Present knitting

I've been doing a bit of knitting to order recently. This customer seems quite pleased with his new shoes.

It's all very well to have gorgeous pictures, fabulous materials and delicious colours in crafty books but do the patterns work?  How frustrating to fall in love with a beautiful cardigan or bag and find that the instructions are impossible to follow or that the finished object looks nothing like the cleverly photographed matte image in the book. So before I pass on my opinion on a book to you, lovely readers I like to try it out

But then what to choose?  I need something that is fairly quick, I don't want a six month project so that by the time I write my review the book is no longer newly published. This is why when I reviewed Debbie Bliss' The Ultimate Book of Baby Knits I chose to make a pair of baby sandals. But somehow I couldn't stop

My daughter (the Little Model's mother) saw these and asked if she could have a pair.  It seems that all the girls in her NCT group are having their second baby and these will make perfect presents. I think it was then that I really noticed, once it had been me and my friends having babies, now it was my daughter and her friends.  Some of her friends I had known since they were children, knocking on our door to see if anyone was coming out to play.

So I find I have gone into small scale production.  This pattern from Knit Today is already well used

When The Little Model saw these sitting on the radiator drying after their eucalan rinse she wanted some for herself

It was easy to adapt the pattern, making them longer and a little deeper (double the stitches and rows).  We had fun drawing round her feet onto a piece of card to have a template.  I'm not sure how much she will wear them, I need to get some of that anti slip glue for the soles.

But she was very thrilled to have her own pair of booties, since her Mummy seemed to be giving away all the others.  She was also very excited to find her doll wearing a matching pair.

And they really do only take one evening to make.

xx

C

PS on the subject of things that knit up quickly I have just received Knits To Give  by Debbie Bliss to review.  It looks fabulous as usual, and she says all projects can be finished in under a week.  Perfect for Christmas presents.  As soon as I have finished my chosen project I will tell you more...