Big Foot

Dear Cynthia,

Your excursion to Cass Street Depot sounds like so much fun! I really do miss going there. We have so many nice yarn stores here, so I can't really complain, but the Fair Isle class I took at Cass Street Depot revolutionized the way I did colorwork, and helped me become a real "KNITTER". I'll always have fond memories of my history there. Anyway, I was not at all surprised that you were able to fill a bag :-)

My big L "Perfect Sweater" is dry, so I wore it today, and probably tomorrow, and maybe the next day, etc.... I really like it. It suits my needs for casual and comfy clothes, without looking too dumpy. And this sweater is warm and fitted, nothing fussy about it. I'm sure I'll make this same pattern again, though probably the vee-neck version, and probably no "L" on the front...

I seem to be on some kind of weird "simple stockinette with intarsia" kick lately, so when I started to think about what I should make for dh for Valentines' Day, I was relieved that what appealed most to me were the felted moccasins from Felted Knits (by Bev Galeskas). No intarsia, some stockinette... This pattern has many similarities to her felted clogs pattern. The double sole in particular is constructed much the same way. And, the moccasins are another very clever pattern. Here is the first one, not yet felted, complete except for knitting the second sole and sewing the bottom closed. (My reading glasses shown for "scale". When all is shrunk, this should fit a men's size 10 foot.) The white waste yarn goes inside the casing formed around the top/back of the slipper. It will keep this area from felting closed. Once felted, some leather cording, or a thick black shoelace, may be pulled through the casing by attaching it to the white waste yarn, and then pulling on the waste yarn to thread the cording through the casing. See?! Clever!

Well, it's *almost* time to think about dinner, which means that it *is* time to clean the kitchen.

Warm regards,
Laura (YarnThrower)