August Yarn Along: Rhythms

The past few weeks have been all about finding some sort of rhythm in the chaos of life just now. It's been a turbulent summer, to say the least. My husband's schedule has been "predictably" unpredictable, including weeks of crazy late-night flights followed by travel. We had our summer break from school, and my plans to keep up some semblance of order came to naught (though I suspect doing "nothing" was what we needed, and we had a shorter than usual break, anyway). Now we are in our second week of homeschooling for the year, and I'm enjoying the more predictable cadence to the day, even if it means decreased "freedom."

I'm currently reading The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker. This was a book my husband just finished and really wanted me to read. It's a bit disturbing by nature of what it discusses (violence), but it's also very enlightening. A snippet from the description sums it up nicely: "True fear is a gift. Unwarranted fear is a curse. Learn how to tell the difference." 

I'm also reading The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge, but I'm not very far into it yet. To be quite honest, I've been knitting more than reading this month! And both of my current books are on my tablet; I rather miss having a "real" book in my hands. I still have my Beatrix Potter book underway, but I don't think I've read any of it this month...  

I finished up my Ninni cardigan (which I have dubbed "Goldilocks"), and cast on a pair of Rye light socks for Rosa. I love this pattern so far (it really is excellent for teaching you how to make socks, and I rather wish I'd started my sock-making adventures with this!), and these are whipping up very quickly. The heel flaps are done -- why am I always terrible about keeping track of my heel flap rows? -- and it's time for short rows! I love that there's a bit of texture on the front of the sock, but it's still a very easy pattern to follow. I wasn't in the mood for anything too complicated.

My new stitch markers are shameless knock-offs of Pleximama's lovely markers (going back to that post, I realized she was working on a pair of broken seed stitch socks, which I'm also planning to start when these socks are done -- apparently I'm just a copycat!). I love my purple locking stitch markers from KnitPicks, but I couldn't get the thought of little toadstool markers out of my mind. I found the beads on Etsy, and turned them into markers with my limited jewelry supplies as soon as they arrived in the mail. And, of course, they needed a little coordinating pouch -- fortunately, they fit into the pouches I'd previously made for my stitch markers and point protectors, so I whipped up another in red leather:

And now I have a little set of three in my knitting bag!

Linking up with Ginny's Yarn Along:

Rolly Tootsie Wrappers

No, the title of this post (though confusing) is not muddled. For the topic in hand are new "wrappers" for the rolliest tootsies in the house, belonging -- of course -- to Rosa.

Since my predilection for leather shoe-making is clearly here to stay, I actually invested in some leather sheets via Etsy and decided to have a bit of fun. Little pink shoes were just too much to resist! I used the same pattern as I did for Rosa's tan leather shoes (and a pair of "undocumented" red leather Mary Janes), namely, Podsshoes's Ruffled Mary Janes via Etsy. Rosa has outgrown her other pairs, and they're truly in sad shape, anyway. She's now very comfortable in a size 4. Consider that there are 5 sizes in the pattern, and the largest size is supposed to go up to 18 months. Rosa will be turning two in October! I think the sizing may run a little big, but still, my girly has tiny, pudgy feet.

I used a dark grey leather suede for the soles -- these had already been worn a few times before I snapped
photos, so you can see some little toe-prints if you look carefully! *wink*

My only real modification this time (besides omitting the ruffle) was to the change the strap design. Rather than a single piece that crosses to the other side, I shortened the strap and added the "difference" to the other side of the shoe back -- this created two short straps instead of one long strap.

I also omitted the lining pieces, since the leather I was working with was quite thick. Instead, I stitched a rectangle of thin leather to the ankle area, thus creating the casing for the elastic.

The straps are connected with a small loop of elastic, with a pink bow stitched to the front. They slip onto Rosa's feet with just a hint of persuasion.

I took my time with the stitching this time, using an awl to keep my stitches even and thick buttonhole thread for durability. I think it paid off, as these are by far the tidiest pair of leather shoes I've made to date. Over time, I'm hoping to increase my skill -- and perhaps my stash of tools -- but it's nice to know that I have enough to make simple shoes and such.

Minimally Shod

My attitude toward footwear has been slowly evolving over the past few years. I am a shoe lover at heart -- after all, what's not to love about an item of clothing that doesn't care if you gained five (or twenty-five) pounds? I used to have at least three dozen pairswhen I was a teenager. They were just so cheap at the thrift store! But my perspective on "stuff" has changed, and that includes footwear. Much as I may admire different styles and designs, I really don't want dozens of pairs any more. In fact, now I prefer the minimum necessary to coordinate with my wardrobe, and one pair (maybe two) for "fun."

Oh, and my perspective on footwear has changed in one other significant way -- we've become more and more convinced that minimalist footwear is the way we want to go for our family. Turns out, people in "shoeless" cultures don't experience the same joint problems that plague first world runners, because you run differently barefoot than you do in a cushy, "supported" shoe with a thick heel. Weight lifters have known this for a long time, which is why they wear flat shoes (it pays to have a husband who knows these things!). I own a pair of Merrell Barefoot Vapor Gloves for running and exercise, and they really are amazing (as in, you will never want to wear another pair of shoes once you put them on). As a disclaimer, I do have one pair of black heels for fancy occasions, and my winter boots aren't exactly minimalist. But my everyday shoes are as flat and "minimal" as I can manage -- though ballet flats, which are typically flexible and have little to no heel) are the closest I've come without spending a fortune. 'Cause let me tell you, there are not many minimalist shoes available -- especially if you're on a budget.   I guess it's a good thing I was downsizing already...

In fact, between my two "minimal" philosophies (fewer pairs and less between me and the ground), I rarely even bother looking at shoes when I'm shopping.

Then I saw Sseko sandals -- a single amazing sandal that can be tied in umpteen different ways with any color of ribbon? Don't pinch me, or I might wake up! Oh, they're also made fair trade by women in Uganda. Like they needed to be any better. There was only one teensy, weensy problem: Ssekos are not minimalist. I would have gladly shelled out the cash if it weren't for that subtle rise between the toe and the heel.

But I wasn't about to give up. Ideas have been simmering in my mind for months (no joke), and I finally summoned up my courage and got started. Turns out, the solution was simple:

You know you have minimalist shoes when the wear pattern on the sole shows your heel,
the ball of the foot, and all of your toes! 

I like simple. Two scraps of free leather (brown upper and black lower, because that's what I had), a utility knife, Contact cement, and a pair of knit "straps" did the trick. I wouldn't feel right doing a full tutorial for these because they are total knock-offs of the Sseko sandal -- but it's a simple design to simulate, based off of this image. I traced my foot and smoothed out the shape, adding a bit so that my foot wouldn't fall off the edge. My leather pieces were relatively thick, but they're still quite flexible. I scientifically "eyed" the location of the leather loops after perusing images on the Sseko website, and fortunately they seem to be placed properly.

They were practically free, unless you count the bottle of contact cement (which is still mostly full). The leather came in a bag of scraps from a local saddle shop, for those of you who might be looking to make some of your own.

I can't wait to try out more of the different tying options, and to also make a whole rainbow of straps. The straps, by the by, were sewn with two strips of excess knit fabric, leftover from a shirt I made (more on that project soon!). I just made them the width of the fabric, which, being a knit, was characteristically wide. 60", perhaps? I'd used grosgrain ribbon at first, but it was not nearly as comfortable. With the knit straps, it feels like I have absolutely nothing on my foot! In fact, once I put them on I have absolutely no inclination to take them off. I think Sseko ribbons are made from woven fabrics, so I'll probably try that to see how it goes.

My toes look a bit wonky in this one, because it's harder than you might think to get pictures of your own foot...

I've noticed some areas of separation between the two sole pieces, so I'll probably try to re-glue them or even try a different glue (I've heard Barge cement is great for leather shoes). Oh, and I think a bit of stitching around the edge would also work splendidly (and solve the glue issue), but I didn't have the proper type of "thread" for such an application and I was too impatient to wait. But since these were free, they're a perfect experimental pair. I can work out any kinks at no cost to myself. Though quite honestly, I'm perfectly happy with them and will continue to wear them as long as they'll last!

I'm so thrilled that I have a new option for footwear; I'd like to experiment even more once I have a little more experience under my belt. Making shoes -- however simple -- was never something I'd thought possible. Now I have an option that fits both of my "minimalist" shoe requirements, with the added bonus of cheap materials, a customized fit, and virtually endless style possibilities.

Leathered

I've come to a realization of late. Namely, I love leather. The feel, the smell, everything. I'm aware that's a somewhat controversial fondness! But that's not a debate I intend to explore, especially since my leather use thus far has consisted entirely of scraps and secondhand pieces. 

This piece, for instance, was made from a scrap from a local saddle shop. They offer a grocery bag full of scraps for $5, though the shop proprietor insisted on my husband taking the bag for free when she found out he was military. 

I used this tutorial and template for the "magic braid" (I used the shorter, fatter template). However, having read a few magic braid tutorials in the past, I didn't follow the instructions too closely. Also, with no snaps on hand, I used an exacto knife to cut a rectangular button hole, and added a small metal button. You don't need a leather needle for such a small task if you just poke a few holes with an awl or other sharp, pointy object.  

The process was much easier than I imagined! The bracelet naturally "unlooped" itself. I did discover that it's not necessary to braid every last inch -- once you're done braiding and start to even out the braid, everything works out.

I have plans for some leather sandals; I can't wait to see how they turn out! Well, assuming I get up enough gumption to try...