Buuuuut, now I'm in Germany. I just started a new job, which affords me loads of free time, so I'll be able to finally do some creative work. Oh creative work, how I have missed you these past months. I can't wait until I find a sewing machine here (hopefully), otherwise I'll have to sew everything by hand. Which is fine, but I can't say that my handsewing skills are quite as good as some other people I know... *cough* *Peryn* *cough*. :)
Soooo! New country, new projects. Let's start from the beginning. I arrived in Weimar two days ago, and a few hours later, the lady who has been in touch with me all summer came over to my apartment to give me some goodies, namely: a blanket, a pillow, a towel, chocolate, and a handy little book called "Wie man deutscher wird." Or, how to be German. Exciting!
The absolute first point in the book is about wearing slippers. Or house shoes. Oh German, I love you. Great, I didn't bring any slippers. Let's fix that.
Now, I can't just go out and buy a pair of slippers. That would just be too easy/logical/straightforward.
Naahhh, I like a challenge. Seeing that aside from two giant scarves, all I've ever really knit were a mitten and a half, half a sock, and some funky shaped dishcloths. This is going to be fun. Or will it?
Also, while I'm at it, might as well go all out. Not just slippers, oh no, ELF SLIPPERS!!
Something like this. I found the pattern online here:
http://web.archive.org/web/20101121072753/http://caron.com/projects/ss_chunky/ssc_elf_slippers.html
I couldn't have picked something easier, eh? Oh well, let's see how it goes.
So, having brought only the most minimal of sewing kit with me, I needed to gather the raw materials to be used for this future creation of mine.
I found a bastelladen (craft store) in town and went in. Bought three skeins of wool yarn (they didn't have any acrylic, it's a really nice store). In hindsight, I see that I chose green and yellow like my hair. I swear it wasn't on purpose, it just happened. There were so many pretty colours to choose from: navy, dark red, a nice pink, they were out of purple though. I hope those three skeins are enough, I don't really want to buy more. Pure wool like this isn't exaclty cheap. Also needed to get knitting needles and yarn needles. I want to get the pack of five straight knitting needles, but I wasn't sure they were going to be quite long enough for the width of the work in the first stage. So I got a circular one.
Note to self: next time I travel, I should bring my knitting needles and stitch markers with me. They take virtually no space, and I wouldn't have had to buy new needles, and now I have to get creative with the stitch markers, because the store didn't have any. Also, I would have saved about 10€.
Well, now I know. And now I have even more knitting needle. Almost all of them in this exact size.
I'll start these right now! In progress pictures will be posted as the slippers come to life, if all goes according to plan.
Update 21. September, 2014
There, my houseshoes are done!
Just in time for me to get a huge cold. Now I can wear my slippers, drink all of the tea, and be ultra lasy while my cold wanes away, hopefully soon.
First picture is the basic knitted shape, done in mosaic pattern. See how it's knitted flat, rather than in the round. I thought it was strange at first, until I realized that in order to get the toe to curl, you have to sew it together while pullingtightly on the yarn.
Second picture is one slipper just sewed up, next to an already finished slipper with the cuff done in ribbed stitching. The cuff is also extra long so that it can be folded over.
This one shows the cuff being knit in the round.
And the finished pictures, with the cuff folded over. SO COMFY!
Also, according to my German book, tip #50 tells me that I need to do an exaggerated bye.
Tssssssssssssschüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüü-hhhüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüsssssssssssssssssssssssssss!
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