Knitting Warm Fuzzies for Australia’s Animals

I told you last year about a story calling for people to knit marsupial pouches for animals in Australia who might need a little extra help and warmth after being injured or when babies aren’t with their mamas.

I said then that I didn’t really know how much of a need there was for such a thing, but it turns out the pouches are actually used, as seen in this story about a group of knitters who make 24 pouches and delivered them to Australia Zoo’s wildlife hospital.

The knitters said they had knit jumpers for penguins after an oil spill, and they wanted to do something to help other animals.

“The handmade pouches will be put to good use right away for the smallest, and often most threatened, native wildlife that are admitted to the wildlife hospital,” said Cynthia Thompson of the zoo.

This picture of a wee possum in a knit cozy might be just the thing to change my mind about possums, too.

[Photo from the Australia Zoo, via Brisbane Times.]

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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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