The Start of Something .......

HAPPY 2019

On January 1st I spotted this post on a Facebook page that I follow

“Show us your best makes of 2018”

It was followed by lots of posts of some truly beautiful makes.

It dawned on me that although I had made many things and finished many more DIY projects, plus had several total disasters, I hadn’t actually recorded a single one and I hadn't taken any photographs.

This year I am going to attempt to take some photographs and record my achievements and disasters just so that at the end of 2019 I can look back and say 

"Here is one I made earlier!"

My first attempts at (Shrink) Felting.

Probably not really my first attempt because I used to shrink my son’s designer jumpers regularly!

Some time ago I purchased several balls of 100% wool to knit and then felt.

I had no idea what I was going to do with them but they were on ‘Sale’ and such a bargain that I couldn’t resist them.

Fast forward many months and I spotted some felted slippers on Pinterest. Good idea, I thought, my feet are always so cold when I sit down in the evenings, and felted slippers would be perfect. 

After a long search I managed to find the original posting of the felted slippers and the knitting pattern that accompanied it.

I purchased the pattern from Ravelry   https://www.ravelry.com/

and here is the link to the pattern for the slippers (which are called Duffers) if you too would like to make a pair https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/duffers---revisied

This is the wool that I used

I followed the pattern exactly, which is actually quite unusual for me.  

I always seem to alter patterns by adding a bit here or taking away a bit there, but this one I followed.

They looked a strange shape and rather large when finished.

I followed the instructions on the ball band when it came to the felting process.

I used new tennis balls - not the ones the dog chews, and I washed them first just in case they were going to bleed yellow all over my new slippers.

This is what they looked like when they came out of the washing machine. Quite a bit smaller!

I shaped them into a more recognisable slipper shape and left them to dry naturally and this is what they look like now.

One may be very slightly larger than the other and the shaping over the toes is slightly wonky.

But they are my first make of 2019 and I am rather proud of them. Even if they are slightly odd they will still keep my feet warm and that is the most important point of slippers!