Catch up with Vogue Knitting in Chicago or Charlotte

Vogue Knitting has been putting on knitting conferences complete with classes, a marketplace, fashion shows and other crafty events for a couple of years now, and they look like an awful lot of fun. Registration recently opened for the fall event in Chicago, which will be taking place October 26-28 at the glorious Palmer House Hilton in Chicago (man, would I love to go to that one!).

There will be classes by a ton of your favorite knitters, from Nancy Bush to Melissa Leapman, Ysolda Teague to Deborah Newton, Debbie Bliss to Erika Knight. Classes by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Lily Chin and John Brinegar, who I am ashamed to admit I’d never heard of til just now. The gala dinner features a speech by Debbie Macomber.

You can attend just the markeplace for one day for $15 or pile on the classes, lectures, parties and swag with a package topping out at almost $800. (There’s a $100 discount running now, so if you know you want to go, get in there.)

VK also recently annouced what is being billed as a “pop up show” that will be part of the Southern Women’s Show in Charlotte, N.C., which runs September 20-23. Teachers there will include Nicky Epstein, Mary Beth Temple, VK editor Trisha Malcolm and Knit Simple editor Carla Scott. Registration for this one will open soon; register for the newsletter at the VK Live site to get all the updates.

Have you ever been to a Vogue Knitting Live event? Spill it!

[Photo by Vogue Knitting Live.]

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The felted slipper craze that began last year doesn’t seem like it’s fading away. The Sailor Slippers, often striped knit and felted slippers made with super bulky yarn, because the project of the moment late last year (check out more knit slipper options in this post all about sailor slippers) and they’re still consistently popular with knitters.

Which makes sense because they are fun and fast to knit, and seeing them go from this giant thing to something that actually fits a foot feels a little magical.

I have always loved felting (in fact my first book was about felting knitting) and it’s always fun for me to see people rediscover this technique.

If you’ve knit enough plain slippers to fit all the feet you know, maybe it’s time to stitch up some tabi style slippers instead.

Maymade Knits has designed these cute tabi ballerina slippers, made with bulky yarn and felted. They’re worked flat at first and then in rounds, and are available in 10 EU sizes (the Internet tells me add 31 to your American shoe size to get your EU size). The designer says the slippers are meant to have a close fit and you should choose a size a little smaller than your foot for the ideal fit.

The pattern includes a video tutorial along with the written pattern.

You can grab this pattern on Ravelry. The same designer has her own version of the striped felted slipper as well, called Sarah’s Striped Slippers. These are worked in super bulky yarn and have a contrasting foot and a striped body. These are knit flat and seamed and there are 7 size options available. Check that pattern out here if you’re looking for a more traditional slipper shape. They also look roomier so you can wear them with socks if you like.

[Photo: Maymade Knits]

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