers look so nice and warm.

littlelixie said...

Nice slippers!