Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Big Bad Bunny Slippers

My obsession with knitting, and especially felting, continues. I love how you can take a big, lumpy, odd-looking batch of knitting and turn it into just the loveliest, softest, coziest pair of slippers:





Here is what these looked like before I felted the heck out of them, in a bucket in my bathtub:





They were too big even for me, and they were intended for Luke, whose two favorite colors right now are blue and brown. I was skeptical about them ever felting down enough to fit either of us, but thankfully they did. Here is one next to my foot just to show you:





Now they fit Luke perfectly. And, I have to say it's very gratifying that he keeps them at the bottom of his loft ladder, so he can slip right into them in the mornings!



Owen really, really wanted bunny slippers - but they'd have to be big-boy, kinda tough bunny slippers for a manly five-year-old like him. So we made them in his favorite color, fire-engine red, and I'll give them a brown tail ASAP (probably tomorrow). These are the unfelted slippers:





The pattern (which, along with the pattern for Luke's stripy slippers, came from Knit One, Felt Too, an awesome book for obsessed felters) says to sew on the ears after felting, and so that is what I did - they aren't attached in that pic up there.



And here they are all done:





Aren't they SO freaking cute?



It makes me smile that this boy, who recently has begun to lecture about how the color pink is good for girls, but not boys, and who has attempted to ban music with female vocals on the grounds that he is a boy and boys do NOT listen to music sung by girls, is running around in bunny slippers.



But only very masculine bunny slippers, of course.



13 comments:

Sparklee said...

So cute! I'm very impressed!

Lise said...

Love those bunny slippers! And I love it when those manly boys can show a soft side now and then.

Anonymous said...

Nice! I didn't know you were a knitter. I'm a crocheter. I've been quite prolific during my recovery! Maybe I'll post pictures of what I've made . . . Anyway, I have been interested in felting, and now I know I must try it! (Does that mean I have to learn to knit first?)

jugglingpaynes said...

Those are so cute! Marina has that book. I'm thinking she may give felting a try (with a slight bit of prodding from me). :o)

Peace and Laughter,
Cristina

Karen said...

Sparklee and Lise - thanks! He's keeping them right by his bed, so he can put them on in the morning, just like his big brother.

Susan - I started knitting in December, and it is now a full-on addiction. You should try felting with wool that's been crocheted, I bet it would work - although, in your current condition, felt in a washing machine, and not with a sink plunger and bucket :-)

Cristina - If Marina does try felting, you'll have to let me know how she feels about it. I hope she likes it!

Luisa said...

I'm slowly becoming interested in felting and lately all I'm seeing are cozy felted slippers. How sweet a boy with bunny slippers. That's the kind of stuff we mom's can understand about sons.

Jena said...

You are AMAZING!!! I can't believe you get so much knitting done! I LOVE LOVE LOVE those slippers. Your boys will have great memories of their mom and her love for them. I am so inspired. Have you seen my post about felting in a butter churn? Oh yes. That is fun.

Traci said...

Those are crazy cute! I'm working on some fingerless mitts right now. For me actually. Only the second item I've knit for me. My daughter age 9, is working on some slippers. I need to show her these to give her some encouragement!

Karen said...

Luisa - well said! Felting is really an obsession, once you get going :-)

Jena - thanks... you are pretty inspiring yourself - I just read the post about the butter churn, and I am so jealous :-)

Traci - let me know how the fingerless mittens work out,they are on my list. And, good for you to make stuff for you - gotta take care of yourself, and sometimes that means knitting for you :-)

Thanks for reading everyone -
Karen

Anonymous said...

Glad I was late to the party so that you could have yet one more day to hear how freakin' awesome you are!!! I couldn't be more impressed if I tried...really!! So happy for the boys and their cozy, warm feet!

Karen said...

Awww, Topsy, how kind!
But, you don't have to be late to tell me how freakin' awesome I am, I accept all compliments at all times :-)
And I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you how freakin' awesome you are - your routine handling of techie stuff, AND teaching people how to blog, AND your work with Time 4 Learning, AND dealing with two teenaged boys (without your head exploding, I mean) has me, literally, in awe... someday when I have two teenaged boys, I'll be reading all your posts over again to gain some insight!

Cheers -
K

Magic and Mayhem said...

You continue to amaze me with how quickly you picked this up and got so amazingly good at it! :) I love both pairs.
~Alicia

Karen said...

Thanks, Alicia - I will say this: felting hides lots of mistakes :-)
K