-in handknits!
I designed some socks for Robyn’s Nest Sock club. She was my secret pal hostess in the past two secret pal swaps that I’ve done. She emailed me a few weeks ago and wanted to know if I could design something - and of course, I did! It’s my first commissioned/paid design!
I hope you like it… but because I’m a tease, I can only give you photos right now! I’ll be making the pattern available on January 2nd! In the meantime, you just have to be excited that I’m now a paid knitwear designer!
A few months ago, I wrote about my “happy box.” I got a lot of comments about it and so I wanted to go into some more detail here. Basically, I put things in my happy box that make me happy. When I get depressed or down, I pull it out and leaf through it for inspiration and a lift. In doing this, I’m also inspired by The Happiness Project and wanted to share something that contributes to my happiness. I hope that I inspire you to find some of your own happiness. Feel free to borrow my idea - but remember that what makes me happy is going to be different than what makes you happy.
First, you’ll need a box. I used an old photo box until it was too small. This is what I’ve been using for the past few months:
I have a variety of “stuff” in my happy box. Since I’m a knitter, I have a swatch and photo of my first sweater…
I also thought it was important to put my favorite book in my happy box….
It’s by Eva Ibbotson. True, it’s sappy. But it makes me happy, and that’s the point of my happy box. I also have some more sentimental stuff in there - like letters and notes from my parents and family (that say more than just “we miss you.” - things like “we’re proud of you…”)….
I also have notes and cards from my residents from when I was an RA. I have a few from my current RAs that I supervise - and after they get taken off my refridgerator, I’ll put them in this box too….
I also have a note of encouragement from my grandpa (who is no longer with us)… I’d forgotten I had this and when I found it last spring, I cried as I read it….
Of course, I also have plenty of photos - of family, my awesome summer working at the yarn store (click the photo to see tags of who is who and stories behind them….)
And finally… I like to have things that make me laugh. Like this article for example…
It’s an article about a bunch of old women who tried to register for the army and staged a protest when the army wouldn’t accept them. It’s full of humor, wisdom and the best things in life. It makes me smile.
That’s a collection of some of the stuff in my happy box. What would you have in your happy box?
I loved the slippers I made (Pattern: Felted Clogs by Fiber Trends) the other day - they are nice and toasty and I see myself wearing them a lot. I was worried, however, of wearing through them too quickly. Mostly, however, I needed the bottoms to be waterproofed. I plan to wear these slippers on late-night emergencies that my job may have me responding to. And, sad as it is, there is more than a tiny chance that I may accidentally step in vomit. Naturally, I want to protect the bottom of my slippers from such a sad fate. In case you want to do the same, here’s how I did it:
First, you’ll need to gather your supplies:
You’ll need:
After you cover your surface with newspaper, you’ll need to prepare your caulk tube. Consult the directions on the tube you bought - I had to cut the top off of mine - and poke a hole like below (I used a knitting needle).
Next up, load the tube into the caulking gun. You’ll have to pull the trigger a few times to get the silicone to the tip. From here, the next step is to squirt the gel onto the sole of your slipper. You’ll need a lot. Squirt like crazy. If your trigger fingers get tired (it’s hard), do 1/2 a sole at a time.
Don’t worry if a string of gel goes off to the side or somewhere that you don’t want it - just let it be and don’t worry about it for now - whatever you do, don’t rub it off and smear it into the slipper. Only smear the gel where you want the gel to be - and definitely smear it - rub it into the fibers.
You can try to add a pattern into the slippers with your scraper if you want - try to come up with some sort of “tread” pattern. You can also skip the idea of a solid covering - and use the nozzle of the tube to write “left” or “right” or “hand wash only” or whatever the heck you want. If you’re going for the full coverage affect, make sure you’re erring on the side of too much silicone vs. not enough.
Make sure you’re careful to get the edges (especially if you’re worried about stepping into something gross). Once you’ve covered both soles, let the silicone “cure” as directed by the package - make sure they stay “sticky side up.” Mine took 24 hours to fully cure to the point where I was comfortable walking in them.
Once the soles are fully cured, you can pull off parts of the silicone that aren’t where you want them - like if one of your squirts went awry - or if you covered too much of an edge - just cut or pull off what you don’t want. It’ll come off pretty easy.
In the future, if you wear your slippers so much that you begin to wear through the sole - just-reapply with some silicone. Double (triple) the length of the life of your slippers!
And that’s it - pretty simple.
Sheila left me this comment on my last post the other day…
OMG! Are you ever going to start blogging again? I miss seeing your knitting!
My mom has scolded me, as has Roni, my first secret pal and practically like my second mom. I feel so bad about not posting!
First, some explanations of why I’ve been gone so long.
As you might remember in my last post, August has been the month of transition for me. I’m no longer in NYC and I’m back in sunny Bloomington, where … the grass is brown.
It hasn’t rained any significant amount in the month I’ve been here and the grass is crying for some love. I keep seeing the students out smoking and I’m just waiting for a patch of grass to go up in flames. Fortunately, I bought a new umbrella (ella, ella ella - oh god- someone kill me) and some rainboots and so I’m ready for when the rain really does come. Hopefully it’s soon.
I’ve met with some new knitting friends! I got together a couple times with some knitters from Bloomington and we knitted! It was fun - like a real knitting group. I’d had some knitting circles in my dorm, but the girls were always really, really beginner - and had no knowledge of the online community - I was the most hard-core one, and that wasn’t really fun for me.
I’m making progress on the mitered square blanket. Unfortunately, the baby is a couple weeks old. I suck with deadlines (I should be writing a paper right now, actually). Nevertheless, I’ve hot 5 1/2 blocks (of 9) seamed together. I haven’t knit all the miters, however. As I discussed at my knitting group, once I finish that miter, I have to kick it into gear and finish the seaming (and weaving in ends). As long as I don’t finish that miter, the seaming I have done now… means that I’m ahead of the game. Yes, I’m lying to myself.
I also finished some slippers. I needed some that I could slip on and respond to fire alarms. Or run to the ambulance when a student is being transported for alcohol poisoning. I’m thinking of sewing some buttons on them - what are your thoughts? Same color tones or some that are bright? Also - I’m going to use silicone cauck stuff to seal the bottom (and make them not-slippery). I’ll throw some photos up when I finish them. Heck, I’ll make a tutorial out of it! Anyway, as it is, I’m pretty happy with them. They’re really warm and comfortable. I may just wear them to class a few times.
Hmmm. I think that’s it for now.
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