Warning: cutess factor: HIGH.

Told you. Are these not the sweetest little slippers you've ever seen? Hopefully they turn out to be "somewhere between a 6 and a 7" which is what size Ellie's mom says she wears. I googled shoe size measurements and made them as long as the results said. I got the handmade fleece flowers from hksupermom during a Sneak Attack (See? Undiscovered Etsy shops can have the most amazing things!); the genius-y slipper pattern was designed by Little Red Mitten - and she provides instructions for making them in all sizes from baby to grown-up! Regarding the yarn, you know I can be kind of a yarn snob, right? But slippers for a kid must be soft and machine-washable. This is what I used; was super-soft and pleasant on a knitter's hands! Since the pattern calls for two strands held together, I grabbed the center-pull and the outside of the skein - which means my yarn-ball holder came in quite handy. There - now you can go make slippers for your adorable cousins!

Sneak Attack!

Marz and I are cosponsoring today's Sneak Attack. Check http://www.handmademovement.com at 5 p.m. Eastern time for "victim" shop names - you are not going to want to miss this!

Happy Valentine's Day!

So, both halves of the sweetest couple in the world got each other little gifts knit by me, coincidentally BOTH completed just in time for Valentine's Day! Marz had me knit a scarf for Verve, out of that fabulous yarn by Dee. Separately, Verve and I plotted for weeks about what color would be perfect as a hat for Marz (turned out to be a machine washable navy blue 100% alpaca). So they're each emailing me, sneakily, and when I got the items done, I wrapped them in identical tissue paper, one with a tag reading, "To James, From Kay" and the other reading, "To Kay, From James." Then I put the items in the same envelope, sent them off, and gave both husband and wife the tracking number. Is there such a thing as a Knitting Cupid? Maybe so! Happy Valentine's Day to my favorite couple this side of Merino and I, and to you, my darling readers! (Here's a photo of Heidi The Glass Head wearing both Marz' navy blue hat and Verve's Verve-A-Luscious scarf.)

Making a list, checking it twice...

My fellow Sneaker* FromMarz is having a sale, and he has stuff perfect for that hard-to-buy for person. Yes, really. His reclaimed wood business card holders/sports card displays/recipe card stands have been big hits in my family so far. Now I've got my eye on a fab "candle" holder, and I'm even having him work on a certain something for a Secret Santa gift, but I can't tell you about that yet.

Don't even get me started on his lovely wife, VerveInteriors, whose lovely art is hanging in our home. After you shop FromMarz, you might need to pop by Verve's to pick up some of the best holiday decor ever. I'm getting one for me and one for Kathy. Unless you snatch them up before I do, of course.

*Sneaker = Sneakers Notorious on Etsy for Attacking with Kindness. There's a Sneak Attack Monday 11/30 - and I'm the sponsor, so come by and shop!