Tuesday 18 February 2014

Baby bootees grow large




You may remember these from last year...




Made as part of my challenge to see how many items I could make from one shrunken jumper, they are based on Heather Bailey's Bitty Booties, which you can find out all about here.




Well, one of the girls in the charity shop wondered if it would be possible to make some to fit her.  I'm always up for a challenge!

The perfect opportunity came when a whole heap of woollies came into the shop recently.  They were well worn - picture threadbare elbows and grubby cuffs - as well as unwashed, and therefore most definitely not suitable for the shops.  I couldn't bear to see them head into the rag bag (all 100% wool, mostly hand wash or dry-clean only) so some came home with me and found themselves given the indignity of a hot wash tied into a pillowcase with a tennis ball or two! 

I found a slipper pattern in a Tilda book I have and used the sole pattern as a guide, then scaled up the shape of the upper from Heather Bailey's pattern.  I decided that one layer of the felt I had created would not have been warm enough, nor indeed hard-wearing enough, so used two different jumper backs to cut linings and outers for the slippers.  

Some embroidery was required to jazz up the slippers. I was hoping the rain would give way to snow if I stitched enough snowflakes so off I went!

In the end, not one flake of the pretty fluffy stuff has fallen on us here in Hampshire, but I did finish the slippers...




The sole and the uppers were stitched by machine first (on triple stretch stitch) then finished with blanket stitch.










I hope the recipient will like them when I take them in for her on Wednesday!



8 comments:

  1. They look comfy, I bet they are lovely and warm too. I love the Red Booties, they are the cutest ones I've ever seen X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love the red ones too - wish more red jumpers would come in so I could make more!
      x

      Delete
  2. You are so clever!! I hope that your friend really likes them and gets lots of use from them. xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. These look fab. I might try making a pair myself as I have some old woollen jumpers that I've shrunk and need to use for something. Great idea for recycling clothes and reducing waste.

    ReplyDelete
  4. They're fab! Very resourceful. They look like those very expensive - Moshulu? - ones! Well done. X

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Alix! I love your booties in the various sizes. I have always wanted to make some of the Bitty Booties as I have the pattern saved. But what a great idea to increase the size to fit adults. They look so comfy!

    Hugs from Holland,
    Heidi

    ReplyDelete