I just had to conduct a search of my own blog to find a post I wrote on Feb. 16. The post was called Loving The Craft Supplies From Dreamweavers (I really need to learn to give my blog posts shorter names) and in that post I had pictures of a hair clip base and back along with a rough idea of what I wanted to make.
Just in case you were starting to lose confidence in my ability to complete a project, look here! Yesterday I sat down with my components from Dreamweavers and some of my homemade felt. I knew I wanted to do some beadwork and I had also just recently ripped apart an old watch. I thought maybe I'd try a little steampunk.
As it turns out, my style is now what I'm calling "Wonderland". I seem to lean towards fantasy and it didn't hurt that my son was watching Disney's Alice in Wonderland while I worked on my clip. I have always enjoyed playing around with findings and using them in different ways. For example, the antennae on my butterfly are the loop ends of two earwires used for making earrings.
I also like to think in terms of layers; metal base, felt, beads, beads on top of beads and so forth. I don't like things to look flat. The two colors of blue in the felt help to begin to add depth. The clock butterfly is a five layer piece making it the focal point. Then I gave him a little butterfly friend which I attached to a coil. I wanted this little guy to look like he was in flight. Then I needed leaves and flowers because butterflies like that sort of thing.
I also like to keep my creations fun and lighthearted. Time to Fly, my name for this hair clip, has three moving parts. The small butterfly wiggles, the leaf moves from side to side and the clock face can turn all the way around. It could even be upside down if you were feeling a bit comical.
So I had a great time with my craft products from Dreamweavers. I have a few more items from them with which to experiment. What will I make next?
I love it when people send me pictures! It always feels like a special gift when my customers come back to share what they have made with their roving.
This sweet, little, needle felted kitty is one of LIL KEEPER'S TINY TREASURE'S. She was made from Merino wool roving. Merino is very soft and a nice choice when you're making a little animal. After all, kittens are super soft and when your work is this cute, people are going to want to pet it!
A few days ago I shared a bracelet I made after being inspired by Rebecca Smith. That bracelet has found a home in my own jewelry box, but I made a second one. This Painted Wool Bracelet, wrapped in Merino Wool and embellished with wire and glass beads, is now available only at Wind Rose on ArtFire.
I really enjoyed making this piece. I love the colors and more than once I've been temped to put it one and wear it, but I decided that this one is for you. I also changed the way that the bracelet closes so that it is now adjustable. It will fit nicely on wrist sizes between 5 1/2 to 7 inches.
I have found that with this style bracelet, it's nice to be able to adjust the size for a close fit. It sits pleasantly on the wrist and the inside of the bracelet lies flat making it comfortable to use a keyboard or write a note. The bracelet is approximately 1/2 thick at the widest point. The size might make you think that it's heavy, but the bracelet only weighs half an ounce!
Right now this piece is one of a kind, but I have some ideas rolling around in my head for other designs. I love the idea of making my own beads and goodness knows I have the wool. I'm happy to have found another way to combine my passions for beadwork and fiber!
I feel like I'm emerging from a long hibernation tonight. I spent this afternoon finally writing the pattern for one my newest designs, the One Sided Miser's Purse.
It feels so good to have completed this task and only a week later than promised. Last week I allowed myself to be distracted by all sorts of things. I'm not sure what that was all about; some kind of imbalance no doubt. I'm starting this week out feeling much more focused and ready to face the tasks I create for myself.
Now that I'm back in pattern writing mode, I'll set to work on writing up the Tasseled Miser's Purse. I have to make that project at least one more time to be sure that I'm happy with every aspect of the design.
All in all, I think this week is off to a good start. I hope yours is too!
I just wanted to show you that I finished my Miser's Purse last night. I kept the beads simple, but I used multifaceted crystals to add some sparkle. I made a basic tassel because I thought is was the most in keeping with the purses of this style from the late 19th century.
I wish you could see it in person. It's hard to capture long pieces like this in good light. The clouds aren't helping me much this week either. Sometimes you just can't seem to get away from shadows.
Anyway, I'm kind of torn about whether or not to write a pattern for this. I like it, but then I'm kind of into this whole vintage thing right now. The question is, would anyone else like it enough to want to make one of their own?
It could be finished differently and of course it could be in any color or made with all sorts of fibers. I just don't know about this one. Should I or shouldn't I?
This is 4oz of Merino wool that I painted for a customer this week. I'm not really selling or marketing today, I just wanted to share this bright, happy rainbow with you.
I feel I am suffering from a deficit in attention span this week. I'm getting plenty of things done. They just aren't the things I planned to do. My plan was to have my One Sided Miser's Purse Pattern written by now, but instead, I distracted myself by working on this new design.
This, sort of pumpkin shaped purse has been floating around in my head and needed to come out. This is my prototype which I still plan to embellish with some beadwork and probably a tassel on the bottom. I haven't exactly figured out how I want to finish it yet.
I'm pretty happy with this design as far as first run throughs go. There are only a couple small changes that I plan to make in the future. I have also found a spring hook that I like so that the purse can be worn like a ring clutch or be hooked onto a larger bag or even a belt loop.
My first Miser's Purse design which was more rectangle in shape, could be easily changed to a larger size, but I prefer this change in shape for additional roominess. The pocket measures 6.5" high and 5.75" wide allowing plenty of room for keys, phone, lipstick and stash of cash. It could easily take the place of a larger clutch for a formal occasion and be a pretty part of an ensemble. Not only that, with a Miser's Purse, you don't just have a bag, you have a conversation piece!
So I guess I'm continuing to bury myself in things to do. I will get my other pattern written and this one will follow. I'd suggest a time frame, but I fear that my personal deadlines are in jeopardy these days. I never know where my head will lead me next.
These are so lovely! I was delighted when I got an email from Irma the other day. I didn't realize she was following our Mini Muk Luk Tutorial too! She actually made this pair of muk luks in less than a day!
She shared that she made a few changes along the way. Right off I noticed the scalloped trim around the top of the boots. I think that is really cute! I actually love it when people make designs their own. Perhaps some people are protective of their patterns, but I always hope that people will see my patterns as just the beginning. I want them to be personalized, adapted and even made better. I try to resist the urge to give too many suggestions about how to alter the pattern, so I don't take away from the creative insights of others.
Here Irma shows the yarns she used for her project. You can see she carried two colors for both the blocks and the second color. That why these mini muks look so warm and toasty! I also think that by combining these colors, she added a lot of visual depth.
If you crave details, her yarns are Novita Isoveli, Novita Isoveli Colori and Novita 7 Veljestä. You may have to buy a plane ticket to find them. :D
Here is a nice close-up so you can really see the colors. Even though color theory is something that can be learned, some people just seem to have a gift. I think Irma is one of those people! Not everyone would put these colors together with confidence and look at how great the results are!
If you would like to see more from Irma, you can visit her blog at Neferi. Oh, and remember, Google Translate is a very nice tool!
I'm here to report that yesterday, I created absolutely nothing. I did however, get better organized.
We each have our own level of cleanliness including everything from slob to neat freak. I tend to come in more on the neat side. I don't think I'm quite freaky. If you visited me by surprise, you would find unmade beds, the evidence of boys in almost every space, and probably a few dishes in the sink. I do however, have a cleanliness quirk in my nature. You see, I become paralyzed creatively if I'm surrounded by clutter. I cannot work in a space unless it is clean and organized. I find any level of mess to be a distraction. It feels like a car alarm going off or a jackhammer; one of those disturbances that just can't be ignored.
My dye shelves were starting to feel like that. I have a custom dye request to fill, but yesterday I had to take time out to overhaul my pantry, and in the process, make a better situation for my dye stock and equipment. I simply could not dye one more ounce of wool until this was accomplished. Of the tasks I performed yesterday, the most life altering is the labeling of the lids on my dye stock jars. I may start to sound a little freaky after all, but this is major for me. For years, literally years, every time I need a certain color, I lift jar after jar until I find the right one. About a zillion times I have told myself that I need to label the tops of my jars. Finally, I've done just that. Not only did I label the lids, but I changed to using only one size jar for a more uniform appearance and I've organized them by hue. Now they are lined in rows in the color order of the rainbow. If I need a certain shade of green, I know about where to start looking.
Today, I will create something. I'll paint that rainbow roving for my customer and it will be a pleasure gathering my tools and my dye. I am no longer halted in my efforts by a noisy space. For me organization isn't just a beautiful thing, it's a necessary one!
This beautiful Navajo spindle was made by Hokett Would Work. This was one of my purchases from the Fibers Through Time conference. I was admiring Jim Hokett's lovely woodwork when I noticed these spindles in a stand hiding in the corner. My memory immediately flashed to some of the first spinning I had ever seen.
When I first started to explore the fiber arts beyond my lifelong crocheting, I began by weaving and worked by way backwards. I used simple frame looms to teach myself weaving techniques and it wasn't long before I came to respect and admire the wisdom of the Navajo Weavers.
After weaving for about a year, I knew I wanted to make my own yarn. I received an annual dose of education on my visits to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. It was at this event that I stood and watched a Navajo woman spin on a spindle like this one. Her spindle was aged and I could only imagine how many thousands of yards of wool had been spun on that stick. It looked more like an appendage that a separate tool. I stood entranced for the longest time as people brushed passed me. I have always learned best by seeing and doing and my eyes were memorizing her every move.
That being said, I'm not sure why my first spindle was not a Navajo spindle. I'm sure cost and portability were factors. I've never actually spun on a Navajo spindle, but that is soon going to change. If you have never had the good fortune to see a demonstration, here is a wonderful link to an excerpt from a Wolf Creek film. Master Weaver Clara Sherman teaches how to card and spin.
Yesterday afternoon I drove down to the Fibers Through Time Conference in Phoenix. I was visiting with a few people and I wanted to see the vendors.
It was a fiber lovers paradise at the Crown Plaza Hotel! There's no other way to put it. Two large spaces were filled with roving, yarn, sundries and tools of every sort. Armed with my checkbook, I bravely went forth to do battle against my wants and needs.
OK, truth be told, I don't really need anything. I have a studio full of fiber, yarn, dye and all sorts of fun toys to go with them. I guess the battle was more between wants and good conscience. I like to treat myself while maintaining a certain amount of control. Of the vendors, the one that really drew me in was Rebecca Smith. I loved her fiber art jewelry! This is a pair of earrings that came home with me. She had a nice selection of loose beads, earrings, necklaces and bracelets all made from this same technique. I would have loved to have met her, but she was busy giving a workshop at the conference.
So today, instead of writing the pattern for my Single Sided Miser's Purse like I planned, I got completely sidetracked. I spent the late morning into the early afternoon making this Rebecca Smith inspired bracelet. This is coiled wire wrapped with hand painted merino roving. I added small glass beads as I wire wrapped the long bead of roving. Then I finished it off with three Swarovski crystal pearls on each side and a pretty silver hook closure.
I had such a good time making this piece. If you happen to be a female member of my family, be warned! You will probably be seeing this design on your birthday or come Christmas! So thank you Rebecca Smith for inspiring me today! I can only imagine what would happen to me if I actually took one of your classes. I'm sure I'd be a jewelry making maniac!
If you happen to be one of the people to whom I promised I'd be writing the Miser's Purse pattern this weekend, I apologize for the delay. It might be more mid to late week rather than the beginning of this week. It's not my fault. You just can't fight inspiration!
I had a very nice group of women keeping me company as I wrote the Mini Muk Luk Tutorial. Knowing they were out there, following along, was so inspiring. It made me work all that much harder to make the pattern as good as I could. Now the finished tutorial is even better thanks to their feedback!
They each did such and excellent job on their muk luks! Look at those wonderful colors and how perfect the shaping is on every one! It's also nice to hear their plans to make even more pairs as gifts. There will be some toasty toes next winter!
I want to thank these fantastic women from the Ravelry group Crochet Fever for taking part in this Crochet-Along! It was wonderful spending time with you and I appreciate all of your support! You really made this fun for me! I know there are a few others who are still working on their Mini Muk Luks and I hope I'll get to see even more pictures!
April is turning out to be a pretty hectic month for me, but I am determined to stick to my goal of one pattern a month. I decided back in January, that this year I would devote myself to writing patterns inspired by vintage designs all dating from the late 1800's to the early 1900's. This time period offers us an amazing heritage of handiwork which I hope to honor in my own work.
Last month I published my pattern for the 1895 Miser's Purse. I love the concept behind this design and it's a purse I can see women carrying today. It's perfect for all of our modern "toys". There is also the fact that it is simply adorable. Everyone I show this to responds with, "Can I have it?" As a matter of fact, I'm slower getting this pattern written because I've been making them for all the women in my family!
This weekend I'll be busy writing and I hope to have the pattern complete by the beginning of next week. I'll be back with purchase details and links when I'm all set. This is a great little gift that can be crocheted in just a short amount of time. In the world of small projects, this one is unique and very fun.
I had to post one more pic so you can see how the Miser's Purse opens. The multiple drawstrings keep items secure inside the purse and then with just a pull, they open to reveal the pocket. It's so cool!
On a final note today, the ladies who joined in on the Mini Muk Luk Tutorial have given me permission to share their awesome completed projects. I'll have that for you tomorrow. They are all so cute that you are sure to get inspired to make a pair of your own!
I just finished up with these two custom orders for my sister. This is the one sided Miser's Purse made into a portable pocket by adding a snap hook. My sister likes to power walk so this is how she'll carry her keys and her phone without having to hold anything.
I've already completed the pattern for the Two Sided Miser's Purse. I'll be writing up the pattern for this style in just about a week or so. When I do, I'll be making them a little more traditional in keeping with the inspiration pattern from 1895.
I have a new Springtime Firestar Sampler. These colors are all hand dyed here at Wind Rose. They're nice and bright and ready to add sparkle to your needle felting or spinning projects.
The colors include Cherry, Wine, Orange, Yellow, Olive, Ice Blue, Sky Blue, Purple and Red Violet. It's a non-traditional rainbow of sparkling hues.
I only have four available, so as always, I like to let my blog readers know first!
I tried to post this picture for the Ravelry group that has been working along with me in my Mini Muk Luk Tutorial. I still seem to be a little Ravelry challenged at times. I know how to post project pics, but I'm not sure about thread pictures. So if you can enlighten me, that would be awesome.
In the meantime, it occurred to me that, duh, I do have a blog! So these are my crazy, furry muk luks that have gotten me through the past five winters. The yarn I used for the squares did have an eyelash quality which has developed with age. I wish I could remember the name of the yarn, but since I started seriously spinning, my trips to local yarn stores have become infrequent.
These muk luks have held up so well. I haven't had to perform a single repair. The soles are still in great shape and the over all muk luks have sort of molded to my feet over time. They weren't just made by me, now they're made for me. It makes me happy every time I pull these out of my closet. I just think they are totally fun! I hope you are still enjoying your muk luks after five years!
Hello! Today is the day we finish our Mini Muk Luks! We don't have much left to do. All we need now is the top edge of our boots. We'll also be plying our loose ends to make a cute tassel.
As a side note, I just wanted to share that I realize I've never talked yardage for this project. That is because I haven't made these in quite a while and I honestly couldn't remember how much yarn they use. I'm sorry that I had to omit that information. Now that we are almost done, I think it's safe to say that 125 yards is more than enough for Yarn A. For Yarn B, I started out with a skein of Patons Classic wool of which I had already used a bit. I admit I was worried about having enough. I would guess that I was about 50 yards shy of a full skein and I had just enough to complete my muk luks. So for Yarn B, I'm going to say 225 yards. For both colors I am erring on the safe side.
Part V
We will be joining our top edge in the same location as where our tassel will hang. The tassel of each Mini Muk should hang on the outside of the leg. That means for one boot you will start on the right side and for the other, the left.
Do the following steps for each leg of your Mini Muks Luks.
Row 1: With Yarn B, join with sl st in the center of the ∆ leaving an 8" tail for the tassel, ch 1, sc in same space and work 5 sc evenly across the remaining half of your ∆, as you crochet across the corner of the 1st SQ, work hdc, dc, hdc in the three corner sts (see picture below), work 10 sc evenly across the next ∆, hdc, dc,hdc in the three corner sts of the 2nd SQ, work 4 sc evenly across beg ∆ and join with sl st to 1st sc changing to Yarn A. Leave an 8" tail for Yarn A as well.
Row 2: with Yarn A, ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc around, join with sl st to top of 1st hdc changing back to Yarn B. Cut Yarn A leaving and 8" tail. (total 26 hdc)
Row 3: with Yarn B, ch 1, sc in same st, sc around, join with sl st to beg sc, finish off leaving an 8" tail. (total 26 sc)
Preparing for Tassel
Use a large eyed needle to weave the last tail end of Yarn B down to Row 1 on the wrong side. Now the right side or outside of your muk luk should have no loose ends. Use your hook to draw all four loose ends to the right side of your boot. Draw the Yarn B ends through in one space of Row 1 and the Yarn A colors through a space right next to them.
Making Tassel
Trim your four tail ends to even out their length. Hold both strands of Yarn B together. Twist them counterclockwise until the twist travels all the way up the ends and is fairly tight. When you loosen the tension, the twist should backspin or start to curl up. Anchor those strands with a piece of tape to free up your hands. Now do the same for the two strands of Yarn A. Try to get the twist about as tight as you did for Yarn B.
Holding both Yarn A and B, twist them clockwise so that they ply together. They should be happy to cooperate.
You can let go and let your plied yarn relax. If you've never finger plied before, don't be frustrated if you don't get it the first time. Sometimes our fingers need a little training to do a new skill. Once you have your plied yarns looking good, knot them where the two SQ corners meet. Trim the fringe of your tassel to make it even.
Check out your finished Mini Muk Luks! Aren't they cute? I have to say that the tassel is my favorite part. I think that small embellishment adds so much to the overall look.
Now that you've worked your way through the pattern, change it up. Make Rainbow Muk Luks with every SQ and ∆ a different color. Tap into your inner quilter and create kaleidoscope inspired designs. I like introducing a third color on Row 3 of the squares and then use that as the accent color around the foot and top edge. How about fur trimmed Mini Muks?
Then there's the endless possibilities of squares. This project could take on so many unique looks. I love the versatility!
Thank you so much for joining me in this tutorial. I've enjoyed revisiting one of my favorite designs and I hope you've had some fun too. I love show and tell here on my blog, so if anyone would like to share pictures of their Muk Luks, that would be awesome! You can email your photos to me at j.pedersengiles@gmail.com. Include any description you'd like to add and I'm always happy to link to blogs and websites for you!
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty happy to be done with Part III. Now we are done assembling our shapes and it's time to finish working the foot and making the soles.
I know it seems like your boot is not going to be long enough for your foot, but we'll be adding several more rows before we crochet the very bottom of the sole. Also, remember that most yarns stretch a least a little. If your Mini Muks start out fitting more closely, after you wear them a few times, they will probably be perfect. Here we go!
Part IV
*Note - hdc dec (half double crochet decrease) - YO, insert hook into st, YO, pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook, YO, insert hook into next st, YO, pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook, YO and draw through remaining 3 loops on hook.
Hold your Mini Muk so that the right side of the SQ that covers the top of the foot is facing you. Join Yarn B with sl st where that SQ meets the ∆ on the right side as shown in the picture above.
Row 1: sc in same st as joining, sc around SQ, 7 sc into next ∆, 3 hdc into the rest of ∆, 2 dc into each of the three corner sts of the SQ around the heel, 3 hdc into the beg of the next ∆, 6 sc across the rest of teh ∆, join with sl st to first sc. (48 sts around)
Row 2: ch 2 (counts as 1st hdc now and throughout) hdc in next 2 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next st) 9 times, hdc to the heel, dc in same 6 dc from Row 1, hdc in remaining sts, join with sl st to top of beg. ch 2 changing colors to Yarn A (do not cut Yarn B) (57 sts around) Row 3: with Yarn A, ch 2, hdc around joining with a sl st to top of beg ch 2 and changing back to Yarn B (57 sts around) Row 4: with Yarn B, ch 2, hdc around joining with a sl st to top of beg ch 2 (57 sts around) Row 5: ch 2, working in back loops only, hdc around joining with a sl st to top of beg ch 2 (57 sts around) Row 6: Ch 3 (counts as 1st dc now and throughout) 2dc in next st, dc in next 10 sts, (dc dec over next 2 sts) 6 times, dc in next 17 sts, (dc dec over next 2 sts) 6 times, dc in next 4 sts, join with sl st to top of beg ch 3 Row 7: Ch 3, dc in next 12 sts, work dc dec over next 6 sts (Do this just as you would dec over 2 sts only keep going until you have attached six sts to your hook, YO and draw through all 7 loops on your hook.), dc in next 17 sts, work dc dec over next 6 sts, dc in last 4 sts. Finish off leaving a 12" tail for sewing your seam.
Now you can turn your boot inside out and use the 12" tail to close the opening. Since the tail is on the side, weave it in and out of sts until you reach one end. This will make it easy to whip stitch across and make a neat seam. Securely weave in your remaining tail end, but avoid bulky knots. Your foot will be resting right on top of this seam.
While your boot is inside out, take the opportunity to weave in your loose ends from Part IV.
Finishing Soles
To help our Mini Muk Luks have a nice long life and to keep them from being too slippery, we'll attach a piece of fabric onto our soles. Choose a fabric like leather or suede, either real or faux. I happen to be using a fabric I found that is made out of recycled plastic. It helps to pick a fabric that does not fray. If your fabric has a tendency to fray at the ends, use some Fray Check or fold the ends under as you work your way around the sole. You will also need a needle and strong thread. Embroidery floss works well.
You can make a pattern for your soles by resting your foot on a piece of paper. Draw lines marking the toe, heel and both sides. Use these markings to form a rectangle. Just eyeball a gentle curve around each corner of your rectangle. Cut out your shape and pin it to the fabric. Use your pattern to cut out two pieces of fabric. You may need to trim the size a little to fit your Muk Luks, but this gives you a good starting form.
After you have your fabric trimmed and the size looks good, pin you fabric to the sole of your Muk Luks. Use the edge created in Row 5 as a guide. Once again, I use a simple whip stitch to attach the fabric to the soles. I space my sts about a quarter inch apart along the sides, but a bit closer around the toe and heel. This makes for a smooth edge around the corners.
Now we have finished Parts 1-4. We're practically done! Only one more part to go!
In Part V we'll be making the top edge of our Mini Muk Luks along with the cute, plied tassels that hang from each side.
Part V will be quick and easy and then your new Mini Muks will be ready to wear!
I'll be back on April 10th with this final step. Until then, write me if you need me. :D
Hello everyone! I'm back with Part III. Today we will be assembling the top half of our Mini Muks by joining our SQs and ∆s. I have a bunch of pictures to guide us through the process.
Before we get started, take a look at the picture to the right. You can see that the SQs are turned so that their corners point north, south, east and west like a diamond. This is true of all three SQs for each leg. Two of the SQs make up the front and back of the leg and the third covers the top of the foot.
Now look at how the triangles play into the design. At the top you can see that the sides of two of the triangles (one facing you and one on the other side of the leg) make up the circumference of our boots. If you were wondering why we increased and then decreased in the first two rows of the triangles, it was in part to add just a little more width to the sides of these triangles. It also promotes the round shaping.
OK, enough study time. I just think it helps to take a good look at the model before starting the process ourselves. Ready?
Part III
I'll be relaying this part in 4 steps. I recommend going through steps 1-4 for one leg and then repeating the steps again for the other leg. Each leg will use one of each of our three kinds of squares.
In this picture they are roughly lined up so that you can see how they will ultimately come together. We will do all of our joining on the wrong side of our shapes. Have a couple safety pins handy. You may find it useful to pin the sides your are working on together.
Step 1
In this step, we will be joining the SQ with no ∆s to the SQ with 4 ∆s creating the front and back of the top part of our Mini Muks.
I have labeled all of the pictures I'm using today to help walk us through the joining process. If you have trouble reading a picture, click on it to view a larger image.
Joining one side of a ∆ to one side of a SQ: (We will be eyeballing where to place our sts along the side of the ∆. There will be a total of 12 sts.) Insert your hook through the side of the triangle at one point and through the st just left of the corner st of the SQ. YO and draw up a loop, YO and draw through the loop on your hook. Now your ready to sc across. Sc in same st as joining, sc going through the same st on the SQ but in the next st on the ∆. (Remember, when we joined the ∆s to the SQs in Part II, Row I had us work 2 sc in the first and last sts. Now we are doing the opposite by decreasing over the first two stiches of the ∆) sc in next 8 sts working through the sts on the SQ and evenly placing your sts along the side of the ∆, sc in last st of the SQ and in second to last st from the corner of the ∆. Sc through the same st on the SQ and through the last st on the ∆. Do not finish off.
Step 2
Now we'll be attaching the next two sides in the same way. Remember not to finish off when you are done sc across.
Now you have two sides attached. The pictures below show what the right side and wrong side of your piece look like.
Now we are going to take care of the two unworked corner sts on our two SQs. For each remaining loop, insert the hook and sc the two corner sts together. Remove the hook and pull the tail end of your butterfly through the loop to form a slip knot.
Now tie these two ends together with a square knot. (A square knot is made like the beg. of a shoelace tie done twice. First right over left and then left over right) Finish by weaving in your ends and cutting off any excess.
I don't typically use knots in my work, but these Mini Muk Luks are designed to last. I've been wearing the same pair for five years now they are still holding up great!
Step 3
Now we will be joining the last two unworked sides of our SQ with the sides of the ∆s indicated in the pictures. If you haven't used those safety pins yet, I think they are useful on this step.
Fold your piece as shown in the picture so that the two SQs are lined up with the right sides facing each other.
Now fold the ∆s in so that the sides to be joined are lined up. Grab those safety pins and pin your two sides to be joined. Now you don't have to think about it any more. Use your butterflies to join your sides just as you did before in steps 1 and 2. Finish them off in the same way by sc in the corner sts of the SQs with each end and then making a square knot. Weave in your loose ends and trim any excess.
After you complete your joining, turn your piece right side out. The completed steps 1-3 create a symmetrical shape. It doesn't matter which side you use for the front or back or which end becomes the top or the bottom.
Step 4
We have one join left to make. Now we are going to join the SQ with 2 ∆s to our completed steps 1-3 piece.
Line the two pieces up as shown in the pictures. Flip up the SQ with 2 ∆s up so that it lines up with the other SQ and their right sides are facing each other. Fold the ∆s back so that the are lined up with the unworked sides of the triangles from completed steps 1-3.
Joining one side of a ∆ to another side of a ∆: Using your remaining butterfly, working through both ∆s, 12 sc evenly across first two ∆s, sc in unworked corner sts of the two SQs, 12 sc evenly across last two ∆s. Finish off and weave in tail end.
So that's it! You did it! You have just completed the most confusing part of this project. It's all downhill from here! We have just two more parts to go. In Part IV we will be working on our soles. Look through your fabric stash or head to your local craft store for a couple pieces of suede, faux suede or any fabric that will both reinforce our soles and keep them from being too slippery. You don't need very much. I often see leather pieces being marketed in pairs just for projects like this. I have some fabric made from recycled plastic that I like to use. You'll also need either some embroidery floss or strong thread and a needle. I like my thread to match my soles.
Mini Muk Luks - Part III Companion Video
That's all for today. Comment on this post if you need any help or on one of the Ravelry threads. I'll see you on April 8 with Part IV.
