Swatchless

This looks like a very cool stash-busting craft to make. Explanations are on the Sheepy Hollow Farm Journal website

Sheepy Note Cards. Image from Sheepy Hollow Farm Journal

I’ve got lots of fleece. I may try making some of these in the new year. They look SO cute.

Here’s another cute idea from the knitted blog. Knit a square, add buttons, make a card! So many possibilities!

card idea from the knitted blog

Ohhh…these are cute too! Mini sweater and stocking Christmas Cards. Pattern located on the Better Homes and Gardens website.

Image from Better Homes and Gardens

These would be my top three choices for best stationery, if I had time to make them!

I do write letters, but usually I use coloured paper that I decorate with doodles as I write.

Did you get socks for Christmas?  If you are lucky, someone knit them for you.  Knitting socks takes a great deal of time and effort, so it is important to care for them properly so they will last a long time.

After you wear your hand knit socks several times, you’ll probably want to wash them.  There are a few things to consider before you do this.

Ask the following questions to the sock knitter.  They will be impressed you are taking so much interest!

MATERIAL

Are the socks made from wool? Wool is a fiber that has an amazing ability to felt.  If wool is agitated in hot water, the fibers grip to each other and mat together.  (more information and pictures here)

Is the wool “superwash”? Superwash wool has been treated to keep the fibers from gripping to each other if agitated in hot water.

• You should handwash all knit socks to keep them in good condition, and prolong their life.
• You MUST handwash all non-superwash wool socks, or else you might not be able to wear them again!

Felting can be done intentionally, like I did with my elf slippers

Before Felting

After Felting

COLOUR

Some dyes are not colour-fast.  This means that the first few times you wash the socks, the colour may leave the socks, and could stain anything else washed with the socks.

• Washing socks in a sink/basin one pair at a time in cool water (with salt added) will help with colourfastness.

SOAP

You can use a small amount of detergent to wash your woolens, which will require a separate rinse phase but there are other options too.

Eucalan is a no rinse washing liquid

Soakwash is another option (lots of great info on their site)

I don’t have experience with either of these liquids.  I use a gentle laundry detergent.

How I wash my socks

1. Fill up the sink with lukewarm water.
2. Add a small amount of gentle liquid detergent.
3. Agitate the water to make suds before placing the socks in it.
4. Add the pair of socks
5. Let them soak for 10-15 minutes
6. Squish the socks gently with hands from time to time (no rubbing)
7. Drain the sink
8. Rinse in cool water
9. Squeeze out the water (no ringing)
10. Dry on a drying rack or a sock blocker (hang them from a clothesline if you don’t mind them stretching)

Argyle socks drying on sock blockers from www.Knitpicks.com

new and old sock blockers my Christmas present

Every day is a learning opportunity.  I know that I learn so much in the day-to-day interactions with people.  I make it my goal to keep learning new things even though it’s been a while since I was last taking a formal class.

Today, the learning opportunity comes in the form of an experiment. As a good science student, here’s my “pre-lab” writeup.

Experiment:  Felted Elf Slippers

Question:  Is it possible to make a pair of felted Elf Slippers before Christmas?

Hypothesis:  If sleep is ignored and other tasks abandoned it will probably be possible to finish knitting the slippers.  Time until Christmas in this case is the independent variable, and caffeine consumption is another independent variable that will work to decrease the amount of sleepiness.  Large gauge needles will decrease the time taken to complete the socks, but the immensity of the pre-felted slipper will counteract any advantage given by the needle size.  Felting has many variables (washing machine, water temperature, time) and since it is the first experience with felting, results will be unpredicted.

Materials:

• Cascade 220 1 skein dark green
• Cascade 220 1 skein bright green
• 6.5mm DPN

Procedure:

Refer to Flint Knits Felted Elf Slipper pattern

Data:

Image courtesy of Through The Loops

Dec.22.2009  11:00 PM  Inspiration hits. Wool run planned for 23rd

Dec.23.2009  4:00 PM  Wool run  to Wool-Tyme.  Cascade 220 and needles acquired.

Dec.23.2009  7:00PM  Cast-on first slipper

Dec.23.2009  10:00PM  Astounded by size of slipper in progress, caffeine consumed

Dec.24.2009  12:30AM  Overcome by sleep.  Slipper 1 complete

Dec.24.2009  8:30AM  Caffeine consumed, slipper 2 cast on

Dec.24.2009  10:30AM  Second Slipper Syndrome Already?  Break for nourishment/present wrapping/delivery.

Dec.24.2009  1:00PM  Successful Santa mission, and delivered an awesome hat to a cute little boy

Dec.24.2009  2:33PM  Second slipper is growing.  Decision made:  gift could be pre-felted slippers….if time runs out.  Then they could be felted-to-fit….that sounds like a good plan, right?

Dec.24.2009 5:12PM Second slipper is 8 inches from completion.  Must rest fingers and wrap more gifts.

Dec.24.2009 7:30PM Digested dinner and knit 8 inches by the fire.

Dec.24.2009 10:30PM Church break.

Dec.25.2009 1:00AM DONE….ends sewn in and everything.

I had only this much yarn left over!  About 2 meters…..Cutting it close!!!

Since late night early morning felting sounds like an all around disaster a BAD idea, the HUMONGOUS slippers are under the tree, and will be felted to fit tomorrow afternoon between turkey basting sessions.

Dec.25.2009 11:30AM  Slippers unwrapped, and tried on.  Dad confused by size.  They fit like a hat!

Dec.25.2009 12:30PM  Slippers put in a zip up pillow case and washed (no soap) in washing machine.  Settings: low water level, hot temperature.

Dec.25.2009 1:00PM  Felting accomplished!  Slippers stuffed with plastic bags drying on heating register, and in front of the fire.

Dec.26.2009 1:00PM Slippers still slightly damp.  Gave up and put them in dryer for 15 minutes.

Dec.26.2009 1:20PM  Slippers are done and being worn.

Conclusions:  Felting works.  Pre-felted items are HUGE, but shrink down to a very nice size.  It is possible to knit a pair of elf slippers and felt them in a day and a half.  The drying is the unexpected variable.  It took a very long time to dry!

before felting

After Felting