A Small Aside

Okay, I really do like knitting socks. And I do like knitting bigger things like sweaters and purses. But every once in a while, I feel the need... the need for speed. I need a project that I can start and finish in an evening or two, or at least make enough progress that I know the end is right around the corner.

So, with that in mind, and with my neighbor's oldest boy having his 5th birthday next month, I set out to make something cute and quick for him. Coincidentally, I had just received a "gift with renewal" - a "cozy critter slippers" booklet, a freebie for renewing my TKGA membership.

(This picture shows one completed slipper and the second one just started. Yes, for those of you who know me, I actually used the DPNs. Trust me, though, as soon as I could, I switched to my beloved circulars. You start these by making a little heel triangle and then picking up around 3 sides to knit the foot, then go circular in 1x1 ribbing to the toe.)

The alligator caught my eye (okay, it looked like it was the easiest) and I went through my stash for some green, mom-friendly yarn (read: acrylic). The only green I had was Christmas green, which is definitely not an alligator shade of green. I wound up with "Vanna's Choice" in two shades of green which I knit together (the pattern calls for double strands).

At first, I misunderstood the pattern so wound up sort of inventing what I thought the author was trying to say. The first slipper came out with a longer snout than the instructions - more alligator-like, if you axe me - so I had to make sure I replicated the proportions in the second. I finally understood what she was doing, and the second slipper went very smoothly, and wound up only about 1/4" shorter than the first one. The hardest part was doing the eyes and teeth, since the slipper is small and narrow without much room to maneuver the needle for the stitches. I kind of like them and plan to make another pair for her other son. That pair, though, will be a frog - I'll use only one color green, will keep the snout fairly snubby, and will make a little red tongue that comes out of the front.

In other knitting news, I swatched for the "Tilted Duster" on the cover of Interweave. I had some elann.com Peruvian wool that's a little lighter than the Berroco Peruvia the pattern calls for, but I like looser weaves anyway. I won't actually start it, though, until I'm done with the shrug for my sister-in-law.

Lastly, there are now only 2,237 people in front of me on Ravelry. I've already got my photos on Flickr, just waiting for that email invite to arrive. Open, open, open...