Project Notebook: Bamboo Stitch Table Runner

Sometimes you start a project and, before it’s done, you just get tired of it. Or maybe you need to be knitting something else so you put it aside for a while, with every intention of getting back to it soon.

So it was with my Bamboo Stitch Table Runner, which the archives at About tell my I first published in October of 2008. At the time I knit what I thought would be about half of the pattern, enough to know how much yarn it would take to make it as long as I wanted, and enough that I could take a picture where the knitting needle in the end wouldn’t show.

And then it sat. It was in a folding basket that got packed up when we moved to this house almost exactly four years ago.

I just unpacked that basket a few weeks ago and decided it was time to finish the project.

In the intervening years (more than six, egad) since I started the project I either lost some of the yarn or used it on another project, because while I have a bunch of the gray and a decent amount of the cream color, I couldn’t find any more of the gold yarn anywhere, other than the part of a ball that was with the project.

So when I was about to run out of that yarn, I bound off, with a much smaller project than I intended, but it does fit perfectly on the table in our entry way. So I guess it all worked out after all. Eventually.

Any good projects on or recently off your needles? I’d love to hear about them!

Next Pattern:

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]

Next Pattern:

Have you read?