Making a Case Here

The "Temptation Twins," Dianne & Linda, have been making a subtle and sweet effort to encourage me to open my mind to sock knitting. They've told me how wonderful their teacher is (I have no doubt whatsoever), they show me pictures of their efforts (their sock patterns are lovely and the fiber colors...just breathtaking) and most intriguing of all, they're actually enjoying the process of sock knitting, itself.

My once firm anti-sock stance is somewhat wavering. Weeks ago, I wrote on M.'s site that I would run naked down Main Street before I ever knit another sock. I'm kind of regretting those words now and hoping that M. and Dianne won't hold me to that vow (they're gracious people, so I think I'm safe on that score). However, I still have a firm point to make...

Slippers are ART. I fully believe that design, ingenuity, colorcraft and skill go into making a sock, but I still believe that slippers are the superior calling and to make my case, I present the following:



Modern Art. Notice the ballerina is not
wearing socks.

Pop/Cinematographic (is this even a word?) Art.

In any event, these aren't the "Ruby Socks!" ;)

Danish Painter, C.W. Eckersberg, circa 1820

The Slippers of Cinderella by Aubrey Beardsley, circa 1898

Dr. Pozzi at Home by John Singer Sargent

(Again, he's not wearing socks).

Me at the thought of having a "Godiva" moment down Main St.

On the Needles

On the needles now is an Irish Hiking Scarf using Plymouth Encore. It's slow going, but what's nice is that I've memorized the "two row combination" and just have to do the cable knit on each eighth row.

The rows have become so familiar that I hardly have to check where I am, which was great last night because I was absorbed in "Heroes." (Yay! It's back!)

Pictured below (or wherever these things land) is a "Shredder Cap." Bedford's LYS owner/teacher/knitter extraordinaire is also the mother of an Air Force pilot stationed in Iraq. Son called mother and asked if she could make some under-the-helmet caps for him and his team members (squadron?). This is a very simple pattern that knits up quickly and makes a nice, warm skull cap.









Now for the weather. We had sleet. It melted the next day. End of story. (Sorry Marianne!) ;)

The kids made a foot tall iceman.

Happy Feet/Part Two

Here's Aunt Jo wearing her KnitPicks/Winter Night.

Here are my uncles, Ted & Steve. Their slippers were made from Yarn Barn's (Ebay) New Zealand wool. They're sage green and match what I and my kids wear.


Uncle Ted
---->





Uncle Steve
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Missing from the photos are Gramma (Manos del Uruguay scarf/Wildflowers), my father, Edward (black felted slippers), cousins Jamie & Charli (Cranberry slippers), Joey & Tyler, cousin & nephew (Lamb's Pride hats), Kori (Lamb's Pride scarf) and Charli (Lamb's Pride hat).

I was having too much fun hanging out to remember to run people

down and take more pictures!

Happy Feet/Part One

This pair of slippers started out with Galway Paint and Galway in Periwinkle Purple. I purchased the skeins from Roxy's Yarn at Ebay, but didn't realize how well they blended until they arrived together.










The finished project.













Here's a shot of Aunt JoAnn in her new slippers & sitting on Aunt Karen's lap.

Karen's slippers were made from KnitPicks "Wool of the Andies"/Cranberry.



Below are a pair of KnitPicks/Hollyberry. Karen and JoAnn were supposed to get the Hollyberry slippers, but I overshrunk them and they were too small. It worked out for JoAnn's daughters, Jamie and Charli, because the small pairs fit them.

Slippers & A Bowl

It's been a knitting and felting weekend. What more can I say?

Happy New Year!