Knit, Knit, Knit!

Every year, usually in October or so, people start asking me to knit things for them.  They see me knitting at the farmers market, or notice a particularly adorable baby hat/pair of socks on my table - but their niece/grandson is just a bit bigger/smaller than that, and I make it the appropriate size or color or pattern, or whatnot.  This year, I actually started knitting in September for commissions, and I've not quite stopped yet!  I have just one single mitten left to knit, and I'll be done.  I tallied up the other day, and I've made 20 items for others, plus over a dozen for "myself" - Christmas presents, a sweater for Malachi, a wrap for myself, slippers for Liam...  By my reckoning, I made 4 stuffed animals, 8 hats, 4 pairs of slippers with leather soles, 2 pairs of mittens, 2 pairs of bootcuffs, and a scarf.  Even though I had to spin the yarn for a number of these, I also used up most of my prepared yarn and most of the remaining mill-spun yarn from past years as well.  I need to spend the winter re-stocking my yarn supply!  

I have finally had time to rehab my own slippers.  I wear them non-stop all winter, and by spring I've worn thin spots/holes in the heels and the soles are coming off.  In the fall (or middle of winter, whenever I get to it!) I take off the soles, needle-felt some loose wool onto the thin spots in the slippers until they're thick again, then run them through the washer until they're clean and tightened down snug again.  This also shrinks the new heels on nice and tight.  Then I sew the soles back on, and I'm good for another year.  I've been impressed at how well the leather soles have held up.  Mine are goat leather from one of our goats, and the same pair isn't even looking thin after 3 years.  I just keep putting them back on year after year.  

As a quick, unrelated sidenote before I go, Caleb learned something this morning.  Contrary to his assumption, he can indeed get the firetruck stuck in the field :)  Fortunately, he knows someone with a dumptruck that could come pull it out - otherwise, it might have been there until the ground dried out.  April or May, in other words!