I have been working on a project for the last week or so, but it has been a secret of sorts. Last year my former boss, Tim, pledged to dress up like an elf for Xmas 2012. He said he'd go for the green shorts and top and even throw in the green tights, but he made no promises about the shoes. He's over 6 feet tall wears size 12 shoes so he was reluctant to commit to being able to find elf shoes that would fit him.
Remember back in early September when I posted a free pattern to make elf shoes? More than one of you contacted me and said something like: "Really, elf shoes?" Yes, really, they are for Tim. So I waited for the wool to go on sale at the local craft shop. The pattern needs to be made with wool because the fibers will be fulled. Generally the fulling process is called felting in knitting. It is a technique of putting natural fibers in hot water and agitating it until the yarn pulls together and begins to shrink. Some use a washing machine and a small laundry bag to achieve this feat; others choose to put hot water in a jar and shake it until the yarn shrinks. The process has to be carefully watched to insure the end product doesn't get too small, however.
I was drawn to these elf shoes because they use a technique call wrap and turn, a process to help work short rows. Short rows add extra depth or contour to knitting. The elf shoes use the process twice, once to turn the heels and again to make the pointed toes. (Goodness knows I needed to practice this since I do intend to make Pop, a baby blanket that uses short rows a lot. I bought many skeins of white wool when I visited Australia several years ago and some Noro wool recently when it was on sale at my LYS. So the yarn is in the house and all I need to do is perfect the technique.)
And I have to say, I've pretty much have wrap and turn rows down now after making these shoes. Here they are before I felted them.
And the finished project.
They are still drying after the felting process and are taking on the appropriate shape, stuffed with plastic bags and empty jars. I'll be adding non-skid soles to them; don't want anyone to get hurt walking around in wool shoes. So Tim this may end up being a sort of surprise, only if you're not reading this until after Xmas. Pop blanket, here I come.
Remember back in early September when I posted a free pattern to make elf shoes? More than one of you contacted me and said something like: "Really, elf shoes?" Yes, really, they are for Tim. So I waited for the wool to go on sale at the local craft shop. The pattern needs to be made with wool because the fibers will be fulled. Generally the fulling process is called felting in knitting. It is a technique of putting natural fibers in hot water and agitating it until the yarn pulls together and begins to shrink. Some use a washing machine and a small laundry bag to achieve this feat; others choose to put hot water in a jar and shake it until the yarn shrinks. The process has to be carefully watched to insure the end product doesn't get too small, however.
I was drawn to these elf shoes because they use a technique call wrap and turn, a process to help work short rows. Short rows add extra depth or contour to knitting. The elf shoes use the process twice, once to turn the heels and again to make the pointed toes. (Goodness knows I needed to practice this since I do intend to make Pop, a baby blanket that uses short rows a lot. I bought many skeins of white wool when I visited Australia several years ago and some Noro wool recently when it was on sale at my LYS. So the yarn is in the house and all I need to do is perfect the technique.)
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| See the turn at the heel and the turned up toe? That's wrap & turn at work. |
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| See how tight the stitches are? Felting covers a multitude of knitting sins. |
They are still drying after the felting process and are taking on the appropriate shape, stuffed with plastic bags and empty jars. I'll be adding non-skid soles to them; don't want anyone to get hurt walking around in wool shoes. So Tim this may end up being a sort of surprise, only if you're not reading this until after Xmas. Pop blanket, here I come.
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