Last minute crafting

The plans.  Sometimes, they go awry.


I was kind of late to the game for being organized for Christmas this year.  So, I started a hat for my grandmother at the last minute.  As you do.

It was gorgeous, light blue Malabrigo.  Like butter.  Fun to knit.  Would work great with her other recent handknits.

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Then I realized it was hand-wash only.  Not nursing home friendly.

But my cousin has blue eyes and this would look great on her.  And she lives where it snows.  So, once I finished this hat, I took a second look at my yarn options and went for Plymouth Worsted and Cascade Pacific and came up with this.  If I were to do it over, I would have done it differently (helix from the start).




My even more last minute crafting is new stockings.  I realized that no one went to the attic to get the stocking box this year.  So, I bought new ones.  There was not much selection at the big box store at that point.  And then I zipped over to the craft store for dark red perle cotton and sewing needles.  My ambition was to add snowflakes or flowers or something great, but then I started doing their initials and remembered what my actual skill level is.  And I went with slightly wonky, but mostly legible initials.

Elf Shoes for the girls!

On the one cold day we had this winter, the girls realized I had elf shoes and decided (remembered) they needed some of their own.

Mine are from 2008. I still had more of that yarn, including an un-started 2nd skein.  So, using all stash yarn, I made them slippers.

It was pretty straightforward.  But now was the tricky part.  Our old washing machine was great for felting.  But I knew the new one could go awry - after seeing the great elf sock disaster of 2014.



This time, I stuffed the socks with other stuff - dishtowels, socks, etc and put each one in a pillowcase.  And just washed on a regular wash cycle, Hot water.  This time, they did not felt enough and I had to run through it again.



On the 2nd cold day of winter, after the socks were knitted, La was wearing my elf shoes and said she didn't like how the wool felt on her feet.  El feels like hers are too big.  But from a technical standpoint, they were a success.