De Feet

I've been a crazy person trying to get some slippers knitted and felted in time to send across the Atlantic.

Crazy 1:  In the past, we have found that if you send off a package before T-day (this year November 25), it arrives in 10-14 days.  If you send it within a week after T-day, count on 2-3 weeks.  Later and it probably won't arrive by December 23rd which is the last delivery of mail in "kjære lille Norge".
Crazy 2:  I've never made slippers before this.
Crazy 3:  Knitter friend, K, has been cranking them out for her grandchildren for the past 2 months.  This somehow makes me crazy!!

Crazy 4:  I've only felted 2 items in my entire life (and they were bags) in my front loader. Need I spell it out?  Size doesn't matter with bags.
Crazy 5:  I don't read ALL the directions...
Crazy 6:  I'm using two patterns.  I was totally successful with the first pattern, so why tempt fate?
Crazy 7:  Norway makes beautiful felted slippers commercially.  Hard to beat! --Except for the price.  Here's my pair from 30 years ago.

 I haven't worn them for probably 20 of the 30, and they have air-conditioning at the heel of one.

DeFeet or being oblivious:
The first pair I made in the men's size.  I went to K's house for the top loader, and they felted down smaller than I wanted, but they look great.

Pattern 1 by Midnattsol

Made in garter stitch only, with NO shaping.  (Yes, NO shaping!!  I mean row after row of 22 stitches in pure knit.) I could make these blind-folded! You, too! And this is going to be my FAVORITE pattern.  The only challenge was sewing the strip together to get the shape of a slipper and, come-on, a challenge?

The second pair is the felted clog.  I did them at home and they turned out like this, and enormous.  (The size:  Men's Regular--not large.)

Pattern 2 by Bev Galeskas

Since I didn't want them any larger than they already were, I couldn't stretch out the bumps and curves.  And somewhere in the back of my mind, I read some directions that I didn't follow about what kind of stitch to use to sew the bottom center seam.

Hence, it really needs stretching and it's not going to get it.  Ooops....
The deadline is coming up fast.... and the slippers are drying slowly.

Pattern 1: Felted Slippers by Midnattsol from Midnattsol's Blog (The garter stitch variety... cute and pointy.)  Pattern 2:  Felted Clogs (AC-33) by Bev Galeskas Yarn:  Classic Wool by Patons Worsted / 10 ply 100% Wool