Spritely Elf Necessities: The Set

I had made some hats for my 9-year old niece Anna, but 6-year old Sophie wasn't too keen on having one until she decided that maybe she would like me to make her an elf hat.

When I asked if she would rather have an elf hat or shoes, she twisted her lips to the side, and concentrated very hard. Her face brightened with a huge grin as she said, "The SET!"

How could I refuse?

Recipe for Felted Elf Slippers.

Materials:

1 skein Lion Brand Wool in green elf color (or other 100% worsted weight wool)

1 skein DK weight Comfort yarn, in a matching color (will be used for cuff)

small bit of scrap acrylic yarn in a contrasting color

Beads and embroidery floss for embellishment

Suede slipper soles by Stonehenge Clothing, and matching acrylic yarn to sew them on.

Needles:
size 10 double points
size 5 double points

Pattern:

CO 36 stitches with one strand of the Lion Brand Wool, size 10 needles. You will need a loose gauge, approximately 3.5 stitches per inch.

Begin your sock from the top in stockinette stitch, following any basic sock pattern . Continue until you reach the toe area.

Use "Elf toe" pattern by Storm in the Attic. Available free at:
http://www.stormopzolder.nl/DIY.htm#free

Weave an acrylic yarn or some other non-feltable yarn through each stitch at top. You will later unpick these stitches and use the little holes left to pick up stitches for the cuff.

As you can see, before they were little, they were BIG! (They fit a size 8 woman's foot.)

Felt slippers in hot water in washing machine with a little bit of wool soap.

Note: This yarn felts very quickly!

When the slippers reach an appropriate elf-size, roll them in a towel to soak up extra water, shape and dry. Tug a little on the point of the slipper to get it to look nice and elfy.

When dry, sew on the suede slipper bottoms, available from Stonehenge Clothing Etsy shop. This is really much easier to do BEFORE you knit the cuff, as you can reach inside the slipper easier. (I tried it both before and after!)

Now make the cuff. Pick out the contrasting yarn one stitch at a time, and using a small crochet hook, pick up a stitch in each hole with the DK weight cotton yarn. Place stitches on size four size 5 double point needles (you should have 36 stitches at this point). Knit 2x2 rib for approximately 3 inches, BO loosely in pattern.

Add beads, bobbles and embroidery floss to adorn the Elf Slippers.

Disclaimer: If there are any mistakes in either the slipper or hat recipes, I'm sure it was the forest GOBLINS that tried to mess them up. Please let me know if you find anything that needs to be changed!

Recipe for a Spritely Elf Hat

Size: Small to Medium Elf Size (21" circumference)

Materials:
2 skeins Berroco Comfort DK in leaf green

beads and embroidery floss for adornment

Needles:

1 size 9 16" circular or dbl points, as you prefer

1 size 8 16" circular

Instructions:
Using size 9 circular, CO 72 stitches.

With size 8 circular work one row K1 P1 rib, and when you come to the end of the row, join to work in the round. (When you are done, close up the little gap with the yarn tail.)

Continue with the size 8 circular needle and knit approximately 6 rows, or 1 inch.

Switch back to size 9 circular needle, and working in stockinette, increase (knit front & back) every 8th stitch (you will be increasing in a purl stitch.)

Work the 81 stitches in the round for approximately 26 rows, or 4 inches.

Begin decreases as follows:
Place marker at the beginning.
Knit 7, SSK, repeat around.
Knit 4 rows even.
Knit 6, SSK, repeat around.
Knit 2 rows even.
Knit 5, SSK, repeat around.
Knit 4 rows even.
Knit 4, SSK, repeat around.
Knit 3 rows even.
Knit 3, SSK, repeat around.
Knit 2 rows even.
Knit 2, SSK, repeat around.
Knit 1, SSK, repeat around.
SSK around.
SSK around, knitting last single stitch together with the first SSK of the previous round.
You should now have 4 stitches left.

Work a 4 stitch I-cord for approximately 1/2 inch, BO, and then stick yarn tail through to back side and weave in end.

Embellish with beads and/or embroidery, however the elfly spirits move you!

Give THE SET to any deserving elf and watch her dance through the forest!

For my Secret Pal

Ravelry, the online knitting community where I spend a lot of my internet time, has different interest groups that members can join. One of my favorite groups, ADHD Knitting, is sponsoring a "pill bottle swap." We have been assigned random partners, and our mission is to decorate and fill an empty pill bottle with treats for our secret pal.

My recipient is "Lotusburger," and she lives in Utah. I made a felted lotus flower pill bottle cover, and stuffed it with beef jerky (one of her favorite snacks) and a few little knitting supplies.

Being a little bit of a rebel, I added some things that didn't fit into the bottle. Hopefully, she likes flip flops, because I made her the AZ flip flop socks and got her some purple flip flops, and matching purple nail polish! She also has a pet turtle, so I knitted her up one of Alan Dart's tortoises from his Noah's Ark pattern booklet.

I hope she likes her surprise!

More Doggy Stuff

At the risk of seeming obsessed, here are some more doggy pictures.

This is the bed made for Mr. Pooty:

But he shares with the little pig.

This is the bed made for Chiwi:

But she shares with the little peanut.

And Liz just rolls around flashing her toothy grin:

Kitty Cuddles Beds #1 in Action

Queen Elizabeth attempts to fit into the Kitty Cuddles Bed #1. . .
Shet gets pretty comfy. . .

Sausage in a roll. . .

Fully relaxed. . .

Kitty Bed #2, Also for a Dog

The pattern is Kitty Cuddles Bed (free from Crochet Pattern Central).
This is the second kitty bed made for our dogs.


The yarn is Lamb's Pride Bulky in "olive."
The trim is 2 strands of Patons SWS (wool/soy blend) in "natural violet."


Close up pre-felting:

It was a big mama before it was felted:

And here it is after felting, with a comfy, fleecy pad to lie on:

And little Chiwi half-in, half-out of her new bed:

Snuggy bed, and chew toy in one!

Kitty Bed for a Dog

Pattern: Kitty Cuddles (Felted Cat Bed Pattern) by "Kitty Chrome." This is a free pattern from Crochet Pattern Central.

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool (3 olive green, used every bit; 1 red; 1 purple), used double-stranded with an "N" hook.

Before. . .
Pre-felted diameter: 31"
Prefelted height: 6"
Drying. . .
This was supposed to be for Chiwi, Daughter M's French Bulldog, but it turned out too small, so it is sitting on the living room floor, too small for our dachsund, and not to the chihuahua's taste.

Felted Hat

Before. . . . . . and after!

And then we add a little bit of modest bling, and Voila, C'est Fini!

Pattern: Felted Roll Brim Hat from Felted Knits, by Bev Galeskas

Yarn: Alpaca, worsted weight, held 2 strands together

Recipient: Friend Debbie

I cut the flowers off of a 2 dollar scrunchy I got at Accessory City. Just the right color!

Bolsas

On the left is a felted lunch-bag style purse. The handle acts as a drawstring of sorts. The "G" panel is also an exterior pocket.

Date: 2004

Patterns: I don't remember!

Yarn: Brown Sheep Bulky for both, I think.


Below is a tote with sewn on handles. It biased when it was felted, and had to be stretched and pulled a lot. Actually, after I took the picture, I cut off the flap and resewed it in the correct position, because it had gone so askew! It's really pretty ugly. . . oh well, my first felting project has left room for improvement!