My First Class

As I've said before, most of what I know about knitting I've taught myself.  However, I've wanted to take some classes to see what else is out there.  There is a knitting shop just a few miles from my house that I've been in a couple times that offers classes.  Any other time I've looked into it there hasn't been a class that I wanted to take, or I've missed a class I would be interested in.  Fortunately this wasn't the case recently.

On Saturday I went to a class learning a pattern called Duffers Revisited.  I had to look up what a "duffer" is but found they are slippers.  I would love to make slippers!  The class was three hours long and I was surrounded by other ladies who love to knit.  In the class I learned a new way to cast on creating a seamless knit - awesome. 

When I left class I had one whole duffer complete and had started on the second one which I promptly finished at home.  Now that I know what I'm doing, knitting a pair would probably take me about 3 hours, shorter if making smaller duffers.  The duffers are knit using 100% wool because they are a felted project.

This was my first experience with felting.  Fortunately Husband helped me with the washing machine.  We don't have a "hot" setting on our washer, but my teacher said the felting really comes from the yarn being wet and the agitation of the washer.  Above you can see that the stitches have disappeared as the pieces have felted.

Sweet, right?  These are meant to be Lions' colors for me to wear on Sundays while watching football.  I'd like to find two Lions pins to attach near the top of the opening.  I also need to find something "grippy" for the bottom so I don't end up sliding around all over the house.  I can't wait to make more of these - I purchased yarn in orange and navy for my next pair ;)